Brave New Day
by liferefined
Summary: A year after the events of the movie, the first ISV arrives at Pandora. Jake Sully and the remaining humans would just as soon send them away, but nothing goes according to plan, and soon Kyle Fischer's life will be changed forever because of it.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, I fully admit, I love this movie. Props to James Cameron for creating such a well thought out and immersive world. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie like this that is so realistic in its concept and execution. Of course, this is where I say that Avatar belongs to James Cameron alone. The only thing mine in here are the OCs.**

**This is my first fanfiction, so if you care to review, be generous. Of course, I welcome constructive criticism. It's how we all improve, right?**

Chapter 1

The _Enterprise Star_ hurtled through the vacuum of space in utter silence. The massive starship was nearing the end of its almost six year journey from Earth to Pandora. No one aboard yet realized that they would never be returning home.

Captain Ignacio Delgado casually sipped his foul tasting artificial coffee from a thermos, slurping noisily on the straw. If he saw the two crewmen manning the ops stations cringe, he did not show it. Truth be told, if he did in fact see this, he would have continued slurping anyway, simply to amuse himself at their expense. Ignacio was not a cruel man in the foulest sense of the term. Rather, he possessed a certain grouchiness that could only come about with old age and experience. The captain felt himself sliding into the mold of the bitter-old-man, and he found he was rather enjoying the trip. Laugh or cry, he thought. The destination sure ain't changing.

Ignacio regarded the thermos with a certain measure of irritation. He wished he could be drinking from a mug, rather than a sealed thermos. What a simple pleasures, drinking from a ceramic mug. However, scalding hot liquid and a potentially weightless environment did not mix well. All of the drinks consumed aboard the _Enterprise Star _were from sealed containers or pouches. He had not indulged in such decadence as a cup since his ship left from Earth, so long ago. He sighed. After this round trip, he would retire a multi-millionaire. It was his reward for selling (slaving?) 40 years of his life to the RDA. ISV captains would make two round trips between Earth and Pandora before calling it quits, spending the remainder of their employ training and guiding a new generation of interstellar voyagers.

Captain Delgado's morose self-reflection was interrupted by a soft tone from one of the control panels. Instantly, the horrible fake coffee was forgotten. Ignacio leapt to his feet with an ease born of 60% gravity and was behind one of his watch stander's chair instantly, studying the holographic readouts intently along with the younger man.

"Sir…?" the man said as he looked back over his shoulder to verify that his captain was seeing exactly what he was seeing.

"Not good. Not good at all," Ignacio murmured. This would soon prove to be a massive understatement.

* * *

Max Patel really liked golf. It was something he had never picked up while back home, but here on Pandora, he found he was willing to try almost anything to relieve the stress of running Hell's Gate. The fact that Parker Selfridge had left behind a set of clubs that surely cost a year's salary played a role in his newfound affinity for the activity as well. Max idly wondered what it cost to transport this set of golf clubs between worlds.

The scientist shaded his eyes as he watched the small white ball he just thwacked soar through the air towards the far perimeter fence. The Hell's Gate airfield was the only open place, easily accessible, anyway, that Max had a chance to really exercise his chosen hobby. There was something uniquely stress relieving about pounding the snot out of a golf ball. Max knew he would never truly master the game without further lessons from an instructor who was definitely not available. It only took a small amount of practice, however, to drive a ball as far as one could.

"Golf? Really?" a voice spoke from practically right behind Max's head.

"Sweet mother!" the scientist exclaimed as he whirled around. Max craned his neck and almost fell flat on his rear as he looked up at the blue smirking face of Jake Sully. "Don't do that! You'll give me a heart attack," Max groused.

Jake threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Oh, but the look on your face was priceless! I could apologize, but I honestly wouldn't mean it." The former avatar smiled down at his friend. "You were rather focused on your game, after all." Jake squinted into the distance, shading his eyes with his large hand. "Nice shot, though. If I'm not mistaken, I think your ball is actually up against the perimeter fence."

"Really? How can you tell…" Max's voice faded out as he fumbled with a monocular range finder hanging around his neck.

"30 yards to the left of the turret, just by that patch of weeds growing there," Jake provided.

Max inhaled sharply, the sound of his breath amplified by the exopack he was wearing. "How in the world can you see that?" Max exclaimed.

Jake grinned. "Neytiri makes me eat all my carrots."

"You're bloody near ten feet tall. How does anyone make you do anything?" Max grumbled, still slightly put off by being so easily startled.

Jake's grin turned into a faint leer. "She can be very…persuasive…when she wants to be."

"I don't even want to hear about it," Max chuckled as he began loading his clubs back into his bag. "Did you come all the way out here to scare me? I'm flattered," Max smiled back.

"Not quite," Jake replied, sobering somewhat. "I got a call over the com in the avatar cabin. Tanaka would like both of us up in the control room. Didn't say what about, but I'll give you one guess."

Max sighed. Jake, Neytiri, and a small contingent from the Omaticaya were visiting Hell's Gate to greet the first arriving ISV since the war ended over a year ago. Much had changed in that time. Jake Sully, Toruk Makto, was now olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya. Max was in charge of the 50 odd humans remaining on Pandora. Everyone mutually dreaded this moment when the first of the giant space ships, already in an unstoppable arc towards Pandora, would arrive. It was quickly agreed that the chances of them being allowed to land were slim to non-existent. The truth of the matter was that for the first several years, the arriving ships would pose no significant threat. These ships were dutifully following the line of commerce between star systems and had nothing to do with the conflict a year prior – it would be at year six that any significant recourse from earth would strike Pandora.

Still, better safe than sorry, Jake thought. Max and Hoshiro Tanaka, the man in charge of the dozen Sec-Ops troopers with enough of a moral compass to object to the ill-fated battle against the Na'vi, readily agreed. None of the men had any doubts that the RDA would turn its back on Pandora after all that it had invested. But the trick would be to ensure that any further human involvement on the planet did not involve Na'vi genocide. Jake did not relish explaining this to the rest of the Na'vi. It was something he knew would need to be done, though, whether he wanted to or not. Jake knew his birth race too well. He grimaced at this thought. _I am one of the People, now,_ he thought to himself. Jake consciously thought this in the Na'vi tongue. _I will do what is best by them, first and foremost, with every fiber of my being._

Jake and Max walked back towards the airlock of the central building. As they passed the massive hangar, they both waved at a mechanic doing a post-flight work over on a Samson. Pandora's atmosphere was harsh on just about everything human, from their physical bodies to their metal machines.

Hell's Gate was a different place, now. It is a lot quieter now, for one thing. There was no longer a real reason to have massive AMP suites stomping around. Having only five qualified helicopter pilots contributed to that, as well. No longer were armed flights of Scorpions heading out every half hour for patrols. Only one or two science flights out a day were the norm, now. Every single expedition outside the walls of Hell's Gate had at least one avatar operator or Omaticayan native along. To be sure, one of the former Sec-Ops soldiers traveled with as well, but that was mostly to ensure the safety of the landed Samson. The remaining scientists and soldiers alike were learning that safety out in the forest came not from a gun, but from simply being aware of one's surroundings. Many of Jake's hunters teased the humans about their lesser and more limited senses. However, each of them was quite impressed with the persistence and seriousness with which each human took their newfound existence on a world that is so hostile towards them.

Jake and Max entered an airlock, and Max initiated the atmospheric change. He looked at Jake with concern when the man coughed harshly and thumped his chest. "Are you sure you're alright," Max asked. "We can rig up some reverse exopacks for you guys. Just because you're able to breathe earth air doesn't mean you're obliged to."

Jake finished his coughing spell, clearing his throat with a hoarse growl. "No, that's fine. The transition's the hardest. Now the air just smells funny. Too sweet. Besides, I've always hated exopacks."

Max harrumphed as the light turned green over the inner door. Max simply walked inside, while Jake promptly banged his head on his way through the door frame with a soft "Sonofabitch," under his breath. Max grinned. "Watch it, big boy," he said.

There were not too many people moving about the halls. Most of the scientists stuck to their labs, eagerly questing away for more knowledge. The pair passed Janelle Huxley, one of the avatar program technicians, on their way to the control room. She was one of the first faces Jake had seen when he first linked with his avatar. "Good to see you again, Jake," she greeted him as they passed. There were several overlapping reasons why the remaining humans on Pandora had decided to stay. Nothing or no one to go back to was by far the most common. When Jake had asked Janelle why she chose to remain, she shrugged, seeming genuinely embarrassed. "What good is a glorified Na'vi doctor back on earth," she had said. Jake and Neytiri both had no desire to "humanize" their clan, and the Omaticaya had no shortage of medical knowledge. Janelle would be the first, with wide and eager eyes, to admit that the clan's "doctors" taught her much more then she taught them. To say that Janelle's medical skills had gone underutilized thus far, though, would not be doing her presence here justice.

A tense atmosphere greeted Jake and Max when they reached the control room. Only about half of the operations stations were manned, but that did little to detract from the palpable nervousness in the air. Hoshiro Tanaka's presence lorded over it all. The man was only about five feet seven inches tall, but his presence was imposing nonetheless. His jet-black hair was beginning to streak with gray, and he wore it long, tied back in a ponytail that draped to his shoulders. He wore the standard Sec-Ops jungle fatigues with one addition: an elegant, beautifully lethal samurai sword in a scabbard over his left shoulder. Hoshiro had made the weapon himself – how, no one knows, for no one was present when he forged it. Whatever alloy he chose to craft it from was incredibly strong and light, and above all, razor sharp. Jake had no doubt that the man could sever his wrist from his arm, carbon fiber bones notwithstanding.

"Olo'eyktan," Hoshiro murmured with a nod, his face firm and unreadable. He was almost always like that, Jake mused. If the man decided to play poker, he would surely be a champion. He had no tell, nothing to give away what was going on behind his inscrutable eyes. He would also greet Jake by no other title, not even by his name. Hoshiro's reason for staying was deeply personal, and he had only confided it to Jake, whom he had first greeted as vanquisher. It was a matter of his own personal honor, he had explained to Jake. Hoshiro had been one of the squad leaders on the ground during the battle for the Tree of Souls. What exactly happened to him was a secret he had told no one. He was one of a very few people from the ground force that had made it back alive, that day. "I should not have been there," he had said. "It was the fight of a coward, of evil against good. It was a fight that should have killed me for my own cowardly participation. But here I am, alive. I will spend the rest of my life here, defending these people." He chuckled at this. "The Na'vi…they are not human." Hoshiro had looked up at Jake, his eyes filled with deep emotion. "But neither am I, for what I've done. I will stay here to find myself again, if you will have me. I will be a slayer of innocence no longer." What he had not said, but that Jake strongly suspected, was that Hoshiro would have ended his own life should he have left Pandora. The man was a deep well, one that Jake had dropped a pebble into and had yet to hear it hit bottom.

Jake's eyes swept the room and landed upon his mate. Neytiri was sitting back against a side wall, the light from the windows falling across her. Jake smiled – she was like a cat, sunning herself with her eyes closed. "_I see you, my love,_" he whispered. He was still across the room, but he saw here right ear twitch when he addressed her. One eye slid half open, then shut again, and the corners of her delicate lips turned upwards in a faint grin.

Jake knew she did not mind the human company. Neytiri had grown to accept, even care for, the humans who had stayed behind. A few days after the last shuttle had lifted off, after the glow of victory had faded, she realized what it meant for at least some of them to make this choice. In truth, it was Norm Spellman who had shown her this. She counted him as one of her closest friends. In a moment of quiet reflection with Norm and Jake, she had whispered through tears that she missed her father, Eytukan. Norm, his eyes distant, replied without thinking, "I miss my family, too." In that instant, Neytiri Saw Norm much better, much clearer then she had before. His loyalty towards the People filled her heart with warmth and compassion towards the man who had given up his world for hers. Jake looked on, quietly amused, as Neytiri enfolded Norm in a gentle hug. He squeaked in a most unbecoming way as the much larger Neytiri gathered his human form in her arms and said, "Then we will be your family now, Normspellman."

She did not mind the company at all. Jake smiled, rubbing his forehead where a goose egg had formed. She did mind being inside, though. Neytiri despised being indoors, with all of its strange smells, where she could not hear the sounds of the forest or feel the breeze against her skin. Despite her serene face, her tail twitched to and fro with silent agitation. Jake crossed the room and sat down beside her, and promptly nipped at the tip of her ear. Her eyes flew wide open with a start. "Do not do that here!" she hissed at him. Jake grinned innocently at her. "Bah!" she huffed, slapping his knee and looking away. "You are such a…"

"Skxawng_?" _Jake offered.

"No…something else. I will not say it here." Jake could see the faint blush creeping up her neck. If the room had been dark he would have seen the bioluminescent spots on her face brighten. Her shoulders shook once with a silent laugh. "This is a serious time," she chastised, but could not force herself to sound mad at her mate.

Max was looking over the shoulders of some of the techs while Hoshiro quietly whispered in his ear. Though Jake could clearly hear what they were saying, he chose not to pay attention until they addressed him. Hoshiro sighed, and finally looked up at him. "We had agreed that we would…potentially… permit only the trade of a limited amount of unobtanium for the supplies aboard the ISVs, yes? There would be no interaction with those aboard. The crew should not even bring the passengers out of cryo."

Jake locked eyes with Neytiri. They nodded as one. "None of these new people should be permitted to stay," she said. Jake met Hoshiro's gaze. His look said that he plainly agreed with his mate.

"Have you completed all of your checks?" Hoshiro addressed the woman at the communications console.

She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Yes, sir. It's as clean as I can make it. The transmissions are corrupted before they even get to our satellites, but that would line up with the _Enterprise Star's _story."

"Call them back," Hoshiro ordered. "Put it on the speakers." Jake raised an eyebrow.

The woman nodded. "_Enterprise Star, _Hell's Gate, please repeat your last transmission."

A distorted voice filled the room, filled with panic. "Hell's Gate, _Enterprise Star. _Our refrigeration unit has been damaged; it's been totally shot up! Probably from a micrometeorite storm. The containment field for the matter-antimatter engines is failing and the engines are beginning to overheat; they will go critical in less than 36 hours."

The voice paused; everyone in the control room could hear the person on the other end of the radio cough nervously. It came out as an irritating rasp of static. Jake shot upright from his slouched position against the wall next to his mate. He looked over at Max whose eyes were wide behind his glasses. "Hell's Gate, your previous command to not land on Pandora has not been forgotten." A nervous pause… "But if we are not allowed to disembark, we will all be killed when the ship turns into a star in a little over a day."


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't get used to updates this frequently! Two jobs at 55 odd hours a week can really put a crimp in my style. Thanks goodness for a two-day weekend. I've got most of the story in my head, but it just takes time to write it all out.**

**Two confessions: One, I can't speak Na'vi. Heck, I can barely speak English! I don't have the time or energy to piece together entire conversations in a different language. Sure, I could probably find most of the words, but I know I'd butcher the grammar. Aside from a few obvious, common words or phrases, I've decided to use italics to represent when characters are speaking in Na'vi.**

**Two, I'm horrible at thinking of Na'vi names. Any suggestions for male and female characters are welcome, or if you know of any lists of names anywhere, let me know. Hope you enjoy reading!**

Chapter 2

"Jake! We need to talk about this!" Max struggled to keep up with the former avatar, even as he moved down the cramped hallway. He should probably just think of him as a full blown Na'vi, now.

"There's nothing to talk about!" Jake whirled back on his friend. "This makes it easy," he hissed, his ears pinned flat back against his skull.

Jake had turned so fast that Max almost ran into him. He held his hands up defensively and backed up a few steps. Jake was already an intimidating man, especially when he wanted to be. When Jake was mad, he was absolutely terrifying. "I am NOT going to introduce almost 200 unknown people to this place. I know this is only the first-year ship, but there is no telling if someone onboard could be a plant. You would be outnumbered at least three to one by people who have no context for what has happened here and are still loyal to the RDA." Jake's expression softened, but only slightly. "I can't risk it."

Max sputtered. "It- It- It would be just like you killed them all yourself!"

Jake simply cocked his head to the left and remained silent, his expression still as cold as ice.

"Neytiri!" Max implored, turning to her. "These people are innocent! They had nothing to do with what has happened in the past. They've been asleep for six years! They don't even know!"

Neytiri was much better controlled then Jake. She looked at him with a completely unreadable face. "But are they not more of the same? If there had been no war, would not these people carried on their lives here like normal? The destruction of my home and the killing of my people would have continued, yes?" Despite her perfectly calm voice, Max could tell that Jake and she were of one mind on this issue, and his face fell.

"But what if some of these people are like Jake," he whispered.

Neytiri started at this thought, but said nothing. Jake just sighed. "Find me one good reason to change my mind," he growled, palming his forehead and running his hand down his face. Jake and Neytiri both turned away, heading back down to the airlock.

The pair reached the end of the hall just as Norm emerged from the stairs. "Hey, Jake – whoa!" He flattened against the wall as he realized that Jake was not stopping, let alone acknowledging his presence. Jake stormed passed and disappeared down the stairs. Neytiri looked a Norm apologetically and placed a hand on his shoulder. Then she too disappeared down the stairs.

Norm watched the pair go and then turned to Max. "What's up with them?"

* * *

Max tore back into the control room. "Tell me who…and what, is on that ship!" he ordered. "Susan! Quick!" Susan snapped out of her daze and jumped up from the communications station and slid behind another computer, typing furiously as she navigated her way through programs she was not familiar with, desperately trying to find a manifest and crew list for the _Enterprise Star. _So far it did not appear that many people were jumping up to defend those on the ill fated ISV_. _

Max turned to Hoshiro. "Jake will do nothing for them unless we give him a good reason to."

"I know," Hoshiro said simply. Max gave him an incredulous look. "Has it occurred to you, Dr. Patel, that this is for your own safety as well?" Hoshiro asked him quietly.

Norm had come up behind them and absorbed all of this with mixed emotions. "Max…" he started to say, but could not finish. He placed a hand on Max's shoulder, trying to comfort him. Max almost shrugged it off, but then felt himself deflate emotionally. He turned to face Norm.

"I completely understand the risks involved with taking these people in. But to me…it's just the right thing to do. Did we not get to the place we are now by taking a risk? The right thing then was worth risking our lives."

Norm's face betrayed his conflicting emotions on the issue. Without conscious thought, he rubbed the left side of his chest and shoulder, wincing a little. Even a year later, in his human body no less, Norm still experienced phantom pains. Nothing feels quite like getting shot, he thought. "Yes, I remember how we got here," he said. "I remember what it cost." Norm turned to leave. "I'm gonna link up and head outside to talk with Jake and Neytiri." Max nodded. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

As Norm left, Hoshiro said to Max, "Believe it or not, so do I, Dr. Patel. So do I." Hoshiro followed Norm out of the control center.

Max walked over to Susan's console and knelt beside here. "How is going? Find anything yet?"

Susan chuckled dryly. "I just started, Max. This isn't supposed to be classified information, but then again, the RDA didn't leave the manifests out in the open. I've got a bit of hacking to do. But I'll get there, don't worry. You'll be the first to know. Well, maybe second, after I tell Tanaka. He scares me sometimes." Susan smiled wryly as she said this, though. "We'll get those lists, don't worry! I can't work with you standing over my shoulder, so get out of here," she said and gently pushed him away.

"Ok, thank you. I guess I'll be in the biolab if you need me," Max sighed.

Susan smiled again, but did not look up from her screen. "I guessed as much. Now go," she chided.

* * *

Norm's eyes, his Na'vi eyes, blinked open. To this day, it was still disorientating for him during those first few moments of a link. He never spoke of this to anyone – it was a matter of pride – and none of the other drivers ever mentioned anything to him, either. He doubted he was the only one who felt this way, though. Having your body mass almost triple along with gaining a tail and moveable ears would do that to a person, Norm supposed. Not to mention that all of his senses were greatly heightened while he was in his avatar. It was a bit overwhelming for a human brain to be faced with all of these new inputs, and it took Norm a minute to re-orientate himself. He purposely fought down the urge to micromanage every input into his brain and let his avatar's natural instincts sort out the important sounds and smells from the unimportant ones.

Norm rose from his bed in the avatar cabin and rolled his shoulders, stretching the kinks out. One thing everyone admitted was that their avatar body was almost always sore as hell when they first linked. Being inert, the avatars were unable to move about in their "sleep," and there was almost always a limb or two that had fallen asleep. This time, it was Norm's tail, and to compound the strangeness of having the foreign limb in the first place, his tail was now sending all sorts of weird tingly, itchy sensations up to his brain, protesting greatly at having been slept on all night. Norm grimaced as he ran his hand over the trio of scars stitching across his upper torso. These are uniquely mine, he thought to himself.

"Oh, great," Norm grumbled as he grasped the offending tail and brought it about to his front, desperately massaging it up and down as he tried to restore blood flow. "Bother, bother," he grouched. Some semblance of normalcy restored, Norm rose to put some cargo shorts and a t-shirt on over his boxers. He still had a funny hitch in his step as he moved over to his locker to retrieve his hiking boots and cap.

Norm was almost to the door when he froze in midstep, one foot hanging comically in the air, his hand extended towards the door knob and his newly revitalized tail extended back to balance the awkward pose. His senses finally told him that he was not alone in the cabin, and his ears were standing straight up, straining to hear. To his right, Moat was sitting cross-legged on a bed in the corner, her eyes closed in meditation. She remained perfectly still, giving no indication that she was aware of Norm's presence.

"Are you well, Normspellman?" Moat spoke so suddenly that Norm, still frozen, startled badly enough that he almost fell over. Her breathing, previously so slow that it had failed to register with Norm, was back to a more normal rate within a few breaths. Her eyes slid open, and she regarded the gasping man with amusement.

Attempting a hasty recovery, Norm replied, "Oel ngati kameie, Moat." Along with the traditional greeting, he also motioned with his hand, touching his forehead and then moving it away with his palm open. He often encouraged the Na'vi that he met to "Please, just call me Norm," however he never had the heart (or bravery) to correct the Tsahìk. "_I am well, thank you."_ Norm opened his mouth to say more, but then shut it again, worried his still addled mind would make more of a fool of himself as he struggled to recover from his scare.

"I see you, Normspellman," Moat replied in accented English. Switching back to Na'vi, she continued, "_Your Na'vi is excellent. It is always a pleasure speaking with you."_

"Irayo," Norm replied.

Moat frowned slightly. _"I often wished my son's Na'vi was as good as yours, when we first met." _Her eyes twinkled with mischief again. _"It would have saved much…confusion, on both our parts."_

Now Norm grinned. He knew that when Moat said "son," she was in fact referring to her son-in-law, Jake. _"Yes, Jake tried my patience constantly during those first few months as well. Some things he learns quickly, while other things took much longer. I, of course, did my best to teach him the language of the People."_

"Indeed," Moat said with a smile. "I am grateful for your efforts," she said, switching back to English.

Norm scratched the back of his head, gently rubbing the base of his queue. "Jake and Neytiri are on their way out here right now. They have something important to tell you, I'm sure." Moat took in the news silently. "I'm going to step out and grab some lunch from the garden, give you guys some time to talk, before heading back here. Is there anything I can get for you?"

Moat shook her head. "No, but your kindness is appreciated. I have been fasting, and will not eat again until tomorrow."

"Of course, Tsahìk," Norm said. Jake and Neytiri were approaching. "Well, here they come. I'd better leave." Moat tipped her head as Norm exited the building.

Norm intended to simply nod at Jake as they passed, but the olo'eyktan grabbed his arm as he walked by. "Listen, I'm not sure how much you heard in there, but-"

Norm gently disengaged himself and placed both his hands on his friend's shoulders. "I heard. You don't have to explain. I don't like it, but right now I agree with you, and clearly so does Hoshiro."

Jake sighed, suddenly feeling sheepish. "Thanks, Norm. I'm sorry for almost running you over back there. That was really rude of me."

Norm patted him once on the shoulder. "No offense taken, friend. I know you have a lot on your plate, especially now. Know that I'm always here to help you figure things out."

Relieved, Jake replied, "Thank you, Norm. You have no idea how much I appreciate your help. With everything. Neytiri and I are going to let Moat know. Would you mind coming back in a bit? We want to hear what you have to say, at least before Max makes it out here." Jake looked back towards the building. There was no animosity in his voice towards the scientist as he said this. "I don't think he's going to take this one lying down."

"And he shouldn't," Norm said. He smiled at Jake. "I'll be back in a bit, after I get something to eat. I guessed as much that you'd ask, but I have to eat before I can do any thinking. I'm starving." Norm nodded respectfully towards Neytiri before turning away towards the gardens.

* * *

_"So you say…this Sky People ship is doomed? Something has gone wrong with it, and it will be destroyed before nighttime tomorrow?" _Moat had only a little trouble understanding the concept. While matter-antimatter engines were a bit beyond what she cared to understand, she quickly grasped the sense of impending doom as well as the moral dilemma that they all now faced. _"And your intentions, Olo'eyktan, are to do nothing to help these Sky People?"_

Jake shifted uncomfortably. He looked at Neytiri, but she was not meeting his gaze or her mother's. Neytiri's eyes were fixed on a distant spot, the muscles in her jaw working silently as she processed things in her mind. Jake sighed; he would get no help from his mate, at least not yet. Moat still intimidated the hell of out him. Even after knowing her for over a year, she had yet to give him a reason to rescind his nickname of "Dragon Lady." (He, of course, had never told anyone this. The only person to know of the name was Neytiri, and she had found out through tsaheylu. Much to Jake's chagrin, she had erupted into uncontrollable laughter as she teased the meaning and nuances of this strange human phrase from her mate's mind.) He had just finished laying out all of his reasons for not allowing any of these new humans into Hell's Gate, and he was not getting the impression that Moat was impressed.

Standing away from the trio at a respectful distance was Mal'ek, Jake's second in command. Jake often thought that Mal'ek and Hoshiro were brothers that had been separated at birth. Well, perhaps birth was still a little too close, but the mannerisms and attitudes of each person were amazingly similar. Jake could not have asked for anyone better to be his Second. He was strong, capable, loyal, and fiendishly clever. Mal'ek was powerfully built for a Na'vi, almost rivaling Jake's body mass. The two seemed to constantly one-up each other in whatever contests they gave themselves to. It is difficult to say who's training is "better;" Jake's marine recon training continually challenges the hunter/warrior skills that Mal'ek had been perfecting upon since he was of age, and vice versa. They were always coming up with ways to counter the other, whether it was a physical training fight or an idea.

Moat regarded Jake quietly. Jake turned and addressed Mal'ek with the dual intentions of avoiding Moat's inscrutable stare while seeking the counsel of his trusted friend. _"What is your opinion on this matter, brother?" _he asked.

Mal'ek was silent for a time, quietly regarding the nails on his four-fingered hand that he had previously been nibbling on. _"If your goal is to ensure our safety, then I can find no fault in it."_ He looked up at his olo'eyktan. _"Harsh, but effective."_

Jake felt slightly vindicated. _"You would do something similar, then? Your opinion is important to me."_

At this, Mal'ek smiled, slightly baring his canines. _"You are asking the man who would have shot you on sight the first time I laid eyes on you. So yes, I suppose you could say that I would indeed do something similar." _He paused thoughtfully. _"But this is also the reason that you are Olo'eyktan, and I am not. Among other things. You are wise to seek counsel on this matter. The decision will be yours alone, and you know I will not second guess you once you are decided."_

Jake grinned ruthlessly right back at Mal'ek. _"Straightforward as always, brother." _Mal'ek simply nodded at this. Jake looked back towards Moat, whose eyes were closed in thought.

_"My son, your heart is for your People. This is as it should be," _she said.

Neytiri spoke for this first time in a while, sensing something from her mother that was unsaid. _"What do you believe the will of Eywa to be in this time, mother?" _she asked quietly.

Moat was silent for a spell. _"I think I should feel more peace about this plan, if it is indeed Eywa's will. It is convenient indeed that this threat could be so easily neutralized without any effort on our part. Yet I do not feel peaceful at all. I wonder if there is not something, or someone, that may yet be worth saving up there."_

Jake glanced at Neytiri, frustration starting to take hold of his features. Jake did not doubt Eywa, not in the slightest. He still remembered passing through her Eye, and shivered at the thought. Neytiri knew all of this as she stayed his voice with a simple look. Neytiri also knew that as clan leader, Jake was more inclined to taking decisive action that waiting on a simple feeling.

_"How many of our people died at Old Hometree, my son?" _Moat asked out of the blue.

At the mention of the destruction of the Omaticaya's original home, Jake's face fell. His eyes dropped to the floor and his ears drooped sadly. Jake heard the bed shift and Neytiri was at his side instantly, her arm around his waist and her head resting on his shoulder.

_"And how many Sky People did you say were on this, this _starship_?"_ Moat's voice struggled over the unfamiliar human word. Jake did not answer her immediately. A chill settled in his stomach; he knew right where she was going with this line of thought.

_"It is near the same amount, Mother," _Jake said quietly.

Moat rose from her position on the opposite bed and knelt before Jake. She looked at her daughter, sitting pressed up against her mate. Neytiri nodded, her eyes misted slightly with tears as she relived that terrible day. Moat placed a comforting hand on Neytiri's shoulder, her face gleaming with pride. Neytiri would make a fine tsahìk when it was Moat's time to pass the mantle of responsibility to her. She was learning to put the will of Eywa above her own feelings.

Placing a finger under Jake's chin, she gently raised his head up to meet her eyes. _"This is not said to guilt you, my son. That transgression was forgiven a long time ago, a thousand times over. Toruk Makto." _She smiled again. She knew that Jake was still uncomfortable with the title. It was certainly something that he never flaunted. But every now and then Moat saw it fit to remind Jake of the high honor that that action bestowed upon him. _"But is it not strange that now, the positions are reversed? We have a chance to show mercy, though we received none."_

Before Jake could respond, the communication panel on the wall beeped three times. Jake stood up slowly, leaving Neytiri on the bed. Moat rose and settled in Jake's spot, next to her daughter. The two women shared a hug, silently thinking of the father and mate they had both lost that day. Jake walked over to the panel and tapped the call button. "Jake, here," he said. He felt a presence behind him, a strong hand landing on his shoulder. Mal'ek, offering his silent comfort.

"Jake, it's Max. We got that list. Can I bring it out to you guys? There's something on here I think you should see."

"Alright, Max. We'll be waiting for you." He turned to Mal'ek. "_Would you please find Norm? He is in the gardens. His opinion should be heard here as well."_

Mal'ek smiled warmly at the mention of the anthropologist's name. _"It would be good to see Normspellman again."_

* * *

When Max entered the avatar cabin, his was eyeballs deep in his data pad, scrolling this way and that way through holographic pages of information. He glanced up, taking in the five 10 foot tall figures around him. Max was used to working around avatars. It wasn't difficult to see the human being operating them due to their similar faces and very human clothing. Now, only Norm fit that bill. Jake and the rest were wearing tribal garb and looked quite serious. Moat was draped in her traditional Tsahìk's red shawl and Jake had his Olo'eyktan necklace of thanator claws. He looked exactly like he'd been born here, Max thought. The biggest giveaways to his avatar heritage were his eyebrows and extra fingers and toes. Everything else seemed to fade away with time as Jake had adapted to being clan leader of the Omaticaya.

Max did not know much Na'vi, but he knew enough to offer Moat the traditional greeting and hand gesture. Max greeted Jake next, then Neytiri, Mal'ek, and finally Norm. The four of them were sitting on a couple of the beds; Mal'ek, as always was standing on the opposite side of the circle from Jake. Norm rose from his place on the bed by Jake and set a chair down in front of them all for Max. Everything in the avatar cabin was sized up, including the provided chair. Max was still able to hoist himself up and perch on the edge, his feet swinging far above the ground like a child.

"What do you have?" Jake asked.

Max swallowed nervously and glanced at Norm. Norm did not seem to notice, and smiled encouragingly for Max to continue. Max looked back down at the data pad, desperately willing it to order his thoughts for him of its own volition. "Well, I think we could say we got a bit lucky in terms of personnel. There's only about half of the maximum passenger berths taken – this ship is mostly heavy on materials and supplies. Ultimately it made a light run out so it could take on our load of unobtanium that much quicker. The last ISV here contained the biggest Sec-Ops rotation, so the _Enterprise Star _only has about 2 dozen new soldiers, rather than 100. There is a Major Ian Zinda listed. He's the highest ranking military type on board. The rest of the passenger list is mostly 70 odd support and science personnel. And of course, the ISV crew of 25." Max dug about in his data pad. "There are, let's see…four new avatar drivers as well."

"Who are they?" Norm asked.

More screen shuffling. "It looks like Dryers, in geology. Ramirez and Henderson, biology and ecology. And Flyte, climatology." Max looked up after that last name and smiled a bit sheepishly. "I kid you not."

Jake glanced over at Norm. "You know any of those guys?"

Norm looked thoughtful. "Henderson is the only name that really sticks out to me. He was a class below me during avatar training. I remember he was a pain in the ass. Doesn't mean he's a bad person, though." Norm took the data pad from Max, holding the human-sized device carefully in his large hands. He used the tip of a finger to delicately page through the pictures. "I think the other three are alright." Norm shrugged, handing the data pad back to Max. "It's been a long time," he excused.

"Ok," Jake continued, moving the conversation along. "What does she have for cargo?"

Max answered, "A lot of science supplies, sensitive equipment and the like. Two whole new link devices. Grace would have loved being here for this one." Max smiled warmly at the memory of his old friend. He cleared his throat awkardly, and continued. "Looks like one whole cargo pod is given over to missile guidance chips." Hell's Gate's stereolithography plant could make almost anything – raw building supplies, helicopter airframes, arms and munitions, tools, mining equipment. Almost anything under the sun could be made if you had enough raw materials to dump into the other end. Sensitive electronic parts, however, more than often not had to be shipped all the way from Earth, at great cost.

Jake snorted. "Yeah, right, we're not bringing that one down here."

Norm glanced over at his friend. "Does this mean you'd consider letting everyone take shelter at Hell's Gate?"

"It's an option…" Jake hedged.

"There are also some cargo pods that have more specialized aircraft parts, and some other miscellaneous stuff. Nothing too major, except for those missile chips." Max frowned again, and Jake quickly caught on.

"Max is there something else you're not telling us? You know we need to know everything about thi_s _ship," he said sternly_._

Max winced at the accusation. "I would never keep anything from you guys. You realize that, right? It's just that…" He trailed off and looked at Norm again, then quickly back down at the data pad, flipping over to the page he needed. "There's someone on the ISV crew, a Valkyrie shuttle pilot. A Kyle Fischer…?"

At the mention of that name, Norm sat straight up and snatched the data pad from Max's hand without a word. He thumbed open the attached picture from the personnel file, his golden eyes growing wide with recognition.

Neytiri leaned forward. "What is it, Norm?"

Norm was speechless for a few seconds. "That…that's my cousin!" he exclaimed.

There was a shocked silence in the room. Moat was the first to speak, her eyes looking at something that was not in the room. _"So that is the reason," _she murmured quietly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ignacio Delgado was fuming. "Yes, no, make up your mind! Go screw yourself, something! Not, 'I'll call you back in a bit.' What the hell does that mean?" Ignacio walked back and forth around the bridge of the ISV _Enterprise Star, _absolutely furious. They were just barely able to establish orbit above Pandora and had 12 hours left before the engines went supernova on them, and Hell's Gate was not bothering to pick up the phone. Ignacio considered abandoning ship right then and there, even if it meant risking death on the ground. It would give him and his crew a few extra hours to live, in any event. The refrigeration unit was gone – there was no chance of repair. A good deal of the structural spars connecting the forward engine section of the _Enterprise Star _to the rest of the ship were sheared off as well. Her back had been broken, and she would never sail the stars again. It had been blind luck that they had already completed their deceleration burn and that most of the fuel had been depleted before the micrometeorite storm had hit them.

The captain activated the transmitter in his ear, contacting his chief Valkyrie pilots. "Fischer! Oros! Prep your birds! We're gonna rock and roll in eight hours!"

One of the crewmen manning the bridge raised an arm. "Sir! We're being contacted by Hell's Gate!"

"Finally," Ignacio growled. He sat himself down at the communications console. Captain Delgado was not ignorant of the events that had transpired a year previously. When he had gotten the transmission from the departing _Venture Star,_ he had been shocked. The story of a native uprising overrunning Hell's Gate led by a traitor to the human race sounded unbelievable. He was also told to ignore any communications from Hell's Gate, that the compound had been overrun by the Na'vi. Being a good company man (or so he thought), Ignacio had followed that order. All of the large-bit files of sound and video that were transmitted to his ship were summarily ignored. The text only message of "Do not land, refuel and return home" was an inconvenience, but Ignacio was more than happy to drop that bomb on his superiors back on earth. Honestly, Ignacio did not know what to believe. Whatever happened a year ago made Ignacio's life very complicated, and the elderly ISV captain absolutely despised complications. Ignacio was not a stupid man – the RDA did not pay idiots to transport their most profitable commodity between star systems. The lack of a given reason for such a massive attack on the human population of Pandora was conspicuous in its absences. He would never admit this to anyone, but Ignacio had a strong feeling that something very important had gone unsaid. I'm like a mushroom, Ignacio griped in his head. I've been kept in the dark and fed bullshit this entire time.

All of this is to say that Ignacio was quite surprised when a blue Na'vi face stared back at him from the radio screen. And said blue face was not happy looking in the slightest. He was almost as shocked by its appearance as by the fact that it spoke perfect English. "You will be granted permission to disembark your crew and passengers to Hell's Gate. Any hostile actions on your part will be met with lethal force. I will assume that you will not be making a second trip, so you will also be told which four cargo pods you will be carrying down as well."

Ignacio felt his face heating up with rage. "Now wait just a minute! Who the hell are you to order me around like this! I need to be discussing evacuation plans with the people in charge at Hell's Gate."

The Na'vi man smirked at Ignacio, baring his teeth, and Ignacio subconsciously recoiled a bit from the screen. It was not a cocky or prideful smirk, it was the look of complete control, the look a cat gives a mouse that it has skewered in it claws. "I apologize. My manners seem to have left me. My name is Jake Sully, formerly of the United States Marine Corps, Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya, sixth Toruk Makto, and de facto head of Hell's Gate. Your lives are in my hands, and I am. The. Man. In. Charge." Jake sat back from his console in the avatar prep room, arms folded across his broad chest. Well, all of what he said was true, except for maybe that last part. But right away he wanted to make sure the flow of communication and power was headed his way.

Ignacio's breath hissed in through clenched teeth. "So it really is true. You've gone and killed them all, haven't you?"

For a split second Jake looked truly puzzled, then laughed as if Ignacio had just made the best joke he had ever heard. "What? No, of course not! Perhaps it would be easier for you to talk to a more…human face?" Jake's demeanor went from deadly serious to cordial buddy, then back again, all like someone had just gone and flipped a light switch. It left Ignacio, already quite stressed out, reeling. "I just wanted the chance to talk with you first, to see what I'm up against." Jake leaned towards his camera, looming larger in Ignacio's monitor. "And thus far, I am not impressed."

The screen went black, and for a second Ignacio thought that the connection had been terminated. It was deathly quiet on the bridge, and Ignacio glumly realized that everyone present had heard the entire conversation.

A new face appeared on the screen, a man with a beard and glasses. "I am Dr. Max Patel, and you are…?"

Ignacio blinked. This was getting to be too much. "Way the hell confused," was all the reply he could manage.

Max smiled congenially. "Well let's see what we can do to help get all of this sorted out…"

* * *

It was like they were planning for war all over again. The logistics of what all was about to take place was spinning Jake's mind around like a top. But in truth, the people at Hell's Gate were going to bear the brunt of the strain. Their population was going to triple before the end of the day. Upon learning that his cousin was aboard the _Enterprise Star, _Norm became simultaneously overjoyed and terrified. This news had ultimately been the catalyst that swayed Jake's mind about allowing the passengers and crew to leave the doomed ISV. Jake suspected Norm would have throttled him then and there if he did not change his mind, anyway. It was a great comfort to know that Neytiri, Moat and Mal'ek stood behind the decision 100 percent. Max and Hoshiro readily agreed that they would do whatever it took to make the plan work.

Everyone had been up late last night trying to hash out details for the following day. After speaking with Hoshiro, Mal'ek had been quick to agree that they would need additional help from the Omaticaya. Of the 12 of Hoshiro's troops, four would be taken up by flying Scorpion escorts for the shuttles. While no one doubted the resolve of the other science and support staff, it was quickly agreed that the human population of Hell's Gate would be stretched too thin. Mal'ek had left at first light on his ikran back towards Hometree to summon additional warriors.

Jake stepped out from the avatar prep room, inhaling the fresh air greedily. His call to Captain Delgado had been completed many hours ago, but much of his time since had been spent counseling with Mal'ek, Max, and Hoshiro. So much had to be done before the survivors arrived. He had made one simple choice, and now he felt like he was pushed back as everyone leapt to work around him. Scientists had all but abandoned their science for the foreseeable future and turned to the profession of housekeeping. After the war, everyone had moved into the much more luxurious executive housing in the main complex. It had been hastily decided that for the short term at least, the people from the _Enterprise Star _would be housed in the original Sec-Ops barracks, and those accommodations needed to be prepared for rehabitation. The limited kitchen staff was double-timing it for the biggest dinner since, well, since Hell's Gate had turned away the very people they were about to welcome back. Jake hoped with all his heart that their incoming "guests" did not prove to be too much trouble. Jake and Hoshiro had agreed during a private talk that they would essentially have to tell the newcomers to forsake the RDA or face a life of imprisonment. It could get very messy very quickly if there was a revolt.

Neytiri came up behind her mate, lacing her hands around his waist and burying her nose in his hair, inhaling his scent. "Hmmmm," she purred in his ear. "What worries you so, my Jake?" she asked. After the war, Jake had let his hair grow back in from the mohawk that Neytiri had cut for him. Neytiri enjoyed running her fingers through the small braids that hung loose from his head, idly fingering the assortment of beads that she herself had woven in for him.

Jake sighed, forcing himself to relax in Neytiri's arms. His tail curled in a familiar manner around her waist, holding her almost as tightly as she was holding him. "I know that we have made the right decision. But I think that the path we have chosen will create much difficulty for us. There will be a chance for more heartache."

"The right choice is seldom the easiest. Both of us know this to be true," Neytiri reminded him.

"Will we still be able to keep the People safe?" Jake wondered. Jake did not fear many things, not any more, at least. However, failure was right at the top of his short list. His greatest fear would be to fail his clan, whom he truly loved as family, or fail his mate.

Neytiri remained silent for a time, content to simply hold her mate. She realized Jake's spirit, normally so full of life and light and energy, was becoming burdened down. Like an overloaded ikran, it was slowly sinking towards a disastrous crash. Neytiri was no naïve optimist – she remembered the Time of Great Sorrow quite clearly. She remembered the price paid in blood, the love ones lost…and almost lost.

"You do not face this alone," she whispered in his ear. "I am with you always. Do not be afraid."

Jake smiled slightly, closing his eyes. "You have no idea how thankful I am for your help, my love. And for the help of our friends."

A thought occurred to Neytiri. It happened every now and then; a kind of divine inspiration that she felt must surely come from Eywa. "It is not just those present here and now who look after us."

"What do you mean?" Jake asked from in front of her.

Neytiri switched to Na'vi, the words flowing off of her tongue like music. _"Those that have gone before us watch over us even still. My sister, my father. Tsu'tey. Grace and Trudy. I know that Eytukan and Tsu'tey…all of them…are proud of you. They are proud that you have chosen life over death, mercy over bloodshed. They are proud of how you have led our clan."_

Jake did not quite know how to immediately respond. But deep inside, Neytiri's council filled him with peace. Indeed, he felt he could reliably predict what Grace and Trudy's advice would be in this situation. Grace's sarcastic attitude as she berated him constantly for this or that…it was all a cover up for just how much she cared about him. Trudy, willing to do whatever crazy thing was needed to get the job done. All of their lives formed an intricate web, Jake thought. And at that moment in the past when Trudy had decided to risk everything to assist Max in breaking Jake, Grace, and Norm out of the brig, the web condensed into a single strand. If not for Trudy, Jake was sure that they would not be here right now. And if Neytiri said that her father and Tsu'tey were proud of him, well, then he would choose to believe her. Jake knew she would not offer those words cheaply to him.

Neytiri began to rub Jake's stomach in a way that she knew he would enjoy. A low growl, more like a purr, formed in his throat. "Neytiri…" he said.

"Yes, my Jake?" she replied sweetly, as though oblivious to the effect her actions were having on him.

"You're doing that – ouch!" Neytiri had just nipped his left ear, and he spun in her arms to face her. "You did that on purpose," he accused.

"Now we are even," she smiled, her golden eyes beaming at him with playful mischief.

"This is doomed to continue in a vicious cycle," he murmured as he gently cupped her face in his hand and drew her in for a long, deep kiss.

* * *

Kyle Fischer sat back in the pilot's chair of his TAV-37 Valkyrie. To his left, the vibrant world of Pandora hung suspended in space below him. To his right, Polyphemus filled his perspective, the massive blue gas giant blotting out the view of the stars. He was finally satisfied with is preflight checks. During his double check, he found that some of the software for Orbital Maneuvering System had not loaded correctly. It was probably just a hiccup – it happened every now and then. Of course, Kyle had rebooted the system and checked it again. Then he checked it a second time. And then a third time.

Kyle unbuckled his seatbelt and floated free in the zero gravity, rotating in the cockpit to face the doorway. "Hey Jonas! You good back there?"

Robbie Jonas' voice echoed back from the cargo hold where the copilot had been doing various physical inspections. The autoloader had finished stowing two cargo pods in the Valkyrie's belly, and Robbie was ensuring that nothing would come loose during their decent to the planet's surface. "Yeah, we're good! Just making sure the cargo pods are cinched down. Everything checks out. These avatar tanks are a bitch to secure, though."

Kyle floated out of the cockpit and back through the electronics suite of the shuttle. Down a hatch, passed some spartan living spaces and out into the cavernous cargo hold. "Well don't screw up with those," Kyle said, pointing at the two massive tanks and their ghostly contents. "They're worth more than you are."

"Whatever," Robbie groused. "Maybe if it was mine I'd care more. I just think it's weird that we only get to take four pods with us, and these blue puppets were at the top of the list."

Typical, Kyle thought. Robbie could always be trusted to look out for "number one." Kyle pushed off of one of the large cargo pods, ascending towards the hatch in the ceiling. "Let's get back to control, see what else the captain needs. How much time do we have?"

Looking at his watch, Robbie replied, "About an hour before scheduled departure, four before we turn into a new sun."

"Cutting it close," Kyle said. He knew that by now they would be defrosting the passengers. Captain Delgado had elected to wait until the last minute to bring everyone out of cryo. Ignacio did not want a hundred useless, potentially panicked bodies floating around while he and his crew frantically worked to abandon ship. Also, Kyle suspected, the captain wanted to avoid dealing with Major Zinda for as long as possible. The atmosphere aboard had been tense to say the least when it was realized that the ISV was essentially going to blow herself up. A micrometeorite storm? What are the odds, Kyle thought, shaking his head. Of course, the storm could have passed through the ship a kilometer further aft and just outright killed everyone then and there.

When Kyle had found out the RDA's version of the events that had transpired on Pandora, he was dismayed. Was his cousin Norm even alive? Norm's mother and Kyle's father were brother and sister, and it had been many years since the two had met, not even counting the long space voyage. The last time they had seen each other was at a family dinner after Norm had graduated from college. Both men exchanged a few emails and calls after realizing that they would be working for the same company, but in the interest of preserving both of their careers, though, they had chosen to limit their contact with one another.

All of that changed in Kyle's mind eight months after Norm left for Pandora. A great earthquake, the likes of which had not been seen in centuries, ripped through the San Andreas fault in California. It was the "big one" that everyone had been waiting for, and dreading. California had not exactly fallen into the sea, but there was a new island from Los Angeles to San Francisco from where the earth had sunk to below sea level. Kyle was celebrating his newly achieved pilot's certification on the RDA's lunar base, due to return earthside to his family in less than a day, when the news reached him. The pictures that Kyle saw from satellites in orbit stunned him. Once the dust had cleared, he could see that a new shoreline had formed right up the I5, right were 500 miles of urban sprawl once stood.

Kyle's family was dead, along with 300 million other Americans. So was Norm's, except that he did not know it yet. Within a week, Kyle applied for a post on the next ISV to Pandora. There was nothing left to tie him to Earth, that God forsaken planet, and all Kyle could think about was the desire to see the only family he had left, even if he had to travel four light years to do so.

Kyle and Robbie ascended the docking tube towards the central shaft of the _Enterprise Star. _At its hub, they met Roger Oros and his copilot, Serina Rowley. Kyle had a fleeting thought of wishing that Serina had been assigned as his copilot. She definitely seemed more personable then Robbie and was infinitely better looking.

"Everything shipshape?" Roger asked Kyle. Roger, in his mid 40s, was older than Kyle. At 28, Kyle was one of the youngest Valkyrie pilots the RDA had. As was typical of RDA thinking, this was Roger's last trip out to Pandora, and he was a mentor of sorts to the younger man.

Kyle nodded. "OMS didn't load right away, but it came back fine after a reboot." Roger opened his mouth, but Kyle cut him off. "I triple checked after that, don't worry old man," he said with a good natured grin.

Roger closed his mouth, his teeth clacking. "Humph," was all he could come up with, but he was smiling all the same. Serina giggled sweetly.

The four people moved down the central shaft into the _Enterprise Star's _habitation modules. This was where the cryovaults, storage space for the giant avatar amino tanks, and main airlocks were located. The hab modules were constructed of nonmetallic composites – any interstellar radiation striking a metal structure would have microwaved anything organic inside. Here, medical technicians were busy floating to and fro, helping the passengers emerging from a sleep of almost six years. Close by, someone retched. Cyrosleep definitely did not go easy for some people. Thankfully she had the presence of mind to use a bag, which a med tech dutifully took from her when she was finished and disposed of down a trash chute.

Kyle observed Major Zinda arguing with the _Enterprise Star's _executive officer, about what was anyone's guess. Actually, Kyle thought, I bet Zinda's more displeased with the situation on Pandora right now then our own impending destruction. The major blurted out some expletive and shoved off from the other man towards his locker, no doubt eager to take up whatever argument was on his mind with the ISV's captain, but from the comfort of his own clothes rather than cryo pajamas.

"Couldn't we have just left him in the freezer?" Robbie muttered, and for once Kyle agreed with him.

* * *

Ignacio was busy downloading all of the files he wished to save from destruction onto a flash drive when one of his bridge crew quietly spoke to him. "Captain? We're being hailed by Hell's Gate again. They are asking for you in the private communications suite."

"Thank you," Ignacio said, and trudged into the closet sized communications room and shut the door. Designed for private conversations between RDA executives and corporate headquarters, it was really the only private place to talk aboard the entire ship.

Jake Sully's impassive expression greeted Ignacio. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this house call? Please speak quickly; I am a very busy man and do not have a lot of time," Ignacio said tiredly.

Jake studied Ignacio's face. Gone was the angry, self-righteous man that he had talked with last evening. In his place was the sallow expression of a man who knew his time was limited. There was no energy for a fight, not with Jake, anyway. He nodded respectfully towards the elderly captain. Gone as well was Jake's previously superior, intimidating attitude. Now they were two leaders addressing one another with respect. "Do you know the situation you and your people are walking into?"

Ignacio sighed, closing his eyes. "I don't follow you. Is that another threat?"

Jake frowned with concentration. "No, no. What I'm trying to say is, do you fully understand what has happened here on Pandora? Why it is me, instead of Parker Selfridge, who is speaking to you."

Captain Delgado replied, "All I know is what I heard from Selfridge when the last ISV left Pandora. I was instructed to ignore any transmissions from you, and to simply wait for instructions from corporate when we arrived in orbit."

Jake chuckled faintly. "And what have your bosses told you to do?" he asked.

Now Ignacio smiled without humor. "It would appear that our long range antennas were carried away in the same storm that disabled us. We are indeed at your mercy, it seems."

Jake nodded thoughtfully. "Then I will leave you with this." A light on the console blinked, indicating the receipt of a larger file. "If you choose so, view the document I sent you. It's our version of things. Someday we hope to send it to Earth, so that everyone will know what happened here." Jake paused. "This will be your home for the foreseeable future. You might want the complete story."

The screen darkened. Jake had terminated the conversation without preamble, leaving Ignacio with his thoughts. He looked at his watch. They had 45 minutes before he wanted everyone on the Valkyries. Really, that was all that was left. Ignacio had heard from the chief doctor that everyone had emerged from cryo alright, with only a few minor complications. Given the circumstances, everyone should be set to board the shuttles shortly.

Despite the urgency of the hour, Ignacio suddenly found himself with all the time in the world. So without hesitation, he opened up the received file and began to watch.

* * *

Captain Ignacio Delgado rocked back in his chair. So this is the story, he thought. It had been told documentary style, using everything from personal interviews, surveillance tape, personal video logs, and helicopter cameras. Ignacio saw footage of a bloodstained schoolhouse and of Dr. Grace Augustine's tearful, rageful journal entry afterwards. There had been young children killed in that horrible incident. To contrast Dr. Augustine's views, the smug face of Colonel Quaritch proclaimed that he had taught the "blue monkeys" a lesson they were sure not to forget. He saw the video logs from a wheelchair-bound man who called himself Jake Sully and could almost feel the man's wonder as he watched Jake fall in love with the Omaticaya people, with a woman named Neytiri. Ignacio wondered if this could possibly be the same person he had been talking with. Ignacio looked on in wide-eyed horror as he watched the attack on Hometree from the gun cameras of hovering helicopters. One chopper peeled away without firing, and he heard the conversation over the coms between those on board. A man shouting, "Hey, what gives! Get back there! We've got a job to do!" A woman's voice replying, "I didn't sign up for this shit!" The response, "It doesn't matter what you signed up for, orders are orders. We're missing out!" The woman replying with a venomous snarl, "Lyle, you heartless bastard, don't you get it? Do you have any clue how many people just died down there, women and children? Is that what you want? Is it?" It went on and on.

This footage alone would be enough to sink the company, Ignacio thought. "What were they thinking?" he whispered. What kind of mental breakdown brought on such idiocy? Ignacio shook his head as he slowly began to calculate who the real savages were in this situation.

Ignacio became aware of a figure behind him. He turned to find Major Ian Zinda leaning against the door frame, arms folded across his chest. "How much did you see?" Ignacio asked him, suddenly feeling wary, as if he had been caught doing something he should not be doing.

Ian shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Not getting cold feet are you?"

Ignacio snorted. "About what?" He looked at his watch again. "You should be boarding one of the shuttles. We need to leave in a half hour."

Major Zinda's glare could have pinned a lesser man to the wall, but Captain Delgado was not bothered by it in the slightest. "You should have woken me sooner. Much sooner. I do not approve of the tactical situation you've left me with." He continued to regard the ISV captain with cold eyes. "In fact, you should have woken me as soon as you heard about the revolt on Pandora."

"And have you using up oxygen for a year? For what purpose? Face it, Major, you're tour their ended before it even began. I don't know what these events hold for your career or mine, but frankly all I'm concerned about right now is survival."

Ian seemed not to have heard him. "You also should not have conversed with the enemy without me being present. You could be sending all of us into a deathtrap, for all you know."

"Last I checked, I am captain of this ship, not you. And thank you, so very much, for offering me another solution to our current predicament. Now please…kindly get out of my sight." Ignacio was seething with rage now. He felt his pulse pounding in his temples. This can't be good for my blood pressure, he thought.

With an air of infuriating calm, Ian turned on his heel and left without another word.

Captain Delgado watched him go. He activated his transmitter and bellowed, "Fischer! Get your ass to the bridge, double time!" An affirmative response quickly greeted him. Turning to one of the bridge crew, he asked in a somewhat quieter tone, "How much do you have left to shut down?"

"We're almost done here, sir," came the reply. Even with an imminent self-destruction approaching, there were not too many systems on an ISV that one should leave unattended for too long.

Kyle appeared at the entrance of the bridge, looking somewhat nervous. "You asked to see me, sir?"

Ignacio motioned him into the cramped communications closet, sealing the door behind them. Kyle swallowed warily. The captain placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to relax the younger man. "You're related to Norm Spellman, one of the scientists involved in the revolt, yes?"

Kyle's mind spun. Why would he be asking about this, now? And how did he know? That fact was not something Kyle had advertised, especially when the crew had been informed of the change in conditions at their destination. "Yes, sir," he managed to choke out.

A smile ghosted across Ignacio's lips. "Relax, son. I knew when you came on board. And why you requested to be here." A strange expression of vulnerability came across the captain's face. "I just wanted to ask you…if you could talk to your cousin, Dr. Spellman, when we get down there." Ignacio paused, searching for the right words to say.

"I…was certainly planning on it, sir," Kyle offered, not quite knowing where his captain was going with the conversation.

Ignacio waved his hand in the air. "No, not just that," he chuckled, but without any humor. He looked at Kyle again, grasping both of his shoulders to emphasize the seriousness of his request. "You don't have to understand this now, but please ask your cousin to treat us kindly, once we get there."

Kyle simply nodded, still at a loss for words.

Captain Delgado sighed, as if a great weight was lifted off of his shoulders. He opened the door, ushering both of them back out into the bridge. "Get back to your ship, Fischer," Ignacio said, then turned to the other two duty officers still left on the bridge. "Follow him. I'll finish shutting down here."

* * *

Kyle waited with Lieutenant Singh, the _Enterprise Star's_ navigator, at the forward exit of the hab module. He looked at his watch nervously. "Where's the captain? He should be here. We should have left five minutes ago!"

Lieutenant Singh was sweating nervously. He activated his transmitter. "Oros, what's your status. You guys set to go?"

Roger's voice came back quickly. "Yes, sir! What's the holdup, we need to get moving!"

Lieutenant Singh swallowed nervously. "Is Captain Delgado with you?" he asked Roger. It was really a pointless request – if the captain had been there, he would be cussing up a storm right now, demanding that they all get their asses moving before he really gave them something to worry about.

"No, sir. He said that he was riding in Valkyrie 25."

"Have your crew chief get me a count of the people you have on board right now," Lieutenant Singh ordered.

As he was speaking, Kyle quietly activated his own transmitter, ordering Robbie to do the same.

Less than two minutes passed when both shuttles reported back: Everyone was accounted for on Valkyrie 61. Two people were missing from Valkyrie 25 – Captain Delgado and Major Zinda.

Kyle and Lieutenant Singh shared a look. "Alright Oros, unhook and get the hell out of here. You've waited long enough," Lieutenant Singh ordered.

There was a momentary pause before Roger replied, "Yes, sir. You had better be right behind us." As he spoke, Kyle heard a muffled thump as the docking clamps released Roger's Valkyrie.

"We need to find Captain Delgado," Kyle said, as he made to move back into the interior of the ISV. "Robbie, sit tight for us. We'll be back in a second."

"Fischer, what the hell's going on –" Kyle disconnected his transmitter, not bothering to give Robbie an answer. Lieutenant Singh had been trying to raise Ignacio on his transmitter and was having no luck. "I saw him on the bridge last," Kyle offered. "He was just finishing powering things down when he dismissed me."

Lieutenant Singh nodded. "Right, let's look for him there."

"What about Major Zinda?" Kyle asked.

"Personally, I hope we don't find him," Lieutenant Singh replied. Kyle did not say so, but he readily agreed.

Immediately aft of the hab module was the two arms of the on-duty crew modules. These two arms rotated around the _Enterprise Star's _central shaft, providing limited gravity for the crew while in transit. Arm 1 contained the bridge and other ship control stations. Arm 2 contained the living quarters for the on duty crew. Kyle and Lieutenant Singh dove into the access port for Arm 1, orientating themselves so that their feet faced down as the gravity from the spinning arms began to take hold.

The most confounding sight greeted the two men when they descended into the bridge. Captain Delgado was seated in his command chair, a very pained expression on his face. One of his hands clutched at his chest, and blood was seeping out from between his fingers. Major Zinda was nowhere to be seen.

"Captain!" Lieutenant Singh cried as both men dashed to Ignacio's side. His breathing was shallow, but steady. Captain Delgado's eyes sprang open as he became aware of their presence. Despite the pain, Kyle saw a startling clarity of purpose in the man's expression. Even as his left hand clutched his chest, Kyle noticed that his right hand, resting on the command console in front of him, grasped a pistol.

The events of the next few moments happened so quickly that Kyle could barely keep up with them. This is saying a lot, because as a Valkyrie pilot, Kyle possessed exceptionally quick reflexes indeed. Three gunshots rang out from the direction of the private communications room where it was clear that Major Zinda had been pinned down by the captain. One connected solidly with Lieutenant Singh's forehead, dropping him instantly. The second shot whizzed by Kyle's ear so closely that he felt the heat of its passage. The third struck Captain Delgado in the left shoulder, spinning him off of his chair onto the deck. This was not before the man had raised his own gun to fire off two shots of his own in retaliation, an impressive act for an already wounded man.

Kyle had taken cover behind the same console that Ignacio had been seated at. Ignacio's gun hand grasped the front of Kyle's flight suit, drawing him close. "Take…this…" he rasped out. At first Kyle thought he was referring to the gun, but Ignacio's left fist unclenched to reveal a bloody computer flash drive that he thrust into Kyle's hand. "Give it to Sully…he'll know what to do with it."

Kyle nodded. "Yes, sir," he replied, his eyes wide as saucers.

"I'll cover you," Ignacio whispered in Kyle's ear, and he held up three fingers for a silent countdown. Two… One… Ignacio slid out from behind the right side of the console with a grunt of pain and fired his weapon as fast as he could pull the trigger. Major Zinda could be heard firing from his position, but whether it was at the captain or himself, Kyle could not tell.

Kyle dove for the doorway at the same time the captain moved, a distance that felt like a mile to him but was probably only a body length away. Just as he cleared the door a searing pain punched through his side, spinning him around. With a strangely disconnected thought, Kyle wondered who was yelling, only to realize it was him. He slammed his hand onto the door controls, sealing off the bridge as he frantically punched in a code that every ISV crewman knew by heart. Thinking that there was now an infectious contagion within the bridge, the door would remain locked unless the ship's doctor or the captain instructed otherwise. The doctor had left on Valkyrie 61, and by all accounts Captain Delgado was now dead.

With a relieved sigh, Kyle slumped back against the door. He heard a thud, then indiscriminate yelling and cursing as Major Zinda threw himself against the door.

As he was finally able to catch his breath, Kyle became aware of a strange sensation in his right side, just below his ribs, like a strange weight was pressing down on him. Kyle felt his side with his hand, which came away bloody. Strangely enough, he only felt the hot wetness on his hand; there was no pain at all.

"Oh," Kyle croaked out. I've been shot, Kyle thought, genuinely surprised with his observation.


	4. Chapter 4

**If I may suggest, sit down when you read this one. Wait, who reads standing up? Ok, then, buckle up instead. I know I've had a blast writing this so far, and I hope anyone who reads it can say the same. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4

The pain did not really hit Kyle until he reached the zero gravity zone at the central shaft. Something inside him shifted, igniting a blazing pain in his side. Kyle doubled over, clutching his stomach and gasping for breath. A few crimson spheres of blood floated away from him, orbiting about in the hallway like tiny planets. He would have cried out if he could have; indeed, he tried to but the pain was as such that he could not utter a sound.

Kyle had only looked at his wound once. He was not a squeamish person around blood – he had seen his fair share of accidents in his time. But knowing that it was his blood…that changes things. It honestly did not even look that bad. It was just a neat little hole half way between his hip and his ribs, and it was not even bleeding that much. The bullet was still in there, though, and Kyle knew that was a serious problem. What Kyle did not know was that the bullet had entered his body at a slight up angle, fracturing his tenth false rib where it had struck the bone. Free from the artificial gravity in the command arm, both the bullet and several bone fragments shifted and floated free within his abdominal cavity. Neither had drifted into anything vital…yet.

The flash drive was still clenched in his hand. Kyle looked down at it, wondering if what it contained would cost him his life. It was clearly vital enough that Captain Delgado had seen it fit to safeguard it with his own life. Get it to Sully… Kyle did not know who Sully was, but he would do the next best thing. If Norm was alive down there, he would make sure to deliver the flash drive to him. Norm could be trusted to take care of it. Kyle slipped the small flash drive into his breast pocket, patting it once to make sure it was secure, leaving a bit of a bloody smear on the front of his flight suit.

Suddenly, the awareness of time gripped Kyle. He needed to get back to the shuttle, and he needed to go now. There were over 60 people on Valkyrie 25 that were counting on him to get them out of here alive. Kyle knew that Robbie could not land the shuttle on his own; Kyle's death would be the death of all of them. Bracing himself against the pain, he pushed off from the wall and floated down the central shaft. I need to make one quick stop before we bust out of here, he thought.

Entering the now abandoned hab module, Kyle made his way over to one of the medical stations. The entire place was quiet, and the only thing he could hear was the soft hum of the ventilation system. All of the cryobeds had been left extended in the haste to evacuate – now they reminded Kyle of open graves. Fishing through the medical cabinet, Kyle finally found the two items he needed. The first was a canister of medical foam, designed for quick first aid in the field. This is gonna hurt like a bitch, Kyle thought, as he yanked the cap off of the container with his teeth. Before he gave himself second thoughts, Kyle jammed the tip of the canister into his gunshot wound and pulled the trigger. The antiseptic foam filled the cavity, working to keep the wound clean and various juicy parts from moving when they should not. The foam also possessed local anesthetic qualities, and the relief from the pain was so profound that it brought tears to Kyle's eyes.

The second item was a stim shot. The drug had some technical name as long as Kyle's arm that he did not even bother trying to pronounce. This he injected into his shoulder, and he shivered with something like delight as the drug raced through his system, causing his pupils to dilate slightly. The next few hours were going to require Kyle's undivided attention, no matter what kind of pain Kyle might be feeling.

Kyle activated his transmitter, working to keep his voice level as he addressed Robbie. "I'm on my way back. Are we good for flight?"

"Yes, just waiting for you stragglers to get back. Dude, I almost left without you," Robbie said. Robbie could fly the shuttle by himself in a pinch, but he certainly was not good at it. He mainly watched over and operated the Valkyrie's complex systems while Kyle did most of the actual flying. Kyle honestly could not tell whether or not Robbie was making a nervous joke with that last statement.

At the exit from the hab module, Kyle stopped by the locker with his name on it and struggled stiffly into a vacuum suit. It was a requirement for the shuttle flight crew to wear these in case of a hull breach. Along with the benefit of keeping Kyle alive in the event of a breach, the suit also hid Kyle's injury. There was nothing anyone could do for it, now, and Kyle did not have any intention of letting anyone know he had been shot, if he could help it. Everyone had enough to worry about already without adding that to the list.

Kyle took one last look around the interior of the _Enterprise Star,_ his home for the past six years, before he descended the docking tube towards his shuttle. A variety of responses greeted Kyle's arrival, ranging from relieved (Oh, thank God you're safe!) to irritated (What the hell took you so long!). The crew chief floated up to him, helping him dog the hatch. "Where's the captain, and Singh?" he asked, a frown creasing his face.

"Where's Major Zinda?" a Sec-Ops trooper shouted from where he was strapped into his chair.

A blaze of emotion washed over Kyle. He turned to the trooper and snarled, "Zinda killed Captain Delgado and Lieutenant Singh. I locked him on the bridge." Kyle gave the man a look that clearly portrayed Kyle's desire to shove the trooper out the nearest airlock. The soldier wisely kept his mouth shut after this revelation.

"Get ready to unhook at my signal," Kyle said over his shoulder has he floated towards the shuttle's command deck. None of the other passengers spoke again, each silent with their own thoughts. As Kyle passed through the Valkyrie's tiny kitchenette, a strange sensation came over him. By now long used to the mechanics of floating about in zero gravity, Kyle got the sinking suspicion that the interior of the shuttle was moving around him, rather than Kyle moving around in the interior. It was a subtle distinction that most people would have missed, but was confirmed when Kyle witnessed a misplaced tube of some kind of space food (freeze dried Sherbet?) float of its own accord and with growing rapidity towards the forward bulkhead.

The _Enterprise Star_ was moving. "Shit," Kyle murmured. _Zinda, _he thought. Now a distinct vibration could be felt as the force of the thrust from the ISV's massive engines was transferred down the ship's broken spine. Zinda was trying to kill them all, Kyle thought. He was trying to keep him from escaping with whatever information was stored on that tiny jump drive.

Kyle struggled against his own growing weight into the cockpit, buckling himself into his chair clumsily with gloved hands. His side was starting to throb again. Robbie glanced over at him, his terrified expression visible behind his own helmet. "Are we…?" he asked as a chilling metallic groan echoed around them. Up through the windscreen, both men could see the hull of the ISV start to shake and rattle.

"Yes, we are," Kyle replied quickly as he began to throw switches and press buttons. Kyle could have done all of this with his eyes closed. Despite the advances in holographic displays and controls, the Valkyrie's cockpit was still filled with numerous physical buttons, switches, and dials. It was difficult indeed to try to activate a tactile-less holographic display by feel alone. A second metal shriek came from back in the cargo bay. "Chief!" Kyle yelled into his transmitter. "Cut us loose, now!" The growing force on the dock joint was either going to snap the docking tube or peel the Valkyrie's hull open like a sardine can. Neither outcome was encouraging for survival of those on board.

A few frantic seconds went by before the crew chief responded with a panicked voice, "I can't! There's already too much strain on the coupling!" The vibrations were growing as the increasing thrust of the ISV's engines, a thousand meters in front of the habitable sections of the ship, caused the long connecting spar to sling back and forth drunkenly. Groans, pops, and pings echoed in Kyle's ears as the Valkyrie shook along with the mother ship.

Kyle's mind spun into overdrive. His hands flying across his console, Kyle summoned full emergency reverse thrust from the shuttle's orbital maneuvering engines. The Valkyrie was docked to the ISV with its front facing towards the _Enterprise Star's _stern. Outside below the cockpit, twin rockets on the nose of the Valkyrie belched flame into space. Though not nearly as powerful as the _Enterprise Star's _massive interstellar drive, the shuttle began to match the pace of ISV quickly due to its significantly lesser mass. "Keep trying," Kyle yelled. "If you don't release us, we're as good as dead!" No pressure, Kyle thought to himself dryly.

Suddenly, all of the vibration and noise ceased – they were free. Kyle heaved a great sigh of relief, only now becoming aware of his own racing heartbeat. He craned his head upwards and watched the huge hull of the ISV pass along outside. Like a great ship of the ocean passing a small dingy, the _Enterprise Star _accelerated away from Valkyrie 25. Kyle and Robbie both gasped as the hab module came into view, atmosphere venting outwards from dozens of cracks in the composite hull. The streams of vapor solidified in the vacuum of space into delicate ice formations.

Then a chilling revelation hit Kyle and Robbie simultaneously, and they looked at one another with horror. "Shit!" they swore together. After the hab module came the dual rotating arms of ISV's crew duty stations. A collision with this solid structure would be the end of them.

Kyle was trained to make every maneuver in space as slowly and deliberately as possible. Without gravity's familiar reference, it was very easy to become disorientated. Kyle tossed all of this training out the proverbial window as he yanked on the controls, the Valkyrie's OMS rockets firing frantically as Kyle sought to bring them away from the incoming arm of the crew module. The soulless navigation computer shouted electronic obscenities at Kyle's ham-fisted flying.

They soared into the gap between the rotating arms, missing the first one by a mere 50 feet. Dodging the first danger simply lined them up in the crosshairs of the now down-swinging second arm, though. So close, come on babe, don't fail me now, Kyle intoned in his mind. Despite his best efforts, a collision seemed unavoidable. Kyle rolled the Valkyrie over so that its back was facing the arm even as he fought to pull away. If they were going to hit, Kyle wanted to avoid scarring the vulnerable heat-resistant tiles coating the shuttle's underside. Any damage there would prevent them from even attempting to land on Pandora.

At first it looked like he would manage to avoid the guillotine arm, but a sickening crunch echoed through the cockpit as the tip of the crew module dragged across the back of the shuttle, sending it into a tight spin. White thermal tiles exploded off the back of the craft like snow. Alarms blared and warning lights bloomed all over the control panel like a Christmas tree.

Kyle was screaming, Robbie was screaming, it seemed like everyone was giving voice to their concerns. The spinning motion of the shuttle was causing Kyle to become nauseous and adrenaline was coursing through his veins. Normally Kyle would fight back this sweet siren song; he always made better decisions with a more level head. But now he welcomed the rush of adrenaline, its euphoric surge bringing the spinning world into focus. Pandora, space, ISV, Polyphemus, space, Pandora… The horizon twisted drunkenly outside of the cockpit windows, the stars no longer points of light but spinning lines. Kyle found his terrified yelling giving way to maniacal laughter. The threat of impending death does strange things indeed to men. Leaning into the spin as he applied opposite thrust, Kyle finally managed to bring his ship back under control.

Kyle blinked. As suddenly as the crazy rotation had started, it stopped, the sudden transitions throwing Kyle's sense of balance into chaos. "Whoa," he whispered, slowly coming to grips with the fact that they were all still alive.

The exterior view finally stilled long enough for Kyle to focus on one thing without barfing. To his complete shock, Kyle found himself staring straight at another Valkyrie that was heading right towards them. Kyle felt his heart clench momentarily. He had the bewildering thought that somehow Valkyrie 61 had not left at all, but was somehow behind the ISV and now coming straight at them on a suicidal collision course. We won't miss this one, Kyle thought. Ridiculously, Kyle felt cheated that he had survived thus far only to be killed because of Roger Oros's bad flying.

A split second before impact, Kyle saw his own surprised face in the cockpit of the opposite Valkyrie, and he realized what had happened. They were about to pass through the _Enterprise Star's _mirror shield, a device literally only a few molecules thick that was designed to protect the huge ISV from tiny particles of space debris on its long journey between star systems.

They felt nothing as they connected with the shield. The reflected image around them simply dissolved into mist as Valkyrie 25 blew through. Pandora hung below them, Polyphemus hovered far above, and everything was normal again. Kyle only heard his and Robbie's frantic breathing in the cockpit.

"Holy shit," Robbie finally deadpanned after a bit.

* * *

Valkyrie 61 descended into Pandora's atmosphere with all of the drama of a jetliner arriving at its final destination. A misty contrail followed its arc across the sky, and sonic booms echoed across the lush jungle landscape in its wake. Serina gazed out of the cockpit, momentarily distracted by the sight of a mountain the size of a small city floating suspended in the sky, level with her point of view thousands of feet up in the air. Whole rivers plunged off of its sides towards the jungle far below in giant waterfalls.

"It's something, isn't it?" Roger asked her as his hands moved on their own across the control panel, adjusting this and that as his experienced mind saw fit.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

The jungle below them was the most vivid shade of green that Serina had ever seen in her entire life. Coming from such a drab, barren world, this new color was simply indescribable. Infinite shades of green popped out at her. She felt more alive just by looking at the vividness of it all. So many new colors, shapes, and textures assaulted her brain in a joyously one-sided battle as Serina felt her mind blissfully overload at the newness of it all. Strange flying creatures could be seen flitting about in the tree tops.

A giant crater, almost two miles across, broke up the jungle that passed below the shuttle. Sections of bare dirt still showed through, but it was mostly covered in a carpet of new growth. Here and there, giant machines stuck out of the ground, long metal necks straining skyward like some kind of mechanical beast. Even these mining machines were slowly being consumed by the relentless march of green.

"Hell's Gate tower, mine is in sight. Switching over to vertical flight mode now," Roger intoned into the radio. Behind the cockpit, four huge poster-lift engines began to rotate downwards with a gentle thump, two on each delta wing. Roger gently nosed the shuttle up as its aerodynamics changed and their flight speed dropped below 130 knots.

"Roger that, Valkyrie 61. Do not deviate from your flight plan. Scorpion escorts are inbound," A voice from Hell's Gate responded. Following a practice that had been in place ever since humanity started operating on Pandora, helicopter escorts were sent out to accompany the inbound shuttle. A few close calls in the early days was enough to convince people that no one wanted to actually find out what happened when an unlucky banshee was inhaled into one of the Valkyrie's massive jet engines. The choppers would keep any curious airborne creatures a safe distance away from the shuttle.

A soft tone sounded in the cockpit, and Serina glanced down at her displays. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Roger, we're being painted by targeting radar," she told him.

Roger looked over at her console briefly before returning his attention outside. Four heavily armed Scorpion helicopters rose into view around them. Two took up positions on either side of the cockpit, and the last pair dropped back to shadow them. Serina noted that blue paint had been applied in crazy whorls and designs on the wings and tails of the choppers. She waved gingerly at the pilot on her side, who surprisingly waved back. "Management's changed a bit since my last visit," Roger admitted dryly. "Help me watch our course. I'd rather not get shot down today." Serina hastily returned her attention to flying.

Hells' Gate itself finally came into view. Hell Trucks, giant dump trucks that were used to haul unobtanium from the mine back to the base, were arranged on the airfield in a giant "U" shape. Roger was directed to land within the formation. As Roger skillfully rotated the giant Valkyrie around into a stationary hover, one the Scorpion escorts came around to the front. Its pilot skillfully flew the craft backwards, keeping pace with the Valkyrie. Roger grimly noticed that the chopper kept its guns trained on the cockpit even after the shuttle settled gently onto the runway.

* * *

Jake, Neytiri, Max, Norm, Hoshiro, and Mal'ek waited at the Valkyrie's stern. The giant craft clicked and popped as its engines cooled down. Two pairs of Sec-Ops troopers flanked the main group, machine guns casually draped across their chests. Perhaps former Sec-Ops troopers would be a better description. Finally, flanking them were two pairs each of stern-faced Omaticayan warriors, bows at the ready, ears still folded back from the noise of the landing shuttle. What no one from the ground could see, by design, were the two dozen Omaticayan warriors crouched in the covered beds and behind the massive tires of the Hell Trucks. Behind all of them, two of the Scorpion gunships hovered at a distance where their noise would not be uncomfortable but still well within weapons range. Any surprises coming out of the Valkyrie's cargo bay would be swiftly dealt with.

Norm, in his human body, shifted nervously from one foot to the other, and he adjusted his exopack for the umpteenth time since he had come outside. Jake placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Easy, friend," he said quietly.

"I know, I know," Norm grumbled. "I'm just excited, that's all," he said.

Jake smiled slightly. "I bet you are."

Neytiri spoke to Norm as well. "You will see your cousin again, Norm." Neytiri was one of the few Omaticaya who felt familiar enough with him to use his first name alone. "He is safe." Norm desperately wanted to believe her. He struggled to keep his emotions in check as he looked towards the shuttle. There was more happening here than just a minor family reunion.

The cargo ramp on the shuttle unlocked with a thump and lowered to the ground accompanied by the sound of whining hydraulics. There was a rush of shimmering atmosphere around the opening hatch as the Earth air vented out. Jake stood up a little straighter, a stern expression coming over his features. Neytiri, her right hand gripping her bow, gently rubbed his back with her free hand.

Inside the shuttle they could see the passengers getting slowly to their feet. At the top of the ramp, two people stood ready – a man dressed in a ship's officer uniform, a woman in more casual clothes. Both people developed looks of increasing unease as they took in the scene outside. The same nervous expression filtered back into the Valkyrie as those on board took notice of the greeting party.

Max stepped forward, arms hanging casually at his side, along with Norm. Hoshiro stood back, always observing, his hand not straying from the grip of his machine gun. Jake made no move towards the shuttle either, his serious golden eyes regarding its occupants warily. His hair had not been cut into a war mohawk, but Neytiri had braided it through with a profusion of red and yellow feathers. _"You look like Toruk," _she had said, chuckling to herself. His face was painted as well with bold swaths of color, making him appear to be snarling, even when he was not. A white, four-fingered handprint was over his left pectoral. Behind him, Neytiri bore a similar mark. Of course, the handprint marking her own chest had five fingers. A bit of an awkward silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the hovering Scorpions, holding position far away. Finally, Jake broke the standoff, cupping his hands over his mouth and bellowing, "Are you two just going to stand there, or am I gonna have drag you out?" Max sighed from in front of Jake, moving to slap his own forehead before he remembered he was wearing an exopack.

The man and the woman exchanged an anxious glance, not quite sure if the massive Na'vi man was kidding or not. They descended the ramp slowly as their fellows in the shuttle looked on. When they reached Max and Norm, respectful handshakes were exchanged and introductions made. When this was done, Jake finally moved forward, his presence towering over the humans below him.

Max indicated the giant Na'vi beside them and introduced, "And this is Jake Sully, Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya."

Jake did not kneel, but he bent over far enough to shake hands with the ship's officer. "Miles Kennedy, XO of the _Enterprise Star,_" he said, eyes widening slightly as he realized just how small his own hand was compared to Jake's.

Turning towards the woman, Jake made to offer his hand to her as well. She seemed to be recovering much faster than Miles was. Instead of shaking hands, she touched her hand to her forehead and moved it away, bowing slightly. "Oel ngati kameie, Jake Sully," she said in flawless Na'vi. _"May Eywa smile on our meeting," _she said. _"My name is Dr. Amber Ferris."_

Jake face broke into a smile for the first time. "So it seems that not all Tawtute are without manners," he replied.

Amber laughed lightly, and then sighed. She blushed a bit at the compliment. "I am the chief scientist on this flight out. I had hoped that my work here could have complimented Dr. Augustine's, and Norm and your brother Tom's. It appears much has changed in a year."

Jake just nodded, his face clouding over at the mention of his deceased twin brother. "It has," he replied curtly. "This is my mate, Neytiri," Jake said, indicating with a wave of his hand the silent and fierce looking female warrior behind him. While Jake was finding that speaking with the newcomers to be easier than he had expected, Neytiri had no desire yet to engage in conversation. Neytiri nodded tersely towards Miles and Amber.

Before any more could be said, a strange light bloomed from the eastern horizon that caused everyone to shade their eyes. For a few seconds, a new temporary sun added its own illumination. Surprised murmuring rose from those gathered on the runway. "There goes the _Enterprise Star,_" Miles said sadly. He shook his head and glanced at his watch, frowning a bit. "That was early, though."

Norm had finally had enough. He craned his neck, trying to look inside the shuttle. "Please," he asked Miles, "Is Kyle Fischer aboard?"

Miles shook his head. "No," he said. "Pilot Fischer was in command of Valkyrie 25." Miles' eyes narrowed. He glanced over at Max and Hoshiro. "You haven't heard from him yet? They were delayed a bit, but they should have entered the atmosphere by now."

Norm's eyes darted anxiously towards the still artificially bright spot in the sky. He ran his hand through his hair nervously, licking his lips behind his exopack. I don't know what I'd do with myself if he's dead, Norm thought. His eyes began to water, and he turned away from the group, trying to wipe his eyes. It was a tough thing to do discreetly when he had to momentarily raise his exopack. Tension, a horrible feeling of uncertainty, began to draw Norm's stomach into knots.

Max spoke to Hoshiro. "Have we heard anything from the control room, yet? He should have sought landing instructions by now."

Hoshiro shook his head. "I will find the cause for the delay," he said, and turned to walk back towards the buildings. With a quick apology and farewell over his shoulder, Norm trotted away to catch up with Hoshiro. Jake watched him go, his heart beginning to worry right along with his friend. All that Jake cared about was right here. Norm, on the other hand, did not yet have that comfort.

Max readdressed Miles and Amber. He noticed Miles' puzzled look. "Kyle Fischer is Norm's cousin," he explained. Both Miles' and Amber's eyebrows shot up at this news. "Are your people well? I imagine it's been a stressful day for all of you," Max inquired, gently guiding the conversation away.

"Yes, it has," Miles told him. "We are all fine, mostly hungry. No one got a chance to eat after emerging from cryo."

Max glanced up at Jake, who nodded the answer to Max's silent question. To Miles, Max said, "I am afraid we cannot invite your people indoors just yet. But if you can have everyone make their way to the main hangar over there, we can at least get you in the shade. We'll bring out field rations for you guys to eat. Not the best tasting, but they're nutritious." The generally bland tasting gel packs could also be consumed through a straw, an important feature because the refugees would be wearing their exopacks for a while longer. Jake and Max had agreed to keep the survivors outside for the time being. It would reduce the odds that someone would try something funny, due to the fact that the humans would be at a slight disadvantage in the uncomfortable and unfamiliar exopacks. Max smiled reassuringly. "I'm told dinner tonight will be especially good tonight, if that is any comfort."

Miles nodded. "Thank you for your hospitality. I realize we have all put you in a…awkward position."

Jake replied, a bit gruffly, "I am glad you realized. Saves me the trouble of having to explain it to you guys. I am assuming that Captain Delgado is on the last shuttle?"

Miles nodded. "Yes, sir. The captain's the last man off the ship, and all that."

Max clapped his hands. "Let's get everyone to the hangar then, shall we?"

As the _Enterprise Star _crew and passengers began to disembark, Jake glanced over at Mal'ek briefly. At a slight hand gesture from the Olo'eyktan, Mal'ek let loose an ear piercing, yipping cry. Jake's fellow tribesmen and -women who had been previously hidden in and around the Hell Trucks finally rose into view. They all formed a loose corridor of bodies, directing the flow of people towards the open hangar in the distance. The Na'vi hunters were not exactly trying to be threatening anymore, but the sight of so many 10 foot tall, blue skinned figures appearing out of nowhere was a bit disconcerting to those not expecting it. While for the most part their faces were impassive, a few of the hunters saw fit to give a glare and a hiss to the people walking by. Jake was quite pleased with everyone's startled reaction. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mal'ek grinning impishly.

Miles, who had remained by Jake and Max's side, muttered under his breath. "Jeesh, they aren't kidding, are they?"

Neytiri spoke for the first time. "No, we are not 'kidding' at all." It came out almost as a growl. Miles took an involuntary step away from Jake's mate.

Amber shook her head. "If everything I've heard is true, of course they aren't welcoming us with open arms." She looked at Jake, who was observing her coolly, then back towards Neytiri. _"I beg forgiveness for the crimes of my people against yours, Neytiri." _She looked Neytiri respectfully in the eye when she said this, but quickly lowered her gaze away when she concluded speaking. Neytiri had inherited her mother's ability to generate a withering stare, and she was using that capacity to full affect right now.

"_If you have the same heart as the people you claim to know as friends, then you may yet find a place to live here as well," _Neytiri finally said after a while.

* * *

With a curse, Kyle banged his fist on the armrest of his chair. "Cycle it again!" he told Robbie. Muttering under his own breath, Robbie dutifully ran though his system checks again. A warning light illuminated again at the same point in the sequence. It was about the sixth time the two of them had run the simulation.

"What does that mean?" the crew chief asked quietly from back in the hatchway.

Robbie growled irritably, "It means that the VTOL jets aren't rotating into the vertical position."

Kyle unbuckled and shoved himself out of his chair, the crew chief moving aside to let him pass into the electronics suite. The gunshot in his side had been throbbing steadily now, despite the dosage of medical foam Kyle had applied. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

Had they survive the destruction of the _Enterprise Star_ only to be left stranded in orbit? Realizing that with the engines running, they had only a few minutes to put as much distance between themselves and the ISV as they could before the overheating matter-antimatter engines detonated. Kyle had activated the Valkyrie's main fusion orbital engines, boosting them on a mad dash to the other side of Pandora. Just as they dipped below the horizon, they witnessed what seemed to be a new, unexpected sunrise. The _Enterprise Star _finally blew herself up, vaporizing any trace that a 1.5 kilometer long starship had ever existed there.

Typing at a console, Kyle made to manually bypass all of Robbie's normal tests and attempted to rotate the four poster-lift engines manually. They all heard a single sharp mechanical thump from somewhere deep in the Valkyrie's guts. Yet another warning light illuminated, and Kyle felt almost like crying. Their collision with the ISV's crew module had damaged something vital, and they had no way to repair it while in space.

Up from the cockpit, Robbie looked back and suggested in a panicky voice, "They can just send Roger back out to pick us up, right?"

Kyle sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. His helmet was off temporarily and clipped to his belt. After all that had happened, Kyle just wanted a little "fresh" air. "No, we can't do that. The Valkyrie's can't dock together, and we don't have nearly enough spacesuits for all of us to spacewalk over."

Robbie's eyes darted around frantically. A soft beep sounded, momentarily distracting the anxious copilot. "Answer the radio, why don't you," Kyle said. "At least we can tell Hell's Gate that we're all still alive. For now."

As Robbie spoke with Hell's Gate, the crew chief looked over at Kyle. The man's brow was drawn with worry. "This has only cost us our vertical takeoff and landing capability, right?" he asked.

Kyle looked at him, raising a single eyebrow. "Know of any three mile long runways around here that I somehow missed?"

The chief winced. "Right," he muttered. He looked at Kyle, desperately trying to find and cling onto some shred of hope. "You do have a plan to get us out of here, don't you? People are asking. They have a right to know what the situation is."

Kyle nodded, his eyes thoughtful. Despite everything, the impossible situation they were in, the fact that his gunshot wound was hurting more and more with each passing minute…despite all of this, Kyle felt himself fill with a burning desire to _live._ He inhaled greedily, as if for the first time. The air inside the Valkyrie was not exactly the most pleasant smelling thing he had ever experienced. It rather stank of warm electronics and too many nervous, sweaty human bodies. But to him, all of the sights, sounds, and even smells were just a reminder that he was still very much alive.

He absentmindedly rubbed the pocked where the little flash drive rested. More than just their lives hinged on getting down to the surface of Pandora safely. Even if he had no runway, maybe he could improvise one… Kyle's mind parsed through the problem, creating and discarding various possible solutions at a maniacal pace. Finally, one plausible scenario emerged. Like many solutions thought of by desperate men, Kyle realized he was stretching possibly a bit farther than his reach could obtain. Still, it was better than nothing. To himself, he murmured, "I wonder if there's a straight stretch of river by Hell's Gate."

The crew chief heard him and chuckled softly, then stopped when he saw Kyle's expression. "Wait, you're serious?"


	5. Chapter 5

**So the slightly ironic thing is that I did a good part of the writing for this chapter while on a plane flying back from San Diego. Anyway, that thought made me chuckle a bit inside.**

Chapter 5

"Valkyrie 25, Hell's Gate tower. Please respond, Valkyrie 25." Susan droned on and on into the radio, having given up hoping for a response minutes ago, yet still duty bound to try and raise the shuttle.

Norm, for his part, sat back dejectedly at an unused console, a look of shock coming over his face. Where was Kyle? He would have answered by now, if he could have!

Hoshiro was hunched over the central holographic table, fidgeting with the controls. A view of half of Pandora rose up from the table with seas and continents visible. A single pentagonal symbol on one of the larger continents represented Hell's Gate, and a few other symbols floating far above the surface were various satellites. Hoshiro sat back suddenly after reaching a satisfactory point in his work. He grinned slightly, and said simply, "They're here."

A new symbol appeared out of the table, orbiting up around the moon. It was the missing shuttle, just now appearing from the other side of Pandora. At the same instant, Robbie Jonas' voice could be heard over the control room speakers. "HG tower, Valkyrie 25! Man are we glad to hear you!"

Norm could have melted right then and there with relief.

Relief soon transformed back into nervous trepidation as Robbie outlined their predicament. A shuffling could be heard over the radio from the other end, and a different voice filled the control room. It was Kyle. Norm bolted straight upright in his chair in a manner not dissimilar to how he acted in his avatar when he first found out that his cousin was aboard the _Enterprise Star._

"We will not be able to land anywhere near Hell's Gate," Kyle said. "There simply is not any open terrain for a glide-in like what we need. But if there are any open stretches of water, I'm…fairly…confidant that we can set down there instead."

Hoshiro asked, "But what will prevent you from breaking apart on impact?" Norm had thought the exact same question.

Kyle responded quickly. "Pandora's gravity is not as strong as Earth's, and the atmosphere is denser as well. We will be able to do everything at a much slower speed – I'd anticipate setting down at only around 115 knots. These shuttles are built tough. She should float long enough to evacuate everyone."

"There are a lot of 'shoulds' and 'maybes' in all that you just said," Hoshiro pointed out. "Are you positive this is your best option?" Hoshiro already suspected he knew the answer to that question. He may not know Kyle personally, but he knew his type. They would not be discussing this if, as pilot in command, Kyle had no other options to draw from. Hoshiro was just silently dreading how they were going to organize a response to all of this. Choosing to take in over 125 new people was one thing. Having to rescue half that number from a crash site out in the boonies was entirely another matter. Hoshiro looked over at Norm, trying to gauge how the scientist was holding up under all of this. Hoshiro could tell that Norm was managing…but just barely. He looked ready to have an emotional breakdown at any minute.

When Kyle answered Hoshiro's question, he almost sounded like a different person. His voice was tired and weary sounding. "It's the best option we've got. The only option, really." Kyle paused before speaking again. "Is…is Norm Spellman there, perchance? I would very much like to speak with him, if possible."

Norm practically pounced onto the communications console. He answered, "Yes! Kyle, I'm right here." Norm felt tears welling up in his eyes again, and he struggled to fight them back.

Thousands of miles away, Kyle was fighting back tears of his own. "It's good to hear your voice again, cousin," he said. It's been too many years, he thought.

Norm just nodded, but then realized he would actually have to say something. "Your's, too. We've got some catching up to do, once you get down here." Norm struggled to put some merriment into his voice but found he could not quite pull it off.

"More than you know. I won't have much time to say this, so I'll try to go quick. Are you on a speaker?" Kyle asked. He hated truncating the conversation like this, but he knew he did not have much time. There was simply never enough time…

Norm frowned, but answered, "Yeah, you are. Why?"

"Just please put on a headset," Kyle said. In the control room, Hoshiro and the others present politely turned away as Norm tried to have a private conversation with his cousin. Norm was not making any effort to fight back the tears, now.

"Norm, you have to promise me something. In my chest pocket there's a flash drive. You need to make sure you get it, no matter what happens," Kyle instructed quietly.

Now that they were on a more private channel of communication, Norm could hear the pain filtering through his voice. "You sound like you aren't going to make it," Norm said lamely. Something was definitely amiss with Kyle beyond the obvious situation.

Kyle tried to chuckle, but it ended up turning into a wet, hacking cough. "Let's just say I've seen better days," he said. "Now, where did I say that drive was?"

"Chest pocket," Norm repeated. He sniffed, whipping his nose with the back of his hand.

"Say it again," Kyle gritted out.

"You said it was in your chest pocket," Norm complied. "Why is this so important?" Even though he did not look like it, Hoshiro had tuned back into the conversation. Something important was being conveyed, and he was silently backing up in his own mind whatever instructions Norm was getting.

Kyle coughed again. "I don't actually know, but it was important enough for someone to try and murder of all the people up here. I think you can figure it out once you get it. But just promise me you'll remember this, no matter what."

Norm swallowed, closing his eyes. "I promise, Kyle."

"Thank you, cousin. If it helps, you can put me back on speaker. We need to figure out a place to set down, and you are as good a person as any to ask about this. I'm betting you've got a pretty good understanding of the local terrain."

Norm removed the headset and joined Hoshiro at the holo table. After centering the view on Hell's Gate, they zoomed out, looking quickly at each body of water near them. They finally found a wide, straight stretch of river approximately ten clicks away from the base that they felt could be used as an impromptu runway. Three or four different smaller creeks came together into a large channel that went for a little over a mile before making another turn. "I think this might work, Kyle. Tell me what you think." Norm typed out instructions on the table, sending a data packet up to the Valkyrie with all of the relevant information.

"It will work," Kyle said after a time. "Is that a marshy area at the eastern end? That could definitely be helpful, as well."

Hoshiro answered him, "It is, indeed. If you can approach from the west, you'll touch down going with the river's flow. It won't provide as much braking power for you, but that extra runoff distance at the end should more than make up for it. Do you agree?"

"I do," Kyle said. "Thank you for your help with this. I'd suggest having some medical personnel standing by. There are over 60 people up here with me, and I don't know how gentle I can make this experience. Did the first shuttle land safely?"

"They're here, safe and sound," Norm said.

They heard Kyle sigh with relief. "Good. At least some of us made it out alright."

Norm slammed his fist onto the table. "Don't talk like that! You make it sound like you've already failed."

There was a slightly awkward pause from the radio. "Of course, cousin. I'm sorry. It's just been a really long day. Well, we've got one more orbit to make before we're in position to descend. See you guys in a couple of hours?"

"Count on it," Norm said. He looked up at Hoshiro, eyes blazing with fierceness and conviction.

"Valkyrie 25 out," Kyle signed off. The radio went silent.

Hoshiro turned and walked quickly towards the door. "Come, we have much to do," he told Norm, who jumped up to follow.

"I'll link up. I'm thinking that I may be more useful in my stronger body," Norm said, breaking away for the science labs.

Hoshiro agreed. "That would probably be a good idea. We will need more help – ask the other scientists if any of them would be able to assist as well."

* * *

As Hoshiro was exiting the exterior airlock, he met Jake and Neytiri, who were about to come inside. "What's the story, Hoshiro?" the chieftain asked, taking grim note of the concerned look on Hoshiro's face.

"It is not good, Olo'eyktan," Hoshiro replied.

"What is wrong? Are they safe?" Neytiri interjected.

"They are safe, for now. But Kyle Fischer's shuttle sustained extensive damage. They will not be able to land here at Hell's Gate," Hoshiro told her.

Jake blinked twice, trying to digest this. Hoshiro headed off his unsaid question by handing Jake a data pad. "We have determined that the most suitable location for a…crash landing, would be here."

Jake displayed the pad to Neytiri as well. "Much fire often accompanies accidents such as these," she said quietly. Jake looked back towards Hoshiro, raising his eyebrows.

"That is why they are going to try to use the river," Hoshiro said slowly, realizing how insane the plan was starting to sound.

"Damn," Jake muttered, looking at the data pad. "They must be desperate. Does Norm know?"

"Yes, he helped select the site," Hoshiro said.

Jake winced. "This has got to be murder for him," he observed.

"Norm is stronger than many people give him credit for," Neytiri reminded him. "He bears scars for his bravery."

"How much time do we have?" Jake asked.

"Only a few hours before they are in position to descend," Hoshiro said. "We will need to prepare quickly.

The group headed back towards the hangar where the first crowd of survivors was resting inside the massive airlock. The huge portal, big enough to lock in and out a huge Dragon gunship or a Valkyrie, had been left open to the outside to serve as a temporary shelter. Hoshiro was speaking into his throat mike even before they arrived, directing his pilots to ready their Samsons for flight. When they arrived, they found that Norm had beaten them there and was already talking with Max. The human scientist was a flurry of activity, tossing out orders as quick as he could think of them. Several of the avatar drivers who were previously helping make the survivors feel more comfortable dashed up and ran inside to link to their avatars. Max agreed that it would be best if he stayed behind to ready the base for potential causalities while Hoshiro lead the humans and avatars who would make up the rescue team.

The survivors from the _Enterprise Star_ immediately picked up that something was amiss. Max and Hoshiro told Miles and Amber alone, trusting the message would quickly disperse. They would need all the manpower they could get to handle this new disaster, and Max was silently bemoaning their own lack of medical personnel. The hospital facilities at Hell's Gate were state of the art, but only two nurses had remained behind. It was a wonder that no serious accidents had materialized until now. This problem was solved when the medical staff from the ISV swiftly offered their services before Max even had a chance to ask them – it was no surprise, really. They would be treating their own people, after all.

Jake and Neytiri went over to Mal'ek to inform him of what was going on. As typical of him, be received the news seemingly completely without reaction. He simply asked, _"What do you require of us, Olo'eyktan?"_

Jake explained, _"I think our friends here will be able to manage out in the forest. I trust Hoshiro on this matter. What I feel we must provide is continued protection for them here, in their own home." _There would be essentially none of the trusted former mercenaries left to watch over the group in the hangar. "Guard" was perhaps too strong a word, but no one was willing to take to many chances in this potentially vulnerable time. _"I will go with Norm, however. It would be good to be near him in this time, I think. My love," _he addressed Neytiri, _"I would ask you to remain here. Watch over Max for me. I trust your judgment."_

Neytiri started to object, but Jake silenced her with a swift kiss on the lips. _"Mal'ek will be my strong right arm for this matter while I am away." _Jake nodded to his close friend and second, who was politely backing away to give Neytiri and him some privacy._ "But you, my love, will be my eyes and my heart."_

Neytiri's eyes were filled with concern for her mate. _"You will be safe?" _she asked.

_"Always," _Jake said as he gently caressed her face with his hands. He looked away, placing his thumb and forefinger in his mouth and let loose with a sharp whistle.

"Jake!" they heard Norm shout from a ways away. He swiftly tossed Jake a small kit bag before dashing back outside to help the flight crews prep the Samsons. Inside the bag was an avatar radio kit, which Jake swiftly put on.

Neytiri's ears rocked back ever so slightly from the sound of Jake's whistle. _"I do not like it when you make that noise," _she told her mate. Even still, a small smirk played across her lips. Jake alone among all the Omaticaya could make a noise like that. He had tried teaching her to whistle in that manner, but something about Neytiri only having four digits prevented her from succeeding. It was just one more thing about her mate that she loved about Jake, only because it was uniquely him.

Jake smiled right back, seeing straight through her grousing. A loud, reptilian cry rent the air. Outside, a large shadow zoomed across the tarmac, and with a deceptively soft rustle of wings, Jake's ikran flew right into the hanger and landed directly before him, neural whip already eagerly extended. More than a few of the humans present visibly started at the sudden appearance of the aerial predator.

Grinning fondly, Jake patted his ikran on his nose as he cackled his own greeting back to him. The massive winged creature butted Jake in the chest, making the movement purposefully "soft" enough to just barely avoid spilling the man back on his rear. Jake laughed, _"Yes, it's good to see you again, too, Tswayon."_

Neytiri came up as well, rubbing the crest that extended from below Tswayon's lower jaw. Tswayon chortled his approval, all four of his eyes drifting shut in blissful abandon. _"I still do not understand why you named him after the most common command you ever give an ikran, my Jake!" _she laughed.

Jake chuckled sheepishly as he connected his queue with Tswayon's neural whip, causing him to shiver slightly as the connection was made. _Tswayon _meant "fly," in Na'vi. _"Well, it's the first word I ever spoke to him," _Jake explained. _"And it's what he causes my spirit to do any time we're together, so it just made sense."_

Neytiri gave Jake a pointed yet playful look.

_"Of course, he doesn't make my heart soar quite as high as you do, my love," _Jake hastily amended.

_"Better," _Neytiri agreed, sliding her hand fondly along Jake's face.

_"Besides, it only took Tswayon a few days to tell the difference between his own name and the command to 'fly,'" _Jake excused.

Now Neytiri threw her head back and laughed heartily. _"Yes, and he accidentally almost killed you only a few times before he got it sorted out!" _she reminded him.

Jake just shrugged again, still smiling like an idiot. He gave his mate a brief peck on the top of her head with his lips before swinging up into Tswayon's saddle. _"You can get a transmitter from Max if you need to reach me," _he said.

Neytiri nodded, stepping back as Tswayon prepared to leap back into the air. Out on the tarmac, five Samson engines started up with a cough and a roar, their rotors slowly starting to spin up. Just before Jake and Tswayon went airborne, Neytiri called out, _"My Jake!" _Her mate cocked his head as their eyes locked. _"This time will not be easy for Norm. Take care of our friend."_

Jake nodded.

Then Neytiri said something that Jake thought was rather strange. _"Bring Kylefischer back safely. Do not give up on Norm's cousin, no matter what."_ Her eyes were dead serious as she conveyed this message.

_"I will," _Jake promised. His eyes grew distant for a moment, and his hand went up to his earpiece as he listened to someone over the radio. With a final nod towards his mate, he commanded Tswayon to live up to his name and to fly.

* * *

Kyle was alone in what passed for the Valkyrie's small living space, one deck below the cockpit. He flung open cabinets in desperation, then slammed then closed with equal frustration. Where the hell were the painkillers, he thought irritably. His side was _killing_ him.

There was a soft knock on the hatchway from the cargo hold. "We're all set down here, sir," the crew chief told him. With a concerned voice, he asked, "Are you feeling alright?"

Kyle ignored the question. "Did you double check all of the load straps?"

The crew chief nodded.

"Good, I don't want any cargo pods breaking loose and banging around. I'm sure you wouldn't want that, either. Make sure you all have your exopacks close by. I'll give you the signal to put them on after we enter the atmosphere. We need to be ready for Pandoran atmosphere before we touch down." Kyle purposefully chose not to describe the impending event as a "crash."

"Yes, sir," the chief said, and spun around to head back to his seat.

"One last thing," Kyle said after him. The chief stopped short, catching the doorframe and spinning his body in the air to face back towards Kyle. "It'll get hot in here. I'm sorry, it can't be helped."

The chief nodded again, and then closed the hatchway behind him as he left.

Kyle made his way back towards the cockpit. As he made himself comfortable in his seat, Robbie spoke, pausing momentarily from his duties. "I've been thinking…" he hedged.

"Always a scary prospect," Kyle replied dryly as he began lining the shuttle up for descent, gradually slowing their orbit down enough for Pandora to bring them into her gravitational embrace.

"The odds of all of us surviving this can't be that good, right?" Robbie said. Kyle remained silent, not sure what to make of Robbie's comment…and not sure he cared to take that thought very far along, anyway. "What I'm trying to say is, once we get to a lower altitude, you and I can eject, see? We're already in vacuum suits, and Hell's Gate will already be looking for us. Not all of us have to die today."

Robbie statement was enough to actually bring pause to Kyle's routine. He blinked slowly, making sure he had heard correctly. After a time, he spoke, his voice as cold as the vacuum of space. "I will do my best to forget you ever said that, Jonas." Robbie remained facing forward, staring straight out the windscreen, his face carefully neutral. Kyle could see out of the corner of his eye Robbie's jaw muscles silently working.

Kyle continued guiding the Valkyrie down. The craft started to shake slightly as they began to meet resistance from Pandora's upper atmosphere. "Jonas?" Kyle asked after a spell. Robbie didn't answer, but Kyle saw him tilt his head in his direction. "You'd better pray you die in the crash, because when, _when, _we get through this, I may just kill you myself."

* * *

Valkyrie 25 was bucking and shaking like an untamed horse as it dropped through the air. Her black underside was beginning to glow orange as the friction from the air heated up the thermal tiles. In both the cargo hold and the cockpit, everyone was beginning to feel the heat. With the large amount of thermal tiles that had been removed in the collision with the ISV's crew module, the temperature was rising to a noticeably higher level than normal. Kyle glanced at a holographic display – the internal temperature was already 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was still rising.

Perhaps Kyle and Robbie, sealed in their vacuum suits, had an easier time than the rest of the passengers. Still, Kyle found himself drenched in sweat as the environmental controls of his suit struggled to keep up with the excess heat. The heat, along with the vibrations, was providing constant irritation to his wound. The benefits of both the medical foam and the stim shot were wearing off, and it was all Kyle could do to focus on the task at hand. Kyle was grateful that the navigation computer was able to do the bulk of the work at this point. He would only take over on the final approach.

A particularly hash bump caused Kyle to gasp involuntarily. Pain lanced deep into his stomach, and he almost blacked out.

Robbie finally spoke. "You hanging in there, Fischer? Don't crap out on me, now."

Through clenched teeth, Kyle managed to grit out, "I'll be fine, thank you for your concern."

But Kyle was not fine. He was beginning to experience a strange separation in his mind. Right now, the majority of his being was present in the here and now, flying the Valkyrie and desperately wanting to live. Another part, however, was simply tired and just wanted to sleep. Make the pain stop, and just go to sleep. And that traitorous part of Kyle's mind was growing.

Kyle was finding it increasingly difficult to stay focused on the task at hand. Embarrassingly, he recalled a time several years ago when he had had a little too much to drink at a particularly crazy college party. Kyle remembered being slouched on a friend's couch, a mostly empty (fourth) bottle of beer held in his hand. It was well after most of the festivities had ended, and Kyle had been contemplating whether or not he needed to take a trip to the restroom or if he could survive sitting on the couch a while longer. Kyle became conscious of the fact that he felt the beer bottle slowly but inexorably slipping from his grasp. He remembered looking down at the bottle and commanding his hand to clench a little tighter in order to avoid an embarrassing spill.

Unfortunately, the part of Kyle's brain that would have listened to that command was already checked out for the time being and was relaxing elsewhere in an alcoholic haze. So Kyle just sat there and watched the bottle drop from his hand, despite being explicitly aware of what was happening.

This was the situation he now found himself in. Except now it was far more than a simple beer bottle he was trying to hold onto. Kyle found that his attention required for flying the Valkyrie was slipping with greater frequency, despite the fact that he was screaming at himself to pay attention. It was only the shrill tone of the nav computer that brought him back to reality and caused him to bring the shuttle back on course.

The temperature inside the Valkyrie had finally topped out at around 110 degrees. Several of the nonessential computers had shut themselves down in an act of desperate self preservation. Temperature warnings were sounding all over the place, and it was all Robbie could do to micromanage the system's cooling capabilities. One system after another was gradually burning up as heat leaked into important parts of the shuttle. Kyle grimly noted that the systems that were going off line were gradually growing more and more important. The radio was the most recent component to fail.

A pop and a hiss signaled the start of a small electrical fire back in the electronics suite. Robbie activated the fire suppression system – it was all he could do. It would have been suicidal for anyone to try to get up to fight it manually. Thankfully, the fire was quenched before it could become too serious. Still, there was now a haziness in the air that made it difficult for Kyle to see outside.

Finally, the worst of the turbulence was passed. Many miles below them, one of Pandora's oceans glittered like a sapphire in the sunlight. They passed over a distant shore – below them the environment changed from a seascape to jungle. They only had about 100 miles left to go.

"Almost there, almost there…" Kyle chanted to himself. And indeed they were. Hell's Gate was only about 15 miles away now, and they were low enough that Kyle could make out individual treetops in the distance. Kyle pressed a button, activating a green "go" light in the cargo bay. Exopacks on, people, he thought.

It was at this moment that the autopilot finally gave up the ghost, as if it was Kyle's previous statement that jinxed them. Something failed under the control panel with a burst of sparks and smoke, and the Valkyrie gave a sickening downward lurch as it gave itself over to the winds before Kyle could catch it. Panting with concentration, Kyle was now burdened with the responsibility of fully managing the shuttle's flight. They were minutes away from touchdown, and the trees below them seemed close enough to reach out and touch.

A flurry of movement to his right caught Kyle's eye. Robbie crammed down on his seatbelt, tightening to the point that he could hardly bear it. He looked over at Kyle with a guilty expression on his face and said, "Sorry Fischer, that does it. This isn't worth my life." Robbie reached between his legs and yanked up on a T-handle. Pyrotechnics blew the section of ceiling above the copilot off with a bang as rockets under Robbie's chair ignited, ejecting him from the Valkyrie. In flash, Robbie was gone.

Kyle was stunned. For a moment he was completely blinded by the smoke and fire from the launch. Within moments, though, the cockpit was clear of smoke as it was sucked outside through the newly formed hole in the ceiling. Atmospheric alarms blared in protest. Kyle was grateful for the helmet he was wearing; without it he would have been blinded by the storm of wind now blowing around inside.

Kyle had never felt more alone than in those few seconds after Robbie Jonas had ejected. The wind buffeting around inside seemed like some kind of giant hand, shaking and encouraging him to abandon ship as well, its all encompassing roar drowning out all other sounds. When he thought back to the 60-some souls that were back in the cargo hold, Kyle could not bear the thought of leaving them to a sure death.

The flames from the ejection had blown out almost all of the holographic screens, leaving Kyle to fly completely blind without any instrumental help. He squinted through the windshield, struggling to concentrate through his pain, trying to make out landmarks in the distance. Go to sleep, a voice whispered from somewhere in the back of his mind. Just end it, already… This will make the pain go away, the voice said. With a shock, Kyle realized it was his own voice telling him this.

Kyle came awake with a start. He was sure he had only been out for a few seconds, but the implications chilled him to the core. Outside, he recognized the junction of the smaller rivers into the single large one, his ultimate target. He also recognized that they were way too low, and he gently eased back on the stick, trying to gain a sliver of altitude without stalling out. Their speed was just barely around 130 knots, the point where they would have normally transitioned the engines to vertical flight mode. Any slower than this and the shuttle would simply fall from the sky. Kyle never felt it – his mind was already too far gone, but the people in the cargo hold (those that were still conscious, anyway) felt a distinct thump from the bottom of the Valkyrie as they shaved the tops off of the last few trees on the riverbank.

They were over the water. In Kyle's mind, the split of awareness he was feeling finally reached 50-50. Oh, please, just let me be a little bit longer, the wide-awake part of Kyle's mind begged the sleepy part. Just a few more seconds…

With shocking violence, the belly of the Valkyrie smacked into the river for the first time before bouncing back into the air. Kyle was thrown forward in his harness, and he felt the red-hot pain in his side give way to a gushing warmness. Anyone watching would have been impressed with Kyle's piloting skills. Despite everything he was going through, he had managed the thread the Valkyrie right down the center of the river which was, in and of itself, barely wider than the shuttle's own wingspan.

Through half closed eyes, Kyle saw something that would give any pilot fits. The view out the windshield was rapidly filling with way more ground than sky – they were about to nose straight back into the water. Gotta do something about that, Kyle thought lazily. He yanked back on the stick while simultaneously activating the upward facing OMS rockets at the Valkyrie's tail. A roar that had nothing to do with the wind rushing through the hole in the cockpit filled Kyle's ears. The shuttle's aft end slammed back down into the water and stayed there as surely as if some almighty hand had pushed it from the heavens.

Once settled into the water, the ride actually became somewhat smooth. Kyle felt consciousness slipping through his fingers. Finally, he thought, it's over. There was another sharp jolt as the Valkyrie skidded up the far riverbank and blasted through the mudflats.

Kyle's last conscious thought was simply, I'm ready for that nap now, as a view of rapidly approaching trees filled the windscreen.

* * *

Jake and Tswayon circled far above the river. Below them, hovering a safe distance back from the banks on either side of the river, was the group of Samsons from Hell's Gate. Jake shaded his eyes, squinting into the distance as he struggled to spot the incoming Valkyrie. He silently encouraged Tswayon to help him look.

_Why so important_, Tswayon inquired to Jake. Jake was way beyond being startled by the amount of shear intelligence that the ikran possessed. But after even after a year, he still was not sure how much he could convey to the creature that it would be able to understand. So much of the way that Jake's mind worked was still human, not Na'vi. But rather than being frustrated at his often foreign thoughts, Jake found that Tswayon enjoyed the challenge of figuring Jake out. Jake was as much an oddity to him as it was the other way around. Tswayon actually held it as a matter of pride that he was the only ikran whose rider was a former uniltìranyu**.**

_We're waiting for a…friend of a friend_, he thought. _He is in one of the giant white flying beasts. It is injured, and is going to crash in a little bit._

Jake sensed approval at the impending disaster through the link. _Don't like loud noisy stinky thing_, Tswayon replied. There was a pause, then – _whose friend?_ the ikran wondered.

Somewhat amused at Tswayon's reaction, Jake replied. _It is Norm's…cousin._

Amazingly, Tswayon was able to derive the nuances of the relationship from Jake's mind. _Oh,_ he thought._ Momma's sister's chick._

Jake chuckled. _Yes, you're absolutely right._

_Well, there he is,_ Tswayon informed him. Jake felt the ikran guide his eyes through the link to a distant spot on the horizon. After a few moments, Jake saw the glint of sunlight off of metal skin. They were approaching fast.

Touching his throat mike, Jake spoke to waiting choppers below. "I have a visual on the shuttle. Stay sharp, gentleman."

"Acknowledged," Hoshiro replied.

The Valkyrie was soon plainly visible. Tswayon implicitly understood from Jake's mind the dangers of straying too close to the spacecraft. Jake witnessed a puff of smoke come from the Valkyrie's front and a small object shoot out. He was puzzled until he saw the parachute unfurl.

"Looks like someone ejected," Jake informed Hoshiro.

"We see it, too. He'll just have to wait until we can pick him up. I'm not splitting up our forces now," Hoshiro replied, to which Jake readily agreed.

"Damn, they're too low," Jake murmured out loud. With a growing sense of dread, he watched with wide eyes as the Valkyrie clipped the tops of the last few trees before reaching the river. It impacted once with a gigantic splash – sheets of water were thrown incredibly far out ahead and to the sides of it. As he watched the nose drop, Jake thought that the shuttle was going to end up flipping end over end for sure. At the last second, Jake saw twin sprays of fire roar upwards from rockets in the tail, thankfully keeping the shuttle from cart wheeling when it hit the river for the second time. The rockets stayed on, causing the back of the Valkyrie to settle deep into the water.

Along with quickly slowing the craft down, this also caused a massive wave to surge ahead of the shuttle. This wave washed far up into the forest on both sides of the waterway, and in the shuttle's wake all kinds of forest debris washed back into the river.

The Valkyrie surfed its own wave up onto the marshy section at the bend in the river as the rockets finally flamed out. Like some massive beached sea creature, it slid forward with a metallic squeal as clots of mud and debris were tossed up on either side of it. One of the stubborn rotating jets, the cause of the entire disaster, broke free upon impacting the bank and catapulted forward into the jungle. Jake silently willed for the Valkyrie to slow down before it ran into the forest. It was going to be a close one…

The shuttle had almost come to a complete stop by the time it reached the edge of the forest. Jake wanted to look away, but simply stared transfixed with horror as the starboard wing bit into a young Kelutral with an ear-numbing crash. Not any taller than the surrounding trees, the baby Hometree was definitely much thicker and gave away nothing to the impacting Valkyrie. Jake gaped as the wing folded up like an accordion, ripping half away from the main fuselage before slinging the entire Valkyrie around at a 45 degree angle from its original path.

It seemed the crash had barely begun before it ended. Jake was speechless at what he just witnessed, but Tswayon was more than happy to provide his own input. _Good riddance to the loud noisy stinky thing,_ he thought.

* * *

Norm was leaping out of the Samson long before touched down. The cry of "Dr. Spellman!" went completely ignored as Norm jumped, tucking and rolling when he hit the ground. The fall could well have killed a human, but Norm's avatar thought nothing of it. He sprinted towards the downed Valkyrie, wisps of steam escaping from its scorched underside. Behind Norm, the Samsons touched down on either side of the massive trench gouged into the ground, and avatars and humans jumped free and raced to follow. Norm heard a cry overhead, and he glanced up in time to see Jake streak by on his ikran. Jake dismounted in midflight, landing lightly on the upper surface of the shuttle. In a flash, he disappeared out of sight.

Norm reached the back ramp of the Valkyrie and banged his fist on it, the metal still warm to the touch. "Get it open!" he snarled.

"Working on it!" one of the men replied as he bashed open an access panel near the door and went to work. "Let's just hope it's not twisted in its frame…"

With a hiss of depressurization, door dropped a few inches. In his haste, Norm ignored the suspicious sounding groans that the ramp was making. "Norm, watch out!" one of the female avatar drivers said, wrapping her arms around his waist and hurling him back. It was not a moment too soon as the cargo hatch dropped straight to the ground with a huge clang.

Norm found himself on the ground and came face to face with a blue, very naked, and very dead Na'vi body that tumbled down the ramp, coming to rest right in front of his face. Norm felt bile rise in his throat at the sight of it. Wait, it wasn't Na'vi, he thought. It was an avatar. At least one of the amino tanks had broken open, disgorging its invaluable contents. Inside were many people, and more than a few were unmoving. Both cargo pods had broken free and slid up against the forward bulkhead, demolishing the access stairs to the upper levels of the Valkyrie. One pod had twisted sideways, crushing several dozen people where it had slammed into the wall. The decking was thick with blood.

Norm was the first person up the ramp. He gazed at the skewed cargo pods, golden eyes narrowing with concentration and tail lashing behind him. Norm crouched down low to the ground, the muscles in his legs coiling like springs. With a grunt, he launched himself straight up the side of one of the 20 foot tall cargo pods, catching its edge with both hands. Muscles in his arms and chest bulged as he hauled himself to the top, all in one easy motion.

Just behind him the rest of the rescue crew was streaming in, quickly assessing who was dead and who was alive. Many people had their exopacks knocked off or just plain shattered and new ones were swiftly applied before anyone could suffocate. It became quickly apparent who was beyond saving and who still had a chance. Basically, if you were still alive at this point, you would be ok. Thankfully, there were many people who were uninjured and simply stunned. "Only" about half of those who survived the crash had to be helped out on stretchers.

It was not that Norm did not care about anyone else – he simply already had his goal in mind. He moved swiftly over the tops of the two cargo pods and made his way into the Valkyrie's crew compartment. Many places at Hell's Gate, even though it was designed for humans, were still somewhat accessible to a 10 foot tall avatar or Na'vi. The inside of a Valkyrie, however, was not designed for someone of Norm's current size in the slightest, and it was a very uncomfortable squeeze.

This is the reason that Jake had bypassed the interior of the shuttle. As soon as he hit the hull, he was up and running towards the cockpit, dashing through a veritable snowstorm of falling leaves. The Kelutral took quite a pounding when the shuttle hit, and leaves were still falling down from far above, adding yet another surreal element to the atmosphere. He took grim note of the massive, debilitating scar that ran across the Valkyrie's back. An ironic smile played across his lips as he remembered the last time he had ran across the back of one of these machines. How times change, he thought to himself.

Just as he suspected, there was a decent sized hole over the cockpit where the copilot had apparently ejected. Jake thrust his head and shoulders inside, taking in the demolished state of the cockpit. The windshield had blown in and shattered pieces of clear polycarbonate covered the floor. His eyes immediately fell on the man still strapped into the pilot's chair. "Kyle!" he yelled. No response.

Grunting to himself, Jake had to maneuver his body in a rather undignified manner as he squeezed through the hatch. Thankfully, the lack of a copilot chair made enough room for Jake to fold himself into the corner. "Kyle!" he said again, as he laid a hand on the man's shoulder. With a curse, he finally noticed that Kyle's helmet had shattered. His eyes were wide open but unseeing, and his breath was frantic and quick as his body struggled to gain air when all it had to breathe was Pandora's poisonous atmosphere. His lips already had a slight blue tinge about them from lack of oxygen.

Fumbling with his larger hands, Jake managed to remove Kyle's helmet and apply the exopack that was stored just behind his chair. Huffing and puffing, Norm finally made it up to the cockpit. "Kyle!" he shouted. Turning towards Jake, eyes wide with panic and worry, he asked, "Is he alright? Is he even…alive?"

"Alive, yes," Jake hedged. Now that Kyle had air, he was finally able to assess more of the situation. All things considered, the landing was remarkably soft. Kyle was well protected in his flight suit – why was he unconscious? Had he hit his head on something?

Having the momentary rush of adrenaline pass freed up Jake's conscious to further analyze what was going on. He now took note of a smell (on top of burnt electronics, insulation, human fear, torn wood and churned up mud) that should have been apparent when he first entered the cockpit: blood.

Norm smelled it, too, and their eyes met with simultaneous understanding. Jake examined Kyle closely, but could find no obvious wounds where something had pieced his flight suit. Jake reached for the knife strapped to his chest and cut through Kyle's harness. He began to maneuver Kyle out of his chair, gently laying the man's head in his lap. With a swift motion, Jake sliced through the first layer of the flight suit. Norm pealed the layers back, and both men were horrified to see a now torn open gunshot wound in Kyle's right side that was bleeding profusely. Jake instantly clamped his large hand against the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Quick! We're gonna need a better compress," he hissed at Norm.

Norm twisted around awkwardly in the confined space and ripped off a small section of his t-shirt, handing it to Jake who swiftly applied it to the wound. "How are we going to get him out of here?" Norm asked, looking dubiously back over his shoulder.

"Not that way," Jake said. "We'll go up. Here, hold him," he commanded. As Norm took Kyle's weight, Jake was able to slither back up through the roof hatch. Extended his arms back down through the opening, he said, "Quick, hand him over. Be gentle!" Norm certainly did not need the extra admonition, but it came out anyway.

Jake hauled the limp human upwards, the man barely larger than a small Na'vi child in his arms. He took extra care to avoid snagging the exopack hose on any obstructions. Quickly, Norm followed them both up through the hole in the cockpit. Jake was already striding swiftly towards the plentiful hand and footholds where the Valkyrie had twisted around the giant tree. As soon as they reached the ground, Norm sprinted ahead, shouting for a medic and a stretcher. Walking through a growing crowd of dazed looking survivors, Jake headed straight towards the nearest Samson.

One of the avatar drivers ran up carrying a foldable stretcher, which Jake gently laid Kyle upon. While Norm looked anxiously on, the woman began efficiently checking him over. "I can't say much more than the obvious," she said, looking up at Norm with concerned eyes. "I know he's lost a lot of blood. We need to get several transfusions into him right away. I have no idea how badly the atmospheric exposure has poisoned him, though. We simply won't know more until we get him back to Hell's Gate."

Jake nodded, placing a hand on Norm's shoulder. "He should be on the first chopper back," he said in a voice that was more command than suggestion.

The woman nodded. "We've got more than enough for a trip back. Hoshiro should be here shortly."

Jake and Norm had just finished loading several other severely injured people into the Samson when Hoshiro appeared. He was filthy, covered in mud, dust, and blood. "This is him?" Hoshiro asked as he took note of Norm carefully holding Kyle's hand in his own much larger one. Norm nodded, tears streaming down his blue face.

"We will leave quickly, then," Hoshiro assured him as he summoned one of the pilots. Norm made to board the helicopter as well, but Hoshiro swiftly stepped in front of him. "I am sorry, Dr. Spellman, but I'm going to ask you to stay here, for now. Taking you would cost us space for three more people."

Normally, no one ever questioned Hoshiro, let alone Norm. The idea was a bit preposterous. With his agreeable personality, Norm never saw a reason to cross the former mercenary, anyway. But now, in his present state of mind (and in his current form), Norm was quite capable of ripping Hoshiro's head off.

Norm felt a hand on his shoulder. Jake leaned in close, speaking softly in his ear. "Please, Norm. Let them try to take a few more of the wounded back. They'll get you back to base before you know it. Trust me, Max will make sure that Kyle is the first person they attend to."

A low growl formed in the back of Norm's throat. Jake saw his fists clenching at his sides, and felt the tenseness in the man's body. All too soon, though, the growl gave way to a soft whine, and Norm simply deflated. Jake quickly moved to his friend's side, an arm supportively around his shoulder. "Go," Norm whispered, staring at the ground, ears lowered with sorrow.

Hoshiro wasted no time. He quickly checked that the Samson was filled to capacity and ordered the pilot to make for Hell's Gate with all possible speed. Norm watched the chopper ascend into the air, his eyes never leaving it. He continued to stare after it long after it had disappeared from view. Norm remained quiet, simply content to allow his friend to hold him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Hoshiro gazed longingly out of the open door of the Samson. The wind whistled straight through the aircraft, and he loved the feel of the warm breeze. Bet the air smells great…if you were designed for it, that is, he thought. Hoshiro often found himself envying the Na'vi and their way of life. He loved its simplicity and their connection with the world around them. From what he'd heard, the bond of tsaheylu was simply like nothing no human had ever experienced. There was no denying the wonder in Jake's eyes when he described being connected with his banshee. No one ever spoke of such intimate things, but Hoshiro wondered what it would be like to have such an experience with another person. The bond that mated pairs shared enabled a much deeper communion of spirit than was possible among humans. There was no word, let alone a mental construct, for "divorce" among the Na'vi. Hoshiro wondered bitterly how many other alien concepts they had introduced to these people.

Still, this world and its inhabitants were undeniably beautiful. Hoshiro would never say it, but he had fallen in love with Pandora. Even though she was a mistress that seemed to constantly strive to kill him, he found he was simply unable to leave. The constant danger of existing here had never made Hoshiro feel more alive, and for that he would be forever indebted to this place.

Some kind of mental organizer sounded a soft chime Hoshiro's brain. There was something he needed to remember…what was it? He turned and looked over the interior of the helicopter. Everything seemed to be in its place. The wounded on stretchers were quiet, but stable. Their attending medics provided what meager care they could, but it was admittedly limited. For the most part, they simply sat back against the forward or aft bulkheads, heads nodding tiredly along with the Samson's sometimes bumpy ride.

Hoshiro's eyes settled on Kyle Fischer. He looked a little bit like his cousin…they shared the same nose. Kyle's face was more angular, though. He was clearly more athletically minded than his academically leaning cousin. Almost six years in space had done little to round those rough edges. But lying on the gurney as he was now, Kyle looked old and frail. The flaps of Kyle's flight jacket lay open from where Jake had cut it. Newly applied medical foam marked his gunshot wound. What had happened up there, Hoshiro wondered. One of the flaps of the jacket flopped over in the wind, and Hoshiro caught a glimpse of old bloody fingerprints on one of the pockets. Chest pocket… His mind went back to the control room, where Norm had been talking with his cousin over the radio. Kyle kept impressing upon Norm the importance of something in his chest pocket.

Hoshiro rose carefully and made his way to Kyle's side, mindful to avoid snagging his safety strap on anything. He gently patted down Kyle's jacket and found a lump in the left pocket. Undoing the snap, he reached in and felt his fingers close over a small computer flash drive. The plot thickens, he thought to himself dryly as he deposited the small drive into his own vest and resumed his observation of the passing landscape.

* * *

For the most part, Neytiri's time after Jake's departure was filled with the thing that she hated most – waiting. Absolutely no trouble arose from the huddled group at the hangar. The few of the recently arrived scientists who were fluent in Na'vi were even beginning to form tentative conversations with their Na'vi watchers. Despite Neytiri's best efforts to be put-offish, Amber Ferris seemed determined to have at least some semblance of a decent conversation with her.

Amber approached Neytiri tentatively, greeting her in Na'vi. Out of the corner of her eye, Neytiri saw Mal'ek stiffen slightly, his bow shifting subtly in his hands. While she was flattered by his protectiveness, she shot him a look that clearly conveyed she could handle any threat that Amber presented, which was in all honestly very slight indeed. Mal'ek smirked with good humor – no offense was taken. _"I have no doubt you could defend yourself physically, Neytiri. However, I have deep concerns that this Tawtute would attempt to talk your ear off, as she has with me. I fear that our Olo'eyktan would be unable to find it in his heart to forgive me for allowing such an offense to happen to his beautiful mate."_

Neytiri failed to hide her smile as she witnessed Amber's face redden in that peculiar way that Jake had explained meant that a human was embarrassed. She clearly understood everything that Mal'ek had just said, as he probably had intended. _"I am sorry. It's just…I am so curious about your people, and your world. There is so much I'd like to know."_

"Please, let us talk in 'Ìnglìsì. It may be more comfortable for you, and I always appreciate the chance to practice." Neytiri did not say that she only trusted Amber about as far as she could throw her (well, perhaps that would still be a bit too far), and that Amber had not yet earned the right to speak the People's language to her, fluent though she was.

"Thank you," Amber replied graciously.

"What do you wish to know?" Neytiri asked. She sincerely hoped that she could satisfy Amber's curiosity quickly, if only to hasten her departure.

Amber seemed thrown off balance by the sudden open ended question, and stumbled quickly for a response. "You are Jake's, the Olo'eyktan's mate, yes? So doesn't that make you Tsahìk as well?"

Neytiri shook her head. She was slightly impressed by the woman's knowledge of the People's social structure. But more often than not, all of that knowledge translated into a full cup. "No. That title still belongs to my mother. She will surrender her position to me before she goes to be with Eywa, when my training is more complete."

Amber nodded, her eyes wide behind her exopack as she took in all of this new information. "I must admit, I am very curious how a…a dreamwalker could become a clan leader."

Neytiri tilted her head to the side. "The title was passed to him by Tsu'tey, who was Olo'eyktan before him," she answered simply.

"Was Tsu'tey your father?" Amber asked innocently.

At this thought Neytiri snorted a bit with laughter, which only caused Amber to frown slightly in confusion. It was not that she disrespected Tsu'tey's memory, but she strongly suspected he would have been able to find the humor in such a misunderstanding, had he been present. Neytiri was becoming a bit uncomfortable with the personal track that this conversation was taking. Still, she took a bit of perverse pleasure in seeing if she could throw the curious scientist off balance, so she responded, "No, definitely not! Tsu'tey was my betrothed, my intended mate, before I met my Jake." She was a bit loathe to reveal such personal information, but found that the vulnerability was worth the look of genuine astonishment and confusion on Amber's face.

"Oh…" the other woman responded slowly, becoming quite confused by how complicated the situation was turning out to be, and suddenly quite aware of the sensitive nature that the line of her questioning had gone. With less than three questions, she had discovered far more drama than she cared to. Neytiri grinned wolfishly down at her as Amber gulped.

"Now I have some questions for you," Neytiri asked before Amber could blunder around anymore. "Why have you journeyed here, so far from your own loved ones? What brings you here to my home?"

Amber smiled wanly, happy to take the lifeline that Neytiri had thrown her. "I wish to learn about your people, and how you live in such harmony with your world. There are not many new things for humanity to discover on Earth anymore. I hope to take what I can learn here and bring it back to help my own people." She shrugged self consciously. "As far as loved ones go…I had a husband, once. A mate, I mean."

Neytiri glanced back down at Amber, her womanly intuition sensing that something was unsaid. Now she felt like it was she herself who had stepped where she should not have. "Once? Is he not here, now?" Neytiri asked carefully. "It is not good for mates to be separated by such a distance as you have traveled."

Amber smiled sadly, one hand coming up to play gently with her own blond hair. "My mate was killed, many years ago. There was a great earthquake at our home…" she trailed off, trying to carefully explain the concept. "Um, the ground shook violently. He was swallowed up." Neytiri could see Amber's eyes start to glisten, and she felt foolish for intruding so quickly and easily into such a clearly painful subject. Despite her intrinsic loathing of Amber and all she stood for, all of her foreign foolishness and blindness, she could clearly experience loss as pointedly as Neytiri had.

Neytiri knelt down so that she did not tower quite so high over the woman. "It would seem, even as different as we are, that we both know what it is like to lose someone we love."

Amber simply nodded. She did not ask who it was that Neytiri had lost, but simply wondered over the fact that both women could reach such an intimate place with the other in such a short amount of time.

"In time, I may yet teach you and show you the things that you seek. But first, you have to prove yourself worthy." Despite the gentle admonition, Neytiri placed a friendly hand on Amber's shoulder, surprising herself with the kindness of her own actions.

"Irayo," Amber said, bowing graciously. She reached up under her exopack to wipe her eyes before turning to leave.

"Amberferris," Neytiri said, drawing the other woman up short. Amber turned to look back, the question clear on her face. "It was a…pleasure…speaking with you," Neytiri said, taking great care to deliver the human phrase correctly.

Amber smiled again. Neytiri determined that the woman's Tawtute features looked much prettier with such an expression on her face. "The pleasure was mine," she said.

Mal'ek came up to Neytiri after Amber had drawn away. _"If many more of these Tawtute have a heart such as hers, we may yet find friends among them," _he spoke softly.

Neytiri watched Amber as she continued to mingle with her companions, sharing a laugh here and touching someone comfortingly on the shoulder there. _"Indeed. You are most likely correct, Mal'ek," _Neytiri replied. _"We can hope that this is the case."_

They stood in silence for a while, until Mal'ek noticed it first. Neytiri observed the way he tilted his head slightly, the way his ears flicked just enough to advertise that something had piqued his senses. Neytiri turned around and took a few steps out of the hangar, into the sunlight. Now, she heard it, too – the rhythmic _thump-thump-thumping_ of an approaching helicopter.

The sound became much louder when the Samson appeared over the trees. It swooped down low over the perimeter fence, using the loss of altitude to gain a momentary burst of speed. Neytiri examined it carefully, looking to see if Jake was aboard. He was not there, nor were there any of the uniltìranyu. The chopper made straight for the main building, not pausing to land where it normally would. Just before it appeared it would fly straight into the wall the pilot flared up, killing their speed before setting it down gently just outside of an airlock.

As soon as the wind from the rotors died down, the airlock burst open and Neytiri saw several people rush out. She recognized Max among them, who was paying close attention to one certain individual on a stretcher. As quickly as he could, Max hustled everyone back inside. No sooner had the door shut then the Samson throttled back up and roared away. Just as the first Samson disappeared from sight, two more flew in from the same direction, making an identical beeline for the main building, and the process was repeated.

More than a few of the people in the airlock moved towards the entrance to better watch the activity outside. All in all, the process was repeated about 10 times before the Samsons elected to stay at the base. The last couple had brought back most of the rescue crew, including the avatars who had helped. But one chopper was still missing, and Jake and Norm had failed to return.

The sun was very low in the sky and the bulk of Polyphemus dominated much of the heavens when Neytiri finally heard the last helicopter approaching. A riderless ikran followed a safe distance behind. The Samson landed at its place in the lineup, and Neytiri smiled in relief as she saw her mate immerge from the back. Tswayon flew overhead, giving a squawk of greeting before winging off to roost with his fellows. Jake reached back into the chopper, drawing out in his arms the limp form of an avatar, which Neytiri quickly recognized as Norm. Her heart seemed to stop as she ran out to meet her mate, who was trudging with his burden towards the avatar cabin. As she drew near, she saw no trace of sorrow on his handsome features, only weariness from a long day's work.

"Is he alright?" she asked when she came up beside him.

Jake nodded, his voice tired as he spoke. "He his fine, Neytiri. Norm unlinked in the field so that he could be with his cousin Kyle sooner, that is all. I told him I would take care of his other body for him."

"Is Kylefischer well?" Neytiri inquired.

Jake closed his eyes tiredly. "He is alive, my love, but it does not look good. I fear for our friend, because I do not believe that Kyle will survive the night."

Neytiri agreed as she moved to unlock the cabin door, holding it open for Jake. "I cannot imagine what it must feel to have family come so close, only to have death take them away again."

Jake gently laid Norm's avatar on a bed, arranging his limbs with care. He smoothed his hand over Norm's hair, fondly straightening it out for him. Jake turned back towards Neytiri, holding his arms open for a hug which Neytiri quickly obliged him with. "Neither can I. I love you so much, Neytiri."

* * *

The infirmary had calmed down significantly since the crash survivors had been brought in. Broken bones had been mended, cuts stitched shut. Almost everyone was asleep, an oxygen mask affixed to their faces as they recovered from varying degrees of atmospheric poisoning. The soft beeping of computers and life support monitors could be heard in the semi-darkness.

Norm sat by Kyle's bed, looking completely shell shocked. Kyle was still awake, but just barely. Earlier on, he had delivered the heartbreaking news of the fate that had befallen both of their families. Norm took the news as best as he could, all things considered. He was beyond tears, now. He would probably have not been able to see his family again, anyway. But at least now he could stop writing letters to them in his notebook. There was no one left who would ever read them.

Not much was said anymore between the two men. Norm hated goodbyes, anyway, and that was the direction the situation seemed to be rapidly approaching. Kyle spoke, but his voice did not sound like what Norm remembered – his vocal chords where ruined from Pandora's poisonous air. "It looks like you've done well here, Norm. I know your mom and dad would be proud of you. I know I am," he rasped out.

Norm just nodded. "You need to save your strength, get some sleep. Don't stress yourself out more than you already have today."

Kyle coughed, the sound muffled under his oxygen mask. "Don't be stupid, cousin. I have been saving my strength. For this." He motioned weakly around him.

Norm sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. "This just sucks," he muttered.

When Kyle laughed, it came out as another cough, and Norm shot him a worried look. "Oh, please! When did you ever start to think that life was fair?" Kyle wheezed out. He chuckled again. "Damn optimist. You and your delusions of grandeur."

Norm smiled faintly. "You always viewed the glass as half empty. I was just trying to balance things out."

Kyle grinned at him. "Nah. The cup was just twice as big as it needed to be." Kyle's face scrunched up as he remembered something. He tried to sit up and Norm had to force him back down. Kyle's life support systems beeped more rapidly in protest at his actions.

"Whoa, whoa! Not yet, you don't!"

Kyle's hand came up to his chest, his eyes now wide. "Did you remember…?"

Gently easing him back down, Norm said, "No, I didn't. I was too worried about you. But Hoshiro did. He told me later that he found a flash drive in your pocket. He's keeping it safe for me."

Finally lying back, Kyle sighed in relief, his eyes drifting shut. "Do you trust him?" he asked.

"With my life," Norm replied. "It'll be safe with him. There's not a better man to leave whatever that information is with."

"Good," Kyle said. After a short period of time, he spoke again. "This is your world now, cousin. Can you promise me something?"

Norm looked up. "What is it?" he asked.

With a serious expression, Kyle replied, "Live your life. Don't slow down, don't look back. What's done is done, and you need to move on. Find something or someone to keep living for."

Norm had a curious look on his face. "Was that advice free, or are you going to charge me later?"

Kyle looked up at the ceiling. He thought the maze of conduits, pipes, and wires were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. "I remembered the video call when you were first accepted into the avatar program. You looked like you just got married, or had a kid, or something. You were so happy."

Norm found himself smiling at the memory. It was true: that day was probably the happiest of his life. "You're probably right," he admitted.

Moving his head back to face him, Kyle asked, "You still have your avatar, right?"

Norm nodded. "Yeah, I do. Almost lost it in the war, though. Heck, I almost died…" He rubbed his chest. "I got shot, you know."

Kyle's eyebrows rose. He cleared his throat as he tried to speak. "Really? Never would have figured you for a soldier, cousin. You took a few guys out, though, right?"

Grinning ruthlessly, Norm nodded. "That I did. That was the scariest thing I've ever done, I think. I hope I don't ever have to do it again." He frowned. "It was remarkably easy, though. Taking a human life."

"'Have too' is great motivation," Kyle responded. "And your conscience was clear when you fought, am I right?" Norm nodded his head yes. "Then I'm glad you didn't hesitate. It speaks well of you, Norm."

Norm accepted the praise begrudgingly. "I still wish I didn't have to do it," he said quietly.

"And that says even better things about your character, Norm," Kyle said. "You're lucky to be here. Don't spoil it by wishing for what can't be. This place...and these people...have much to offer you. Please don't withdraw into yourself."

"Ok," Norm agreed. He didn't want an argument, anyway. Certainly not now.

A feminine voice cleared her throat from the other side of the privacy curtain. Dr. Mirhadi stepped quietly in to examine Kyle's life support readings, data pad in hand. The _Enterprise Star's _chief medical officer looked just as tired as she felt. "This is the part where I tell both of you that the patient needs his rest." She looked pointedly at both men. Her face softened somewhat as she said, "But you're both grown men, and I think I can respect your judgment on what is sensible."

Norm and Kyle both heaved sighs at the same time. Norm placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder, saying, "I guess this is goodnight, then?"

Kyle nodded. "See you in the morning," he whispered.

Norm's scientific mind found this statement highly improbable, but he nodded anyway. "Goodnight, Kyle. I'm glad we got the chance to talk. I'll keep in mind your words of wisdom."

Kyle smiled his thanks, tipping his head in agreement. "'Night," he said.

Norm left without looking back, gently pushing aside the curtain. He saw Max leaning against the far doorway, quietly watching him. Max placed a comforting hand on Norm's shoulder as he walked by, but did not say anything. To his surprise, Norm turned and gave him a brief hug, thumping him once on the shoulder. Max gladly returned the display of affection, glad to offer any comfort that he could.

Dr. Mirhadi appeared after making her rounds, her eyes on her data pad. Max followed her out of the infirmary. "How is everyone?" Max asked once they were in the hallway.

The doctor sighed. "Everyone will be fine…except for Kyle." She shook her head. "What that man did was amazing, pulling off a landing like that. To think that so many people owe him their lives…" she trailed off. She looked at Max, her face drawn tight with tiredness and sadness. "He would be fine, too, if he hadn't been shot."

Max closed his eyes as he bit his lip in concentration. "There's nothing we can do for him?"

Dr. Mirhadi shook her head. "I could try to remove the bullet, but it's already worked its way through too many important things. He has a ton of internal damage. The bullet and the bone fragments went everywhere inside of him. The periods of weightlessness, the forces of the crash landing… It was all too much. And the atmospheric poisoning was severe. It's a wonder he doesn't have brain damage for as long as he was exposed for."

Max groaned. "How long does Kyle have?" he asked quietly. He looked down the hall where Norm had disappeared.

"He probably won't make it through the night. Certainly not more than 24 hours. He might last longer if we put him in a medically induced coma, but what good will that do? The damage has been done," Dr. Mirhadi said, shaking her head.

"Alright," Max said, voice filled with sadness. "I think I'm going to head over to the biolab. Maybe I can drown my feelings in work," he muttered dryly.

Dr. Mirhadi smiled thinly at him. "Do you want me to call you if he takes a turn for the worst?"

Max nodded, starting to turn away. "Thank you, Doctor. Goodnight."

Returning the farewell, Dr. Mirhadi went to reenter the infirmary. She would be spending the night close to her patients, grabbing what little sleep should could on an empty bed.

Max traveled the darkened halls of Hell's Gate without meeting another soul. He entered the biolab and thought he was still alone until he noticed a small figure slumped over a desk, fast asleep. Max smiled slightly – apparently he was not the only person to seek refuge from the chaos in the lab. Mo Ye was one of the best technicians that he had, so it made sense that this is where she would come to find some peace and quiet. Max thought about waking her, but elected to let the diminutive Chinese woman sleep. It did not require him to make any noise as he went about preparing for the decanting of the new avatars.

The avatars belonging to Dryers and Ramirez would be brought in tomorrow. In the craziness of the day, no one had been able to unload Valkyrie 61. Flyte's avatar had actually managed to survive the crash of Valkyrie 25, but everyone had been more preoccupied with getting its human passengers back to Hell's Gate, first. The avatar would be fine to spend one more night away, safely ensconced in its incubation tank.

Henderson's avatar did not fare so well. Jake and Norm had buried the inert thing a short distance out in the forest, both men quite uncomfortable around the strangely bland looking creature. It was just as well that Henderson himself had not survived the crash. His body was found among those who had been crushed by the rampaging cargo pod. Much of Jake's and the rest of the rescue team's time had been spent burying the dead after the living had been attended to. Hoshiro and Jake agreed that it would do no good to bring the bodies back to Hell's Gate. They grimly set about identifying whom they could and quietly laid them to rest near the river, each grave marked by a cairn of stones.

An hour later, Max heard the door hiss open. He turned and found Jake's massive frame filling the doorway. With a glance towards the sleeping technician, Jake whispered, "Can you come outside for a minute?"

Max nodded and followed the Olo'eyktan out into the hallway. "How is Norm doing?" Jake asked Max.

The scientist shrugged, giving Jake a helpless look. "What do you think? Did you hear about his family?"

Jake frowned. "No, what happened?"

Max slumped against the wall, his hand rubbing his forehead. "His and Kyle's parents were killed in an earthquake almost six years ago. That's the whole reason Kyle applied for the Pandora run. He wanted to be close to the only family he had left."

Jake's winced. "Holy shit, how much more can Norm take?"

"That's the question now, isn't it?" Max said, shaking his head.

"Do you know where Norm is? I really feel like I should spend some time with him," Jake said.

"He's not in his room?" Max asked.

Shaking his head, Jake said, "No. I checked the infirmary and then his room." He chuckled a bit. "I think I almost gave Dr. Mirhadi a heart attack. I thought Norm might be up here."

"Haven't seen him since I was in the infirmary an hour ago," Max informed him. His eyes grew wide with a sudden thought. "You don't think he'd go off and do something…stupid, do you?"

Jake snorted. "No, Norm's too good for that." A knowing look passed over Jake's face. "I bet I know where he went," he said.

"Where?"

"He probably just wants to be close to the one he loves," Jake said softly.

Max frowned. "But you just said you checked the infirmary…"

Jake shook his head again. "No, not him. Her."

* * *

Jake shut the airlock door behind him, breathing in deep the fresh air from outside. That's so much better, he thought, rolling the knots out of his shoulders that formed from being hunched over so much while he was inside. Despite his minimal clothing, Jake was not cold in the slightest. Pandora's nights were comfortably mild.

It was dark outside, but not pitch black. The forest all around Hell's Gate glowed with life, and the sounds of the evening were almost loud in Jake's sensitive ears after the relative quiet of the indoors. The remaining humans kept the exterior lighting to a minimum now, trying to minimize their alien presence on the world as much as possible. The only lights were sparsely illuminating any travel paths that might need to be taken outside, as well as a few sensitive spots along the fence.

The large perimeter fence kept out the forest's land predators, but things could still fly over the deactivated defense turrets if they had wings. Or float, as was the case of the giant hydrogen filled medusa that was drifting lazily along across the far side of the airfield, its large body glowing softly pink. Long tentacles trailed below in an attempt to snare some wayward creature. Night was not a time for people to be outside, and the remaining humans gave the darkness its due respect. If the medusa did not vacate the area by morning, it would be killed, but for now, the residence of Hell's Gate ignored it. Jake and Neytiri did not mind this approach at all – it is exactly what they would do back at Hometree.

Jake padded quietly across the tarmac towards the hangar, his bare feet making no noise at all. He could hear the rustling of wings and gentle cooing of the ikran roosting on the buildings. With so many of the Omaticaya's mounts around, Jake doubted that he would be harassed from the air, but he kept a watchful eye out, just in case. He reached the huge hangar and let himself into a people-sized airlock, ducking severely to avoid adding another bruise to his forehead.

The hangar only had a few lights on inside. It seemed piteously empty compared to the time when Jake remembered it being plum full of all kinds of helicopters, AMP suits, and weapons. Most of all of that was gone, now. The few Samsons and Scorpions that Hell's Gate retained did not come close to filling the cavernous space. But Valkyrie 61 did. The massive black and white shuttle had been hauled indoors, its large wings creating deep shadows on the floor.

Jake eyed the row of helicopters that ran in an orderly fashion down the wall. Feeling somewhat foolish for his stealthy actions, Jake quietly moved down the wall, ducking underneath the aircrafts' tail booms.

Jake finally spotted Norm sitting in the copilot seat of the last Samson on the line. He smelled the sharp sting of alcohol almost as soon as he spotted the bottle in Norm's hand, and for a moment Jake feared that his friend would be drunk. He cleared his throat softly and rapped on the side of the Samson nearest to him with his knuckles. When Norm looked up, Jake was relieved to see that his eyes were clear and alert.

The look of surprise on Jake's face was completely incongruous, as if he had just unexpectedly run across a friend at a coffee shop. "Oh! Um…mind if I join you?" he asked.

Norm just nodded and took a tiny sip from the bottle, wincing a little as the liquid traveled down his throat. Jake recognized the alcohol as tequila, and not a cheap brand by the looks of it, either. He lowered himself onto the floor cross-legged, his head now level with the open door of the Samson. Jake's tail gently swished back and forth across the ground behind him, its motion betraying his worry for his friend.

"How did you know I'd be here?" Norm asked.

Jake shrugged. "Lucky guess," he offered.

Norm grunted noncommittally in response, quietly regarding the bottle in his hand with bloodshot eyes. It had been a horrendously long day for him.

"You, uh, trying to get hammered, there?" Jake asked, motioning towards the tequila. "Friends shouldn't get drunk alone. I'd be more than happy to join you," he offered.

Norm chuckled. "Oh, I tried, believe me. But this just doesn't taste quite the same as I remembered it. I think I need a lime."

"Uh, huh…" Jake said, wondering to himself if he should reevaluate his previous assessment of Norm's sobriety.

Norm heaved a massive sigh, setting the bottle down on the seat between his legs. "It was more of Trudy's drink, anyway."

Now Jake could see the gleam of moisture in Norm's eyes. A single tear escaped, sliding down his cheek, which Norm quickly wiped away. "I miss her so much," he whispered.

Jake closed his eyes, resting his head in his hands while bracing his elbows against his spread knees. "I know, Norm," he answered. It was all he could say. Jake missed Trudy terribly as well, but certainly not in the way that Norm did. Jake tried to empathize with his friend, but he hoped to high heaven he would never have to experience that kind of pain. Jake's world would simply end if something happened to Neytiri.

"So many people that I love…they're all gone, now," Norm said. He looked at Jake. "How did you ever survive when Tom died?" he asked.

Jake pursed his lips, not even trying to fight back pain that clenched his heart in his chest. "I really didn't," Jake said. He nodded at Norm's bottle. "I did a much better job of getting drunk over it than you're doing, now." His face grew thoughtful. "I felt it, you know. When Tommy was murdered. I knew right away that something horrible had happened." Norm looked forward again, throat moving as he swallowed back more emotion. "Tommy felt the same thing when I got shot, when I broke my spine," Jake continued. "I guess the twin bond thing is real."

"I think I felt it when Trudy died, too," Norm said, still looking forward. "Do you believe me?" he asked.

Jake just nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised. Neytiri and I are getting to the point where we don't even have to be near each other to tell what the other person is feeling. And that's not just because of tsaheylu. When you love someone…" his voice trailed off. "It just happens. You just know. So yes, I believe you, Norm. And I know it hurts." Jake's golden eyes kind of glazed over as he became thoughtful. "I never really got over it when my brother died, Norm. I still don't think I have, or think I ever will."

Norm turned to face Jake again, his eyebrows rising in silent question.

"You have no idea how reckless I was when I came here." Jake waved his arms around in a broad gesture. "I truly didn't care if I lived or died, at least at first. If I died out here, well, at least I got to see a new place. It'd be better than blowing my own brains out in the shithole apartment I had back on Earth." Norm looked at him with a look of genuine astonishment. "Even when the thanator was chasing me, I didn't really care. It was just some base survival instinct that made me run. The whole time I was expecting to lose that race, to feel teeth and claws tear into my back. And all I thought was, hey! At least I got to walk one last time. That was an unexpected bonus." Jake shook his head sadly. "Loosing my legs wasn't the real tragedy. It was loosing my brother."

"Wow…I never would have guessed that," Norm said, shaking his head. "I never knew."

Jake chuckled to himself. "I was a good actor," he excused.

Norm regarded his friend curiously. "You don't feel like that now, do you?"

"Ah, heck no!" Jake said, waving his hand dismissively in the air before him. "You see, the pain is still here." Jake thumped his chest. "It's still in there deep, and I don't think it'll go away. But when I can add enough good stuff over it, life becomes livable again." Norm opened his mouth, but Jake cut him off. "I'm not talking about just coping with crap like that," he said, pointing at the tequila. "I'm talking about filling your life with what's good and worthwhile. I found a cause to fight for again, and a woman to love." He smiled warmly. "She loves me back, just as much. Actually, probably even more. That helps, too."

Norm groaned. "I don't think I could ever love someone else the same way that I love Trudy," he said.

"I hope you don't ever love someone the same way you loved Trudy," Jake countered. Norm gave him a funny look. "Maybe you'll find someone here that takes your heart in a _similar_ way," Jake said. He smiled mischievously. "Or maybe there's a young bachelorette among the Omaticaya that has an eye on you?" Norm just about choked on the tequila he was trying to swallow when Jake said this. "The point is, you'll never love someone the same way that you loved Trudy, because they'll never be another person like her. But maybe there will be a lady who you can fall in love with for an entirely new and wonderful reason. It doesn't mean you've replaced Trudy. It just means you found a new person." Jake leaned forward, his expression growing serious. "And you know what? I don't think Trudy would mind one bit."

Norm rubbed his eyes blearily. "But what if there isn't such a person out there?"

Jake smiled warmly at his friend. "Then you will find another way to manage, to move on," he said softly. "The alcohol…my attitude before…that was a coward's way of handling things. Even if I never came to Pandora, if I never met Neytiri, I should have and could have found a way to keep on living. It was the right thing to do. And it's what Tommy would have wanted for me. You'll never live again, Norm, unless you dilute the pain with enough life. I know that sounds contradictory, but you just have to do all you can to reduce the ratio. Trust me." Jake set his hand on Norm's shoulder, gently shaking the man in his seat. "You still have plenty of people here who love you and care for you, including me." Jake smirked again. "Even if I'm not as hot as Trudy."

Norm snorted. "No, you're not, thank God," he said. Jake smiled, pleased to be able to get a positive reaction out of his friend. "You want to know what one of my fondest memories with her was?" Norm asked, looking at the tequila bottle again.

"Sure," Jake agreed. "Just please, no nasty details."

Norm smiled. "It was actually the day that you talked Eytukan and Moat into letting Grace visit Hometree again. We were flying back to the shack in the Samson when she suddenly dives straight for the ground. I'm sure I was screaming and I know I almost threw up. I thought that Toruk must have been chasing us or something. She flies right trough this hole in the canopy that just barely bigger than the chopper."

Jake nodded, leaning forward to hear more, ears up and attentive.

"After landing," Norm continued, "Trudy radioed back to base and said that we'd had mechanical problems, that she had to set down and it would take maybe half an hour to fix." Jake raised a single eyebrow, a knowing smile forming on his face. "She turns to me with this absolute shit-eating grin on her face and pulls out a bottle of tequila and a whole lime. An actual lime, Jake!"

Fresh fruits and vegetables were grown in the hydroponic gardens at Hell's Gate. Everyone got a basic selection for a healthy diet, but some of the rarer and more specialized food items were reserved for very special occasions or only the most senior personnel on the base. That Trudy had been able to pilfer an actual lime was quite a feat, indeed.

"I took a drink of tequila – man that stuff burns! Trudy sliced up the lime with her knife and put a piece in her mouth, and, um…" Norm trailed off, now beginning to blush considerably at the memory. "You know. I had to take the lime back from her," he finished. "Without using my hands, of course."

Jake sniggered behind his hand. "You did get your slice of lime back, right?" he asked.

Looking slightly put out, Norm replied, "Of course I did! I just had to…work at it a little." He smiled as he replayed the scene in his mind. "Trudy managed to take her lime from me a lot quicker, though. She was really good at that game."

Now Jake burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the hangar. He slapped the ground with one hand while wiping his eyes with the other.

"What?" Norm asked, but could not manage to sound cross at all. Soon, he was laughing right along with Jake.

"You still surprise me, even to this day," Jake managed to gasp out. "But the fact that Trudy was quicker than you at that 'activity,' that does not surprise me in the least!" He was finally able to catch his breath. "So is that the end of that story?" he asked with a glint in his eye.

The shade of red on Norm's face was the deepest Jake had ever seen. "No…but you said you wouldn't want to hear about the next part."

All of a sudden a thought clicked in Jake's mind. "Hey! While you two were making out, you left me alone while I was in link! What if something had happened to me?"

Norm had a good laugh at his friend's expense. "Oh, come off it! Clearly everything turned out alright!"

Jake chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, it did. I guess you're forgiven for temporarily abandoning me." Jake pointed at the tequila in Norm's hand. "Mind if I try a sip? It's been a long time since I've had a good drink."

Norm shrugged, handing the bottle over. "Just…hey, watch it!" Unfortunately, for someone of Jake's size, a "sip" turned out to be almost half the bottle.

Jake coughed, eyes springing wide open. "Wow! That's…kicky," he said, examining the tiny bottle in his hand with newfound respect. "I guess the Na'vi don't really take to human alcohol that well." After another cough, Jake managed to finally clear his throat. He also realized that his eyes were watering. "Damn shame. There's more than a few drinks I'm gonna miss."

Norm accepted the returning bottle with amusement in his eyes. "That's probably for the best. It looks like you could wipe out the base's supply in a night if you tried hard enough."

"Yea, you're probably right on that one, Norm," Jake said.

"Don't the Omaticaya have a few decent drinks? I've heard rumors…" Norm said, starting to smirk a little. "Neytiri's told me that some of those hit you pretty hard. Never figured you for a lightweight."

Jake groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Ugh, I wish she'd kept that to herself."

Norm laughed. "Well, from what I heard, it would be difficult to keep some of the things you did under wraps!"

Jake shook his head, the bioluminescent spots on his face and neck growing brighter with embarrassment. "Well, apparently some things hit an avatar body harder than an actual Na'vi."

Norm snickered slightly. "Apparently," he offered, graciously not pushing for any details. Norm was a patient man – he was sure he'd find out everything eventually, anyway.

"We could always see what happens when you get drunk on Na'vi moonshine," Jake offered, desperately trying to deflect attention away from himself.

To Jake's great surprise, Norm agreed. "Sure, I'd be up for just about anything."

"I'll remember this," Jake growled with mock seriousness. Norm probably did not know what he was agreeing to. He had yet to see just what kind of parties Jake's clan was capable of throwing.

The two men sat in companionable silence for a while. Finally, Jake reached up and lightly punched Norm in the arm. "You going to be ok? You want some more time alone?" he asked with sincerity.

Norm heaved another soul emptying sigh. "I think I'll be ok. It was good to talk. It really helped clear my head." He looked over at his friend. "Thank you," he said softly, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Jake smiled reassuringly at him. "You don't have to thank me. But you're welcome, anyway." Jake swallowed. What could he possibly tell someone in Norm's position? One impossible burden after another was piling up on the man's shoulders. "Press on, Norm. You've got what it takes to make it through this."

Closing his eyes, Norm replied, "Well, I don't really feel like it, but I'll take your word for it." Norm reopened his eyes and looked around as if seeing where he was for the first time. "Probably shouldn't spend the night out here," he muttered. He looked at Jake and asked, "Mind not telling anyone that I come out here every now and then?"

Jake heaved himself up, brushing off the seat of his loin cloth. "Don't worry, friend. You're secret's safe with me."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I had job interviews on the days I would have spent writing (read: relaxing), and they were surprisingly emotionally draining. I suspect this next installment will answer some of the common questions that have popped up with this story.**

Chapter 7

When Max woke up the morning after all of the survivors from the ISV had been brought to Hell's Gate, he had no idea exactly just how many surprises awaited him. After a quick shower to wake himself up, Max headed over to the cafeteria for a bite of breakfast. When he got there, he was momentarily surprised at how crowded it was – the room was almost filled to capacity, and after a year of being nearly empty, the change was a bit jarring to Max.

To the scientist's great relief, everything looked blessedly normal, all things considered. The only exception perhaps was four of the original former Sec-Ops troopers who were standing casually off to the side in pairs, not eating but merely watching. They were unarmed, save for the massive Wasp revolvers that many of the soldiers on Pandora favored holstered around their hips. But even these men seemed relaxed, quietly chatting amongst themselves. The diners did not seem to notice their presence.

Max made his way through the line, collecting various fresh terran fruits and a selection of fresh cut meats. Yuck, tapirus again, Max thought. It's not that the meat was necessarily bad tasting, it is just that it was, well…it was rather common. Tapirus meat, along with the flesh of hexapede, was the only readily available native meat that humans could safely consume. It was just that the tapirus' rather limited mental capabilities made the animal much more…readily available to human hunters. Hexapede were very rarely brought down by people – its sweet meat was more often than not a gift from the Omaticaya.

Making his way through the tables, Max set his tray down amongst several of his fellow scientists. There were quite a few faces he did not recognize, and Max was pleased that the newcomers from the _Enterprise Star_ as well as the people who had stayed at Hell's Gate were getting along quite well. Faced with the prospect of an extended stay, many of the new researchers at least were more than happy to get to work. Many of them were filled with wide-eyed questions about what life was like before the war, and more importantly, what life was like now.

When Max was introduced to Dryers and Ramirez, he asked, "So, are you guys excited to get into your avatars and experience what Pandora is really like?"

The two men looked at each other, and Ramirez answered, "You have no idea! I've been waiting my whole life for this moment. I'm glad I've still got the chance to pursue my work." As a biologist, Ramirez would be studying the diversity of Pandora's rich fauna. Ramirez's main field of study was toxicology – and seeing as almost everything on Pandora was poisonous in one way or another, it was an apt field of study indeed. Many of the toxins that Earth creatures produced had many useful functions for humanity – who knew that leech spit could be developed into a potent analgesic anesthetic with applications aimed at reducing arthritis pain, among other things? What benefits, then, awaited humanity among the venomous alien fauna of Pandora?

Max smiled. "Well, with any luck, we can probably have you practicing in your new body by tomorrow."

One of the newly arrived techs shook his head. "It will still be a month at least before any of the new avatars are ready for link. We would still have to personalize them to their drivers, you see."

Confused, Max asked, "Aren't they already fully matured?"

Dryers spoke up. "Oh, yes, their fully matured. But they aren't…well, 'coded,' for lack of a better term, to any of us drivers yet."

"Come now, Dr. Patel, you haven't been keeping up on the latest scientific journals? I'm a bit disappointed," a distinctly playful female voice said. Dr. Amber Ferris spoke from behind Max as she placed her own tray at the empty place to Max's right.

Max turned to her, one eyebrow raised in amusement. "I'm afraid regular news is a luxury we've all done without for quite some time, now."

Amber laughed, the sound like tinkling china. "Of course. So you wouldn't know that we've brought a new generation of avatars with us, then, now would you?"

Rather than being offended at Amber's playful teasing, Max found himself intrigued. Nothing brightened his day more than something new for him to essential play with. As one of (if not the most) knowledgeable people concerning the avatar program on Pandora, any new development in the amazing science greatly interested him. "Really? What changes were made?"

Amber held up a finger as she finished chewing her bite of tapirus. "Wow, that's much better than I anticipated!" she proclaimed.

We'll see if she's saying that after 12 months, Max thought, but merely nodded his head graciously in agreement.

"Anyway," Amber continued, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin, "You can actually thank the Sully twins for this new process." Her expression grew serious as she thought of Tom Sully. "It was incredibly lucky that Tom had a twin brother who was able to link to his avatar. The odds of that happening were astronomical. And even then, for him to be something useful like a marine, well, that was just unheard of." Amber paused and motioned around the room. "Of course, I'm willing to bet that if the RDA knew this would be the result of sending Jake Sully to Pandora, they would have gladly written off Tom's multi-million dollar avatar. So I guess their greed ultimately got them in the end," Amber said with a wry chuckle.

Max nodded, the corners of his lips turning up in a slight grin. Never thought of it that way, he thought. The idea amused him immensely.

"Immediately after Tom was murdered, the scientists at the RDA realized how much of a tightrope they were walking by limiting the avatars to only the originally intended driver. If something happened to the driver, they would be up a creek without a paddle, so to speak."

Now Max's brows scrunched together in thought. "Are you saying that anyone could link to any avatar, now?" he asked. How the hell would they get the brain waves to sync correctly, he thought to himself.

The new tech spoke up again. "Once the avatar is finalized, it can still only be driven by one person," he clarified.

Amber held up her hand to ward of Max's next question. "Essentially, the life-forms we brought are a blank slate. They're still Na'vi/human hybrids, but they aren't genetically coded after any particular person. Yet."

Max leaned back in his chair, his mind spinning with all of this new information. Janelle Huxley, quietly eating her own breakfast a few seats up the table, had stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth as she heard this. Amber and most of the new arrivals wore a rather pleased expression on their faces. "…How is that even possible?" Max managed to get out.

Amber smiled reassuringly. "The science is still way beyond me, but we did brink all of the necessary manuals and equipment down with us. Fortunately, it all arrived safely on the first Valkyrie. Trust me, you will be entertained for months by all of this." Amber continued her explanation. "The base human genetics are indeed from the intended driver, but the material used lacks the specificity for a single person. Once we arrive at Pandora, the final genetics are introduced that will make the avatar your own. It takes about a month, as well as the generous use of some nasty high speed growth hormones, but it's possible. Trust me, once the RDA realized they had a problem, they worked quickly to fix it."

"But what happens if the avatar needed to be used by another person?" Max asked.

Amber explained, "With the new process, there is a five percent chance that the avatar would not grow to be a match for even the intended driver. Really, that isn't that bad of odds when you consider what it was like when the program first started." Max nodded vigorously. He distinctly remembered the frustrations of failure in the early days. "The odds are measurably worse for a new person to match with the avatar. It's calculated to be around a 70 percent success rate. But in the RDA's cost-benefit analysis, it's all acceptable."

Max agreed, and the people at the table finished their breakfast, content to work their hardest to bridge the gaps between the two vastly different groups.

* * *

Max's next surprise came when he arrived at the biolab, which was just starting to buzz with early morning activity. The new avatars had just been brought in, and Max stopped dead in his tracks when he saw not two, but three massive amino tanks. Had someone already retrieved Dr. Flyte's avatar from the crash site? Perhaps Max's third surprise could be rolled back into the second, seeing as how they both essentially happened at the same moment. The massive hybrids all looked healthy, possessing the excellent muscle tone that indicated proper growth. Max now recognized that the blank faces were just that for a reason – the creatures did not yet resemble their drivers. The real shock came when the far avatar, gently twitching as its muscles were stimulated, rolled over in its tank to reveal a pair of very feminine breasts.

It was not the sight of breasts that nearly undid him. Max had no problem operating professionally around the cloned bodies of his colleagues, both men and women. It had been slightly awkward when Grace's avatar was born, though. Grace was a beautiful woman, in both forms, but no one cared to experience her short temper by ever appreciating this fact, at least to her face. Rather, it was simply that Max had been told and thus expecting that all of the newly arrived avatars belonged to men.

Amber rose from where she had been kneeling by the far side of tank and walked over to Max, her face positively beaming. "Isn't she beautiful?" she gushed.

Max stuttered, not quite sure which body Amber was referring to. Recovering, Max managed to answer, "It looks like they all grew up perfectly. I thought…I thought there were only four avatar drivers on the _Enterprise Star_?"

Amber laughed. "I was a last minute addition. Or at least, that part of me was," she said, pointing towards her avatar. "I couldn't well study the Na'vi without being able to truly live among them, now could I?"

Max wondered if Jake and Neytiri would appreciate that wording, but he let the moment go without disagreeing with her. It was not his place to determine how Amber or anyone else would interact with Jake's clan.

"What has to be done to finalize your avatar?" Max asked as he began to show Amber around and introduce her to people.

"Just some simple blood work," she replied. "I already helped give my avatar its humanness, so it's no big deal do introduce the rest of my genetic material. If it were to go to someone else, it would involve using adult stem cells to bring about the necessary changes." She paused, grinning mischievously. "My avatar could only go to another woman, though. You can't change their sex, just so you know."

The introductions and brief tour went well. It appeared that the newly arrived scientists would get along just fine with those who had stayed at Hell's Gate. Max wondered how Hoshiro was managing with the new Sec-Ops people, who would no doubt find it much easier to take offense to the way things had gone in the recent past. Max shuddered – he did not envy the Japanese man for this task. Though there was no real outward signs of it, security around the base had been increased dramatically. All sensitive places, such as the control room, hangar, armory, and sensitive maintenance areas had been quietly locked down. To gain access required the necessary (lengthy) password, as well as a biometric reading. Hoshiro had made it crystal clear to Jake that he was taking security with the utmost seriousness.

A technician that Max did not recognize came up and politely offered him a data tablet, asking, "When would be a convenient time to bring in the two new link modules, Dr. Patel?" The man grinned, sharing a look with Amber. "Take a look at the specs on the new models. These new devices should go a long way to making it easier to work with the avatars."

Max perused the information on the tablet, quickly skimming through to get a basic idea. He cheered up noticeably at the prospect of being able to work with so many new things.

Amber spoke up. She was rapidly proving herself as a veritable gold mine of information and knowledge. Max was grateful for all of the help she was providing with integrating the two teams into one. "These two links are designed for extended sessions with the avatars. As long as the human body is fed intravenously, it is entirely possible to spend several days in link. Of course, you and I will have to discuss and develop necessary rules for such use. I'm sure you're well aware of how…addicting, driving can be, much to the detriment of the human body. We wouldn't want to misuse this new ability, and it really hasn't been tested as to what harm could befall the human mind from such an extended time in another body."

Just as Amber was saying this, Max's eyes reached the end of the brief summary of the new link beds. They were indeed a supped up version of the link modules that were already in use at Hell's Gate. At the end were all sorts of dire warnings about the possibility of searing the consciousness of the driver into the avatar, potentially causing the brain- and physical death of the driver.

This was the final surprise. The influx of all of the new possibilities that this new technology presented to him caused the idea to form with startling speed and clarity in Max's mind. Max did not know whether or not to be pleased…or horrified with himself. He stumbled a bit as he continued reading the data pad, his knuckles whitening as he clenched its handle. "Are you alright?" Amber asked worriedly as she observed him. Max stumbled back, reaching for a rolling chair which he thankfully found. He grasped its back, spinning it so he could seat himself. A relieved sigh escaped him as he leaned backwards, eyes still glued to the data pad.

"Dr. Patel? Max?" Amber asked again, placing a hand on his shoulder as she crouched down to look at him in the eye.

"These new links…is it actually saying that you could, in essence, permanently transfer the mind of the driver into the avatar?" he asked softly.

Amber cocked her head to the side. She smiled nervously – it was a preposterous idea, but Max did not look like he was making a joke at all when he said this. "It's all just hearsay. No one has actually tested that theory before… Besides, who would want to risk that? Who would want to be permanently transferred into their avatar, anyway?"

Max chuckled dryly, the room all of a sudden feeling much too hot for his taste. That idea would seem mightily attractive to a crippled man in love with another world…or a man on the verge of death, with nothing to lose, Max thought to himself.

Amber jumped as Max leapt past her to his feat. She could barely keep up with him as he prowled about the room, looking for someone or something. "Max? What's going on?" she asked, growing concerned.

The bearded scientist ignored her as he finally caught sight of his goal. "You, you, and you – with me, right now!" he barked, pointing at the Doctors Ramirez, Dryers, and Flyte. Dr. Flyte, true to his name, looked nervous enough to flee the room at the sudden demand of the rather deranged looking Dr. Patel. The three avatar drivers rose and followed Max as he headed out the door, sharing curious glances amongst themselves. Max turned to the technicians who were beginning to process the avatar drivers' blood work. "And stop what you're doing this instant! Leave that be, or I'll shove you out an airlock without a mask."

The techs looked positively stung, but Mo Ye, who had been assisting, gently patted one of the men on the hand. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's just being dramatic," she said with a sweet smile. "But I would still listen to him, just in case."

Amber made to follow, but Max negated her with his hand. "What's happening?" she asked, totally confused at the strange behavior that had come over Max. She noted that Max had sought out the other avatar drivers like a laser beam locking onto a target. "Don't I need to come with, too?"

"No, you're fine. I don't need to talk to a woman about this," Max said distractedly.

Amber halted as surely as if she had struck a brick wall. She was just as confused by the statement as by the look of deep concentration that was on Max's face as he and the other three exited the room. Ramirez snickered a bit behind his hand and Flyte looked at her with the expression of a dog being led out back to be shot. Strange, Amber thought to herself. I never thought Dr. Patel was a sexist.

* * *

The ball shot through the netting, not even touching the rim of the basket. "Yeah! Swish, baby!" Jake crowed, pumping his fist in the air in triumph.

Norm sighed, lifting the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. "Why am I not surprised," he muttered grumpily, panting to catch his breath as Jake moved in swiftly to catch his own rebound. Norm was actually pretty comparable to Jake in terms of fitness but he lacked…coordination.

"Do not quit now, Normspellman!" Mal'ek said, thumping Norm on the back good naturedly with enough force to almost send the man to the ground. Norm's eyes bugged as he almost choked on his tongue, and he was sure such a blow would have killed him had he been in his human body. Mal'ek did not notice as he spun away, desperately working to get the basketball back from Jake, who was dribbling around at the back side of the court, while simultaneously keeping him from passing to Neytiri.

Norm recovered his senses and moved up to assist Mal'ek. Neytiri almost hip-checked him to the ground as she danced around him, moving about the court gracefully as she tried to make herself open for a pass from her mate. "You should not be afraid to be aggressive," Neytiri said, grinning innocently at the shocked look on Norm's face.

"It just doesn't feel right pushing over my best friend's mate," he groused, but he steeled himself anyway for what he suspected was about to occur as he caught the sneaky look that Mal'ek threw his way.

With the quickness of a seasoned hunter, Mal'ek threw all the rules of the game to the wind and lunged straight at Jake, his shoulder lowered to catch the Olo'eyktan in the stomach. Jake's breath left him with a surprised huff, and the basketball bounced up to where Jake's hand would have been to catch it had he not found himself spilled on the ground, a grinning Mal'ek crouching over him.

Neytiri emitted a surprised "Eep!" and lunged in to snatch the ball. Norm was ready this time, though, and used his greater body size to knock the slimmer huntress away, snatching the basketball out of the air before it descended for the first time since its abandonment. Norm dashed away, dribbling for two steps before leaping up to take a shot from just outside the three point line. To Norm's immense satisfaction, the basketball thunked solidly against the backboard before slinging into the rim, orbiting around the hoop several times before finally dropping through.

"YES!" Norm shouted, "Up one for the win!"

Jake picked himself up from the ground, casting a dirty look at Mal'ek as he did so. Mal'ek, who was struggling (and mostly failing) to keep a straight face, did not offer Jake a hand up – he knew that the Olo'eyktan might not take such a move so graciously in the first few moments of his defeat. Jake could not stay mad for long, though. The combined look of surprise and smugness on Norm's face was too much, and he burst out laughing. "Fine, you guys win! There's always tomorrow, though."

Neytiri looked at Norm, an expression of amusement on her face as well. "Impressive, Norm," she admitted. "I did not expect you to do that."

Norm merely smiled, his tail swishing with pleasure behind him as he absorbed the glory of his victory. Jake's plan to distract Norm from some of his more heavy thoughts had apparently worked much better than anticipated.

A human voice cleared its throat. All four of the players turned to find Max standing in an exopack a safe distance away from the court. The basketball, the size of a beach ball compared to the human scientist, had bumped up against his knees. Max looked down at it dubiously, as though the ball might suddenly grow a set of teeth and try to bite him. He was no doubt contemplating what kind of damage could befall a man if he were to be accidentally hit by such a large object.

Snapping out of his reflection, Max looked up and said, "Hey, could I talk to you, Jake, and Neytiri? I really need to run something by you. Like, right now."

Jake nodded as he took a swig from a water skin that he retrieved from the side of the court. Neytiri wiped her lips with the back of her hand after taking a drink from her own. "Sure, what's up?" Jake asked.

"Actually, I'm hoping I can also talk with Moat, too," Max clarified. Jake's eyebrows went up with surprise.

Mal'ek turned to Norm, grinning predatorily. "Perhaps we can play…one-on-one?" he said, stumbling over the unfamiliar human wording.

Norm looked at his former teammate and gulped. "Crap," he muttered. Mal'ek's not inconsiderable muscles bulged from exertion, and his breathing was steady and deep, but not labored. The intense basketball game had hardly winded him.

Jake walked by and placed a hand on Mal'ek's shoulder, saying in his ear just loud enough for Norm to catch, "Try not to kill him, alright?"

Jake, Neytiri, and Max walked down the path towards the avatar cabin, the sounds of another fierce basketball match reaching their ears. "What's going on?" Jake asked, once it was quieter.

Max stared ahead nervously. "I'd like to wait until we're with Moat. I want to make sure what I'm thinking isn't, well, sacrilege."

Rather than enter the cabin as Max had expected, Jake led them off the path into the gardens. Max marveled at the massive plants that towered over his head. Pandora had a very real way of making humanity feel…small.

"Are the new Tawtute behaving well?" Neytiri asked. "They are not giving you too much trouble, are they?"

Max nodded, relieved at the momentary distraction Neytiri had given him, probably on purpose. "The new scientists are settling in well. Almost all of them are eager to get to work, if only to relieve themselves from the stress of a near death experience. I'm not sure how it's going with the new Sec-Ops mercenaries, though. I'm really glad Hoshiro is handling that one."

Jake nodded in agreement as they broke out into a more open area on the other side of the gardens. Here, trees and other native flora grew more wildly. Under the far shade a half-dozen tapirus dozed lazily. It was anyone's guess how the small, harmless creatures made it into the compound. Perhaps they reproduced by spontaneously appearing out of thin air – such a theory would go a long way towards explaining their prolific breeding. In any event, their presence represented a form of instant snack should the urge strike Tswayon or any of the other ikran, so no one was really bothered by the tapirus.

A few dozen yards further away, the perimeter fence could be seen reaching for the sky, but the presence of more than a few trees did much to alleviate any penned in feeling. The group found Moat leaning regally back against one of the larger trees, quietly observing a lone atokirina' that gently pulsed just above her outstretched hand. As the three people neared, the seed of the sacred tree gently lofted itself up and away and followed the breeze onto some other unknown rendezvous. Moat turned to them, smiling her greeting, motioning with her hand from her forehead in welcome.

"I see you, Mother," Neytiri said. Jake returned the greeting to his mother-in-law as well. "Maxpatel has something he wishes to discuss with you," said the huntress as she motioned her hand towards the small human, who had stayed a respectful distance back as Jake and Neytiri greeted the Tsahìk.

"I see you, Maxpatel," Moat said, speaking for the first time. "Come, do not be afraid. You are always welcome to speak with me as a friend of the Omaticaya. Your love of the People has not gone unnoticed, or unappreciated."

Max sighed, dipping his head towards the elderly Na'vi. "Thank you, Tsahìk."

"Now ask your question. It must be something of great urgency," Moat said.

How the heck did she know that, Max wondered. Moat smiled warmly towards him, which did much to calm the nervousness Max was feeling. "I'm not sure where to start with this one," Max muttered as he adjusted the straps of his exopack to a more comfortable position around his head.

"The beginning helps," Jake quipped lightly, purposely ignoring the scolding look his mate shot him.

The advice was well spoken, though, and Max began to lay out his thoughts. "First of all, you need to know that the avatars that have just arrived are a bit different from before. A long story short, they are capable of being adapted for anyone's use." Max looked at Jake, who was seated by Neytiri, and explained, "The reason for this was your brother, Jake." Neytiri laid a comforting hand on her mate's wrist as she sensed his body tense. "Right after you left from Earth, the RDA realized just how easy it would be to lose their huge investment if something happened to an avatar driver. While the new hybrids will work best with their intended drivers, their genetic makeup can be altered to suit another person if need be."

"Do these new uniltìranyu pose a threat to us?" Neytiri asked, her expression darkening somewhat.

"No, no," Max hastily said, waving his hands in the air. "These are all people I think we can learn to trust." He paused, frowning in thought. "Secondly, the two new link machines are of a new design as well. In a nutshell, if used improperly, it is feasible that the mind of a driver could be sealed inside his avatar."

Jake's breath hissed in at this. "Where are you going with this, Max?" he asked warily.

Max swallowed, suddenly nervous again. He looked at Jake and Neytiri, who wore guarded expressions. Moat, on the other hand, merely gazed back at him with perfect, unreadable calm. She did not seem disturbed by this news in the slightest.

"I was wondering if it would be permissible to give an avatar to Kyle Fischer and transfer his mind permanently with the hope of saving his life." The idea came out in a rush, and Max had the fleeting impulse to clamp his hand over his mouth when he was finished talking as though he had just revealed a valuable secret.

Jake and Neytiri looked positively slack-jawed with shock. Moat spoke next, asking the question that had yet to occur to the Olo'eyktan and the future Tsahìk. "Why do you seek my council concerning this matter, Maxpatel?"

Max gulped and looked over at Jake before answering Moat's question. "I do not…wish to offend you by attempting to duplicate what Eywa has done for Jake," Max said slowly.

Moat cocked her head slightly, a mannerism that Neytiri often duplicated. Max found himself wishing for some kind of expression on the woman's face. If she were angry, at least he would have some idea of what she was feeling on the matter. "Attempt, Maxpatel? Do you not think such a plan will work? Are you asking for the help of Eywa?"

Max's face colored deeply underneath his exopack, and he swallowed nervously again. "Yes. No. Maybe. Arg, I don't know!" Max ran his hands through his curly hair in exasperation. "I'm just remembering what happened with Grace. She was too injured to pass through the Eye of Eywa," he said with exasperation. His throat closed up at the memory of his good friend. "If there is any chance to save the only family Norm has left, I would like to take it."

Jake opened his mouth, but Moat silenced him as easily as if she had stolen his voice with only a glance and a wave of her hand. Moat leaned forward, drawing closer to the human scientist, who fought against the urge to take a step back. "Do you believe in Eywa, Maxpatel?" Moat asked.

Max sensed it was a loaded question, but once again, Moat did not reveal her emotions. She continued to regard him calmly, giving no clue as to the answer she hoped she would receive. Max looked down, suddenly fascinated with the grass at his feet. "I have seen what Eywa can do. She commanded the great beasts to rise up and fight during the Time of Great Sorrow. She saved my friend into this body…" Max motioned towards Jake with his hand. "But Tsahìk…there are times I don't know what to believe around here anymore."

With a sigh, Moat sat back against her tree. Her eyes remained on Max, and despite his statement she smiled slightly. "Your cup is still full, Maxpatel. And yet…you See enough to realize that you do not See. That is progress, child."

Max could not tell if this was a reference to his size, age, level of knowledge, or species. Not trusting himself to say the right thing, he simply nodded.

Speaking for the first time in a while, Jake asked quietly, "Do you even have an avatar available?"

Nodding again, Max answered, "Yes. I spoke with Ramirez, Dryers, and Flyte. They looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I thought one of their avatars could save Kyle." Max shook his head to himself, deep in thought. "I just know that it somehow worked for you, Jake. Dr. Flyte was on Kyle's shuttle. He did not completely believe that what I was asking was even possible, but he offered his avatar with a clean conscience. The man is indebted to Kyle for saving his life. If it would help Kyle, he'd be happy to do it."

Next, Neytiri asked solemnly, "Have you spoken to Norm about this?"

"No, absolutely not!" Max hastily replied. "I did not want to give him false hope for something that could not be."

"You are a true friend of Normspellman's, Maxpatel," Moat acknowledged.

Nodding in appreciation, Max made to leave. "Thank you. Well, if we are in agreement on this, I think I'd better get back right away and let Kyle and Norm know. We don't have much time."

"Wait," Moat commanded, stopping everyone in their tracks. "I wish to see Kylefischer with my own eyes."

Everyone froze. "Is that the best idea?" Jake hedged. "It can be a harsh transition to the air that the humans have to breathe…"

At almost the same time, Max was saying, "The infirmary is a fair distance inside, and we can't exactly move Kyle. It's, well, cramped…"

Neytiri, due to her greater experience around her own mother, wisely kept her own mouth shut and mentally sat back to watch the fireworks.

Moat chose to deal with Max, first. "I am an old woman, already stooped with age. I am sure that the tight passageways of your home would not trouble me too much. Would you not agree?" Again, she asked this in her completely level-headed tone, making it impossible to tell if she was joking or being deadly serious.

Behind her, Jake feigned a coughing fit, drawing his hand across his throat in a slashing motion. He desperately tried to convey to Max to wave off, wave off! Neytiri, for her part, hid a grin politely behind her hand.

Max glanced from Jake, to Moat, and back to Jake again. Showing extreme tact, Max did not answer Moat's question directly and replied, "I am sure you know your own limits, Tsahìk."

Moat grinned in agreement. "It pleases me that all those who come from your world are not slow learners," Moat said, quite satisfied with Max's response. Jake growled grumpily deep in his throat, fully catching Moat's double meaning. Neytiri finally let a small giggle escape.

* * *

The trio emerged from the gardens, catching sight of the ongoing match on the basketball court. To Jake's great relief, Norm was still alive and in one piece, though he was looking quite tired and ragged at this point.

Mal'ek caught site of Jake. The Olo'eyktan did not look displeased or worried, but the expression on Jake's face said that the game needed to be over. Mal'ek stopped dribbling and approached Norm with his hand extended, who took a step back warily, wondering if this was some new unorthodox tactic of the warrior's. "It appears that the game is complete, Normspellman. I have more points than you, but you proved yourself to be a clever opponent. I anticipated competing with you further."

Norm cautiously accepted Mal'ek's hand. "Thank you. You have taught me survival…in the face of ruthless opposition." It seemed a safe compliment to offer the massive Omaticayan warrior. Indeed, Norm was down significantly in points, but a one-on-one match with Mal'ek often meant readjusting one's goals to merely physical survival.

"Norm, Max has something he'd like to run by you. It's important," Jake said by way of greeting.

Norm took a deep drink from his water bottle before pouring out the rest over his head. He crouched down to the ground so he could be on a more level field with his friend. "What is it?"

"There is a good chance that we could transfer Kyle's consciousness into an avatar. He wouldn't be human anymore, but he would be alive." Max spoke to Norm with surprising confidence in his voice.

Norm rocked back, dropping his butt to the ground. His ears flicked back and forth with his conflicting thoughts about the idea, his eyes growing large. "Is such a thing possible?" he finally asked.

Max nodded. "Possible, yes. Guaranteed, no." Max looked at his watch. "I know Kyle has been fairing much better than anticipated. But there is still not much time if this is a path he'd like to take."

Norm agreed. He fought to control the exuberant joy that he felt. The possibility that his only real remaining family could still be alive…that was almost too much for his mind to process. "I need to unlink now," he muttered, leaping up and running straight for the avatar cabin.

* * *

Jake, Neytiri, Moat, and Max used the airlock connected to the avatar ambient room to gain access to Hell's Gate. The three Na'vi all handled the air change differently, with Jake and Neytiri recovering the quickest. Max looked on, gravely concerned but in no position to help as Moat coughed harshly. He shared a nervous look with Jake as Neytiri supported her mother as Moat finally caught her breath.

"Call me foolish if you want, but please tell me if you are not feeling well. I need to know the instant you feel dizzy or light headed." Max said to Moat.

Moat nodded without speaking as her breathing finally slowing to a more normal rate. Neytiri rubbed her back, murmuring to her softly in Na'vi, no doubt reinforcing Max's request.

Max swung open the interior door. "We should move quickly, for Kyle's sake, and for Moat's. Please, mind your head." This last statement was made with a pointed glance at Jake, who grinned foolishly back in response. Max grew thoughtful. "Also, watch your tails. Literally. Please don't wipe off any counters for us."

"Right," Jake agreed, grabbing his own tail to keep the appendage still. Even after spending a year in his new body, Jake still had trouble controlling how his emotions would cause his tail to behave. Right now it was twitching back and forth with eager excitement.

They all emerged into the biolab, and all activity momentarily stopped as everyone took in the sudden appearance of the three Na'vi. One of the link units was just emerging from its socket in the wall, and Norm jumped out as soon as the lid had rotated open.

"Let's go!" Norm said, dodging tables and work stations as he ran towards the exit. Jake, Neytiri, and Moat made their way through the room carefully, dutifully mindful of their large size within the unfamiliar space. They reached the door without incident and proceeded on out into the hall. Max took one last look around the room, taking momentary pleasure in the range of response on peoples' faces. The original residences of Hell's Gate took the event pretty much in stride, and most of them were already returning to work with no more than a smile and a shake of the head. The newcomers, meanwhile, were still completely shocked.

Amber, who had been at a workstation by the far wall, gaped in amazement after the departing figures. Without a word, she rose from her chair and made to follow. She was determined to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

People flattened against the walls as the group moved through Hell's Gate, giving them somewhat incredulous looks as they passed. Jake lead the way, explaining to Norm as they walked what Max had told them out in the gardens, how an avatar could be suited to Kyle and how one of the new link machines could be used to permanently transfer Kyle's consciousness to the new body. Max had ran on ahead to speak with Dr. Mirhadi. Mindful of her reaction to Jake's unexpected appearance the night before, Max wanted to give her a heads up before not one but three of the massive blue figures showed up at her hospital.

As he rounded the last corner, Jake saw Max speaking with the doctor. Actually, Max was speaking whereas Dr. Mirhadi was arguing. She fell silent, though, when the three Na'vi came into view, her eyes growing huge behind her glasses.

"Do you mind if we…" Jake motioned towards the infirmary. Norm tapped his foot impatiently on the floor.

"This is highly irregular!" Dr. Mirhadi sputtered.

Moat, ever the perceptive one, spoke up. "As a healer, you are concerned for your charge, and this is admirable. I can assure you the Kylefischer will be completely safe."

Dr. Mirhadi lapsed into silence again. "Fine," she relented with a wave of her arms. "But will kick you all out if something goes wrong, 10 feet tall or not," she muttered.

"Thank you," Max said. "Go on inside, I'll stay out here," he told Norm.

The infirmary had emptied of all of its occupants save for Kyle. Everyone else had been released to recover in the greater comfort of their own quarters. Kyle was awake, and took in the appearance of his cousin and three huge aliens he did not recognize in stride. His eyes shown bright with energy, but everything else about his countenance said he was near death. He was a man whose mind was frustrated that his body was giving out so soon.

Jake and Neytiri stepped back so as not to crowd the Norm and Kyle, and Moat positioned herself by the door, mindful of her tail as it swung closed behind her. The smell of the indoors was irritating to Moat's sensitive nose. In all her life she had never experienced such a thing. But here, in this place where the Tawtute healers practiced their strange ways, the smell was almost intolerable. How anyone could recover from sickness or injury in such a place as this is a mystery, she thought silently. Moat stood by quietly, the top of her head just brushing the ceiling as she watched Norm and Kyle talk.

"Friends of yours," Kyle whispered as he regarded the three Na'vi with unashamed wonder. Sure, as an ISV crewman he had seen avatars in their incubation tanks, but that did not compare to being so close to the actual thing. Their native garments, they way they moved and the posture in which they held themselves; it all combined to give off a truly alien vibe. Even inside where they were clearly uncomfortable, the massive figures moved with grace and poise. Kyle thought they looked truly...regal. He felt like he was in the presence of royalty.

"Yes, their friends," Norm agreed. He swallowed nervously, and he was clearly excited by something. "Listen, we have an idea. I know this will sound crazy to you, Kyle, but there is a way to grow you an avatar. We would be able to move your consciousness into that body." Norm shifted on his feet as strong emotion welled up from within him. "You don't have to die."

Kyle looked at Norm like he had grown two heads. "Are you shitting me?" he asked.

Norm stifled nervous laughter. "No, I'm not. We would have to put you in a coma for a month while the avatar is grown, but my friend Max says that there is ultimately a two-in-three chance that this process would work for you."

Kyle did not know how to respond. This entire time he had been trying to prepare himself for death. It was a frustrating experience, really. It was like driving a car that had run out of gas, sputtering and stalling down the road. Nothing he could do could beat back the numbness that was slowly consuming his body. This is what it feels like to die, he thought to himself. He was going out with a whimper, not a bang, and that fact simultaneously scared and irritated him most of all.

He looked over at the three Na'vi. He took in their huge frames, their blue skin with their darker stripes. All three possessed eyes with irises of a striking gold color - Kyle had never seen eyes like those before. Wait, were those spots on their bodies actually glowing? "I could be like them?" he asked quietly. The concept of gaining life by switching species had not really occurred to Kyle before, and he struggled to process the possibility in his mind.

The Na'vi man stepped forward. He was positively gigantic, and Kyle wondered if he was some kind of leader because of the massive necklace that adorned him. What the hell kind of monster did those teeth or claws come from, Kyle wondered. "Not so much like 'them.' But like me." The man held up his hand, spreading his fingers. He had five digits on his hand rather than the four. Kyle frowned as he remembered that the Na'vi had four fingers and toes on their hands and feet.

"Kyle, this is Jake Sully, my best friend. He is the Olo'eyktan, the chieftain of the Omaticaya. He is the only human thus far to ever have their spirit transferred into their avatar. He is also the man who saved your life," Norm provided.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember…" Kyle trailed off. Kyle did not remember much of anything about the crash. And he honestly did not want to.

"It's alright," Norm said. "Jake reached you first, before even I did. He got your exopack on before you could suffocate."

"Then…thank you," Kyle said, and weakly raised his hand. Jake gripped Kyle's small palm in his own and shook gently. "So. Is it worth it?" Kyle asked Jake.

Jake tilted his head slightly, grinning with subtle amusement. "I made my choice for several very different reasons, Kyle. But I can say I would not wish to go back to the way things were, let's put it that way." Jake's eyes were serious as he continued. "Your reasons will be yours alone. Do you want to do this? Do you want to live? Your life will be forever changed, and there will most assuredly be much difficulty. You will never be able to return to Earth. You must consider all of this." Jake paused before continuing. "But I know that Norm will help you get through this…and so will I."

Kyle sighed, resting his head back on his pillow. "I have nothing to go back to. No home, no family." He turned to face Norm, who was trying to keep his features carefully neutral. "Ok. I'll try it." Norm visibly sagged with relief.

Moat stepped forward at this. Despite the foreign nature of the room, she had all but faded into the background. She lowered herself to her knees by Kyle's bedside, and Norm stepped aside to give her room. "Hold out your arm, child," she commanded. Moat's right hand withdrew the needlelike knife that she kept concealed in her necklace.

Neytiri frowned slightly, suspecting what was coming. "Mother…" she warned.

"Hush, ma 'ite. I know his limits better than he does." Norm regarded Moat with a wary glance, but to his credit did not question her as she gently held Kyle's hand in her own. Moat gazed deep into Kyle's eyes, using all of her senses to determine just what kind of man he was. She knew his relation alone to Normspellman was not an adequate judge of his character. Kyle looked worn and haggard, but his own intense gaze did not waver from Moat's at all as they each considered the other person.

Moat swiftly pricked the skin of Kyle's arm with her knife, drawing a single tiny drop of blood onto the tip of the blade. Whether from supremely cool reflexes or just plain numbness, Kyle did not flinch one bit as this occurred. The Tsahìk ran the tip of her knife over her tongue, cleaning the blade before she returned it to its hidden sheath. The sample of blood was pitifully small, and there was not much that Moat could discern from it. Moat tasted much conflict as another overriding urge leapt out at her. Above all, Kyle Fischer wanted to live. Even if there would be no ceremony at Vitrayä Ramunong, Kyle's spirit would not pass by Eywa unjudged. He would need stoutness of heart, among other things, if he wished to survive a transfer. Moat would have plenty to do to help Kyle move his spirit into his avatar.

Assuming, of course, he lived long enough for that to happen.

Moat nodded in satisfaction. She rose to her feet, Neytiri suddenly at her side to assist her. "You do not have much time left, Kylefischer. If you wish to attempt this, you must move swiftly."

Kyle agreed. He turned to Norm and said in his gravelly voice, "She's right. I know I won't be around much longer." He smiled thinly. "My body is getting really tired. I'm sure I could use a nap soon." It would be a nap from which he would not awake, and Norm knew it.

"Ok. I'll get Dr. Mirhadi to put you under," Norm replied. "That should keep you safe until the avatar is prepared. Um…they'll need a bone marrow sample, too. It'll probably be best to have you out for that, anyway."

Neytiri and Moat filed out of the infirmary, followed by Jake. The Olo'eyktan dipped his head in Kyle's direction. "I would wish you luck, but luck has nothing to do with it. You either have what it takes, or you don't."

Kyle nodded. "I'm sure we'll meet again in the future," he said. Norm was the last person out, and Kyle called out to him. "Norm? See you on the other side."

The finality of the statement struck Norm almost like a physical blow. "Be there," Norm said simply, before turning to pass through the doorway.

**Well, there you have it. What do you think? I had toyed with the idea of not giving Kyle the choice to become Na'vi due to the seriousness of his injuries (THAT would have been a surprise for him!), but as the story progressed it just made sense to inlude him in the discussion. I must admit I am greatly enjoying exploring all of the rabbit trails that this decision will create. 'Till next time... Peace!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As soon as the door to the infirmary closed behind them, Jake turned and knelt before Norm, placing both of his hands on the man's shoulders. "You need a vacation," he declared.

Norm tried to escape Jake's grasp, but it proved somewhat difficult. "Why would you say that?" he huffed, caving in to having to answer Jake's questions.

"Because you have too much on your mind. I'm afraid if you spend one minute longer dwelling on all this, your head might explode," Jake warned.

Neytiri looked positively alarmed. "Is such a thing possible?" she asked, staring at Norm gravely.

Norm sighed, "He's just joking. It's a Tawtute phrase."

Jake smiled gently at his friend. "Norm, you've done all you can. Everything that you –" Jake shook Norm's shoulders slightly for emphasis "– can do for Kyle has been done. Let Max take care of the rest. There's not much anyone can do anyway except wait, and it'll drive you crazy if that's all you think about for a month."

Max approached from down the hall, Amber trailing a safe distance behind. "He's right, Norm. We'll start the genetic work within the hour, as soon as Kyle's sedated. I've already asked Hoshiro to have a Samson fly out to the crash site and retrieve the avatar. After that, it's a waiting game."

"Come spend some time with the clan…in whatever body you're more comfortable with. There's plenty of stuff for you to study, or work on, or whatever floats your boat. Some change of scenery would be good for you," Jake pleaded.

Moat turned back to face Norm. "My son is correct. Your mind is becoming too burdened. You will start to rot from the inside out like a fruit left on the branch for too long." Moat grinned subtly. "The children have missed your stories, Normspellman. It would bring them great joy for you to visit us again. It has been far too long since we have shared your company."

Jake actually managed to keep the smile off of his own face. That was perhaps a bit more of an underhanded tactic than he would have used, but it seemed it was the final impetus that Norm needed to agree. Jake nodded his thank to his mother-in-law.

Neytiri added her own input, too. "We must continue our tracking lessons as well. You have learned much, but there is still much to be taught." She smiled sweetly at him. "It has been a pleasure working with such a bright student." Jake harrumphed sourly from behind Norm at this.

"I'll ask one of the pilots to give me a ride out to Hometree in my avatar. I think if the children tried that 'dog pile' thing again, they might kill me by accident in this body," Norm said, and everyone was pleased to see him smile at this.

"A wise decision," Moat said solemnly. Turning to Neytiri, she asked, "Please lead the way back outside. I am in grave need of fresh air and wide open spaces." Neytiri, Moat, and Norm left, passing Amber who had been waiting a short distance away, quietly listening to the conversation.

At this pause in communication, Amber finally stepped forward, her hand raised tentatively like a school girl. "Um…can some explain what is actually going on here? Are you really going to try to save that man by moving his consciousness permanently into an avatar?"

Neither Jake nor Max immediately responded. In fact, it was dead quiet until Jake finally started snickering under his breath. His laughter finally rose to a belly shaking guffaw, and he had to steady himself against the wall. "I suppose no one outside of this place really knows, do they Max?" he asked as he wiped at his eyes.

"Um…begging your pardon?" Max replied uncertainly.

"About me," Jake continued. "After all, we went through with the ceremony after everyone else had been kicked out of Hell's Gate, right?"

Now Max was tracking with Jake, and he nodded in agreement. "Never noticed that, but yeah, you are correct."

Amber looked back and forth between the two men. "What the hell are you two talking about?" she demanded, not appreciating being left out of the loop.

Jake finally addressed her, shoulders still shaking with silent merriment. "Has it not seemed odd to you that I've never deigned to speak with you in my human body?" he queried.

Amber frowned with concentration. "I've noticed… I just thought that as Olo'eyktan, you would be spending just about all of your waking time in link." The doubt was evident in her own voice even as she spoke. It was a problem Amber had spent a lot of time thinking about, actually, but she had never been able to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.

"Do you really think that's the case? Do you think it would be possible for someone to live a life like this in two bodies?" Jake pressed. "I'm sure you know about the time restraints placed on avatar drivers so that their human forms don't literally waste away to nothing."

Amber took a slight step backwards even though Jake had remained where he was, her eyes widening with realization. "My God, you somehow actually did it, didn't you? You aren't linked at all."

Jake spread his arms, grinning fiercely. "Yep, this is the whole me, 100 percent. Take it or leave it."

"But…how? That's impossible!" she sputtered.

"You will soon realize that you will have to completely reevaluate what you thought was possible. Reality and fantasy, science and spirituality…it all meshes together here in a way that humanity cannot begin to understand." Jake's tone suddenly changed to something much harsher. He pointed a finger straight at Amber. "People's lack of knowledge, their inability to _Kame _what is right in front of their face…" Jake let the Na'vi word slip out without even realizing it, his voice lowering until he almost hissed out this last statement. "People with all the good intentions in the world have almost destroyed this place, and I will not let it begin again!" The bioluminescent spots on Jake's arms and across his collar bone flared with aggression.

Amber looked positively terrified. Even Max was beginning to get a little worried at the sudden change that came over Jake.

To his credit, the Olo'eyktan realized the sudden tenseness in the atmosphere, and he sighed, slumping somewhat. "I was like you, once," he told Amber, his voice growing soft again, no longer yelling. He smiled as memories played across his mind. "You are like a baby, making noise, don't know what to do," he murmured softly, almost to himself.

Amber glanced over at Max uncertainly, looking for a bit of support. Max, out of Jake's line of sight, shrugged helplessly.

Jake snapped out of his reminiscing and said to Amber, "My mate has spoken to me of her conversations with you, of your desire to learn about the Na'vi, about how we are so in tune with the world around us. This encourages me to see that not all who have come to Pandora will seek only to rape her of the mineral riches that she possesses. One of my closest friends once said, 'The wealth of this world isn't in the ground, it's all around us.'" Jake turned to Max. "Do you remember who said that, Max?"

The scientist nodded. "Dr. Grace Augustine," he replied solemnly.

"Amber, if you wish to discover what makes this place tick, you're going to have to leave some of your science and presuppositions behind. Moat describes it as already having your cup full, before you even get here. You must approach Pandora with an empty cup, with total humility, before she will reveal any of her secrets to you." Jake chuckled to himself. "Trust me, I say this still as a complete skxawng. I have much to learn, myself. But at least I know how to look for it." Jake turned to address Max. "I think I'll find Hoshiro and check in with him, but I'm pretty sure we'll be heading out, soon. It looks like you've got everything under control here. Remember, I'm just a call away."

Max nodded. "We'll be fine. Everything is going well," he reassured.

"I'll be back for sure in a month when the avatars are ready," Jake told him. He looked back at Amber, who was still speechless. "I'd hate to miss all the excitement," he said dryly. Growing thoughtful, Jake continued, "You know what? Take a look at Grace's notes and journals. I'm sure Max can pull them up for you. Also, you have my permission to view my own video logs. Not just my permission, but my encouragement. You say you want to learn about this place? Start there, then." Without another word, Jake turned and left Max and Amber standing alone outside of the infirmary.

Amber finally found her tongue. "Is he seriously for real?" she asked Max.

Chuckling, Max nodded his agreement. "Yep. Every last bit. You would do well to listen to what he has to say if you hope to have anything resembling a successful career. Of course, you'll no doubt find that your motivations will soon draw from a much higher calling than mere science." And then Max left as well, leaving a befuddled Amber standing alone in the hallway with more questions than she had arrived with.

* * *

It was like emerging from a dream… Consciousness was achieved in levels, like one surfacing from a very deep dive. The water's crushing embrace releasing its grip, almost begrudgingly. Darkness turning into light as the surface drew nearer.

Kyle's eyes blinked groggily. He struggled to raise a hand to his face, if only to wipe away the gunk encrusting his eyelids. His mouth was dry; his tongue felt like it was a size too big. Lights. Kyle finally became aware of lights over his head. Fluorescent lights. The ceiling was a fair distance up there, like he was in a vaulted room.

Next, Kyle noticed he was lying on a bed. Wait, it was more like a gurney. And it was huge, at least a dozen feet long. He felt like a child asleep on his parent's bed. Kyle finally brought a hand up to his face to wipe his eyes. His hand was pink, human. With a start, Kyle sat bolt upright on the bed, feeling suddenly light headed from the change of posture. The legs and feet extending out from under the simple hospital gown were human, too. No blue skin or tail was to be found anywhere.

What the hell is going on, Kyle wondered as a wave of nausea washed over him. He struggled to orientate himself. Where was he? Where the hell was everyone else? Another gurney, empty and the same massive size as his own was a short distance away. Computing and medical equipment on rolling stands were set up neatly and pushed against the walls. Two medical grade spotlights on articulated arms were suspended from the ceiling. It was like he was in an operation room for giants. Windows were set in one of the walls, and from Kyle's position he could see up to the ceiling of another room through the glass. His eyes darted around, but it appeared he was still alone.

Clothes for him were on a small stand by the bed, and he gingerly lowered himself to the ground. Aside from some minor stiffness, like waking up from a long nap in a weird position, he felt fine. Kyle slipped on underwear and pants. As he slid a shirt over his head he suddenly stopped, frantically feeling the bare skin on his right side. There was no wound, no scar; it was like he had never been shot. He ran his hands through his short-cropped hair. That seemed normal, at least. Long hair styles were generally discouraged aboard space faring vessels – they were too difficult to maintain. Kyle checked the underside of his right wrist. Right where it should be was a faint, six inch long scar that ran back from the base of his palm to the middle of the forearm, as if he had tried to slit his wrist a long time ago. Some people thought this, but they were sorely mistaken. Kyle was not and had never been suicidal – the scar was from catching his arm on a piece of jagged wood, back during a camping trip in high school.

"Hello?" Kyle called out softly. Feeling silly, he cried out much louder, "Hey! Anyone there?"

No answer. He looked around the room again for the exit, finally noticing the hall that seemed to lead to the outdoors. He glimpsed a seemingly normal view of outside through a partially open doorway. Pavement, grass, a basketball court, what appeared to be a garden in the distance…

Then the realization hit him. The exit was not a simple door but an airlock, and it was open. All of a sudden the plant life that Kyle could see did not look so familiar. Kyle's perspective came crashing back – he was at Hell's Gate, on Pandora.

With a gasp, Kyle stumbled backwards, reflexively reaching up to his face. He wore no exopack, but here he was, alive and well in a room that was clearly vented to the poisonous Pandoran atmosphere. Kyle checked his reflection in a shiny medical scalpel. He still looked very much human.

Feeling simultaneously elated and irritated, he wondered again what the hell was happening. Had they managed to heal his human body? Wasn't he supposed to be waking up in an avatar? Where the hell WAS everyone?

A strange noise suddenly reached Kyle's ears. It drowned out the sounds of the outdoors, the gentle whispering of the wind and the calls of birds…or whatever passed for birds on Pandora. It was the sound of an air wrench, like one would hear at an auto mechanic's shop.

After slipping on a pair of shoes, Kyle made his was down the short hall, pushing open the exterior door. Outside, the air was fresh and the sun warm on his skin. Then the sounds of the air wrench again, off to his left somewhere. Kyle walked around the exterior of the building, the noise coming from somewhere out of sight around a corner.

The entirety of Hell's Gate was conspicuously empty, as if Kyle had awaken in the middle of a Twilight Zone episode were everyone had been abducted by aliens. Wait, aren't we the aliens here, Kyle asked himself. Eventually, around another corner, the airfield for Hell's Gate came into view. The wide open expanse was completely empty and devoid of life, save for a single Samson helicopter parked outside of the hangar in the sun. Then Kyle noticed the source of the noises: a lone person up on a ladder, half buried inside of one of the aircraft's open engine compartments. A long hose ran from the person back into the hangar, evidently the source of all the racket he was hearing. Outside on a tarp on the pavement appeared to be at least half of the Samson's internal workings. Someone was doing some major maintenance, it appeared.

With a strange sense of déjà vu, Kyle mentally shrugged and began to walk over to the only other person he had seen thus far. Again he rubbed his hand over his face, feeling naked without an exopack on. The person working on the chopper did not hear his approach due to the noise of his work. As Kyle drew nearer, he noticed that what he thought was a man in fact possessed one of the most shapely asses he had ever had the pleasure of looking at. The grease monkey's a woman, Kyle observed. That's hot.

Kyle's presence was still unnoticed. Feeling foolish again, he cleared his throat during a pause in the air wrenching. "Um, excuse me…?" he asked hesitantly. The lady jerked at the sudden sound of his voice, and she apparently struck her head on something. A string of foul expletives exploded out from the engine compartment, and Kyle quickly took a step back as the air practically turned blue from all of the profanity. A metal pinging and clanking could be heard as the Samson eagerly embraced deep into the recesses of its engine bay some small but no doubt vital part.

The woman extracted herself from the open hatch and rotated on the ladder to face him, and Kyle briefly noticed that she was not wearing an exopack, either. Kyle felt as if he should have burst into flames on the spot from the intensity of the glare the Hispanic woman gave him. "Don't ever sneak up on me like that again! Ever!" she snarled.

Kyle's hands came up defensively. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to startle you, honestly! You were a bit…engrossed in your work, there." Holy crap, this woman was attractive, and it was extremely distracting. An obvious thought finally occurred to Kyle, and he introduced himself. "Shit, sorry. My name's Kyle. Kyle Fischer."

The woman grasped the sides of the ladder and slid to the ground, not bothering with the steps. She wiped her palms on her tank top, removing at least some of the grease from her hands. "Trudy Chacon," she said, extending a still grimy right hand. Kyle did not mind in the slightest as he accepted, and he found her grip to be quite strong.

"Um…where is everyone else?" he asked, looking back over his shoulder at the rest of the base. He turned back to face Trudy and found that her face was lit with a knowing smirk.

"Not the right question," she said before patting the side of her helicopter. "Come on. You're gonna help me fix this, and now I have to find that damn socket you made me lose." Without another word she was back up the ladder, peering intently into the dark cavity on the side of the engine nacelle. She held out her left hand without looking and demanded, "Light stick. On the pilot seat. Hurry up; I need it five seconds ago."

Trudy spoke in a tone that brokered no argument, and Kyle found himself hurrying to obey her. The light was right where she said it would be, and he handed it up to her, slapping it into her open palm. Trudy leaned further into the opening, muttering under her breath. Kyle found himself idly shifting a pebble on the ground with his right foot, now resigned to not getting answers to any of his pressing questions.

"Grab my ankles. I think I see that socket, but it's way the heck down there," Trudy's muffled voice called out.

"Alright, fine," Kyle grumbled, taking a step up the ladder as Trudy balanced her stomach on the topmost rung until she was almost horizontal. Kyle swiftly took hold of her ankles to keep her from slipping right off the ladder. Trudy's tank top ruffed up, exposing a tantalizing stretch of firm, tan stomach. Kyle swallowed and looked away.

"There… Alright, got it!" she said triumphantly as she pushed herself back out of the compartment, the stubborn socket clenched firmly in her hand. "Here. Get up beside me and hold this module down while I thread the bolts."

Kyle's eyebrows rose as he ascended the ladder until he was directly beside her. Their bodies brushed, and Kyle could feel the warmth coming from her. If Trudy noticed the contact, it evidently did not bother her. She resumed pointing out her instructions. Hold this, bolt goes here, tighten that. "Got it," Kyle agreed.

The strangest thing happened when Kyle steadied himself against the compartment opening. As soon as his hand landed on the metal he felt a burning pain lance into his palm, as though the metal had just emerged from a blast furnace. "Son of a bitch!" he exclaimed as he let go, lunging backwards to get away from the burning sensation. That was not a smart move for Kyle, though, and it was only Trudy grabbing the front of this shirt that kept him from pitching back right off of the ladder.

"Easy, you're gonna kill yourself if you're not careful!" she chastised.

"What the hell was that?" Kyle yelled, his burnt hand held tight against his side. Crap, it was as if he had just grabbed a hot stove!

The pair descended the ladder, and Trudy gently took his hand in her own. Her touch was instantly soothing. "Let me take a look," she said with surprising gentleness. Kyle grimaced as he peeled open his palm. The sight of blistered and angry red skin greeted him.

"How did…" his voice trailed off as Trudy tenderly ran her fingers over the burnt skin. In her touch's wake, Kyle's skin was fresh and renewed with no sign of injury. He took another step back, eyes wide with alarm, and Trudy released his hand. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked, his voice starting to tremble.

Trudy regarded him thoughtfully. "I suspected something like that would happen." She sighed, dusting off her palms on her cargo pants. To herself, she muttered, "I know just who can solve that little problem. It'll just take some time."

Kyle was almost frantic. "Where is Norm? Where is everyone else? How long have I been out for? Why aren't we suffocating right now?"

Trudy smiled reassuringly. "Easy, easy! You're gonna use up all the air talking that fast." Trudy walked over to one of her toolboxes, muttering again under her breath. She turned back to him bearing a pair of work gloves. "Here, put these on. Contrary to whatever you might be thinking, you still have to help me put that bird back together." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder back towards the Samson. "There's some work up in there that only you can do."

Kyle crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not helping you with a single thing until you start giving some explanations."

Trudy smirked at him. You're not helping me, she thought. It's the other way around. "Well, I see you share your stubbornness with your cousin, that's for sure."

Kyle frowned. "And how would you know that?"

With an uproarious laugh, Trudy replied, "Oh, I know Normy very well, trust me!"

"'Normy?'" Kyle repeated. "I think he punched the last person to call him that."

Trudy leered at him. "Funny, I got a lot of different responses out of him, but that was never one of them," she replied. Kyle started to speak again, but Trudy cut him off. "Fine, I'll have a little mercy on you." She gestured broadly around them. "First off, none of all this is really real."

Kyle gapped at her. "You don't say?" he managed. "I'm dreaming?" That burn on his hand felt pretty damn real.

"Think of this as…orientation," Trudy offered. "And a bit of a test. I've been sent here to judge your character, to see if you have what it takes to make it here."

"Judged by who?" Kyle spun in a complete, exaggerated circle before facing Trudy again. "And where is 'here,' exactly?" he probed. "Looks and awful lot like Hell's Gate to me."

Chuckling, Trudy replied. "It kind of is. I suspected you'd freak out even more if I showed you any other location. But the base will do just fine. I remember it pretty well myself, anyway. And as far as who is doing the judging…I'll tell you about her, later. Too much too soon would just drive you crazy," she said, smiling in a rather patronizing way. Trudy's expression changed to something Kyle could not readily identify. "Norm never told you who I am, did he?"

Kyle was completely lost. "No…I don't think he ever mentioned a Trudy Chacon. Of course, we haven't talked in like six years, but who's counting. And let's just say that last time I checked with what I thought was the real me, Norm and I had other more pressing matters."

With a wry laugh, Trudy responded, "Oh, I know all about your little 'problem,'" she said, grinning. She made quotations in the air with her fingers at her last word. "I actually watched your entrance into this world, and I must say I was quite impressed. You must be a hell of a pilot to be able to pull off a landing like that. I never flew anything like a Valkyrie, but I know skill when I see it. And you, mister, have skill in spades."

Kyle was unable to come up with a response to that and had to settle with staring at this strange woman like an idiot.

Trudy's expression softened to one of extreme fondness. "Allow me to set the record straight, and hopefully change your point of view a bit: I am Trudy Chacon, proud girlfriend of the one and only Dr. Norman Spellman."

Feeling surprised and dirty due to some of his thoughts at the same time, Kyle blurted, "How the heck did Norm manage that?" The comment just sort of fell out of Kyle's mouth before he could catch it. Kyle thought the world of his cousin, but he also knew that Norm was not exactly a lady's man, at least from what he remembered.

Trudy laughed at this and punched him in the shoulder. It kind of hurt. "Oh, give Normy some credit!" She smiled brightly at him. "I feel pretty proud of myself for landing him, you know." Her face fell as a thought crossed her mind, and she turned away. Kyle thought he saw her eyes start to glisten. Who was this woman, who possessed such vibrant energy and such a wide range of emotions? "Let me continue clarifying: I'm also dead, and I'm afraid it'll be a long time before Norm and I can see each other again." Why won't he just link to the damn tree, Trudy thought bitterly.

Kyle felt suddenly chilled. "You don't look dead to me," he offered lamely. "Wait, does that mean I'm dead, too?" Kyle's last memory before waking up here was of being sedated so that hopefully in a month he would awake and find himself in a 10 foot tall blue alien body. The last 15 minutes of Kyle's life had been bizarre to say the least, so this new development was just par for the course as far as he was concerned. And if he had indeed died…well, he could not say he was surprised.

"Oh, I'm quite dead, trust me. My crash landing didn't go as well as yours. And no, you're not dead, so you don't have to worry about that." Trudy turned back to Kyle. Her expression was encouraging as she held out the work gloves to him. "I'll make you a deal. Here, get suited up. We've really got to get to work. I'll fill you in on all the things you've missed while we go. I've got some questions for you that I need answered, too, so I suppose it's an even trade. We can even talk about Norm behind his back." She gave him a serious look. "Just don't touch the chopper again with your bare skin. You've already proven you can't do that, at least not yet."

Kyle chuckled to himself as he scratched the back of his head. "Ok, I guess. Show me what I need to do."

* * *

The two Samsons flew in tight formation over the forest. To the men inside, it seemed that the pilots were purposely trying to get as close to the treetops as possible. A river appeared below and the two helicopters swerved to follow its path. The Sec-Ops mercenaries inside stared at the passing scenery with wide eyes. Even to these hardened men and women, the rugged beauty of Pandora was intriguing. It also seemed to writhe with hidden danger behind every tree. Everything that these people had read and been told about Pandora preached of the dangers of the forest, of the wild, of the natives, of the very atmosphere. Hell's Gate was familiar safety, a sanctuary they would come to appreciate as more valuable and secure than their own mothers' womb. And here on their third day since arriving, the crazy shit of a Japanese man who was in charge was flying them all out into the wilderness. And not a single one of the new Sec-Ops mercenaries was armed.

Nope, the weapons on this mission belonged only to a select few people, people that Hoshiro Tanaka explicitly trusted. And that label definitely did not apply to the new arrivals. The Samsons' door guns were manned by avatars, Dr. Norm Spellman included, who kept a sharp eye out for banshees…and an even sharper eye out for a rogue Great Leonopteryx.

With a sickening lurch and whine of engines, the two helicopters plummeted downwards along the face of a huge waterfall. Mist filled the cabin, and everyone had to wipe their exopacks to see again. With a grin, one of the pilots who had gotten especially close to the waterfall (on purpose) activated the windshield wipers for a flick or two, clearing his forward vision. Norm, for his part, grinned fiercely and continued his watchful vigil, enjoying the feeling of the breeze blowing through his hair, his long braid flapping in the wind behind him. Aside from a flock of brightly colored tetrapteron, the sky was empty. For now, Pandora was content to let the puny humans claim to be the biggest, baddest thing in the sky.

Hoshiro observed his charges, watching each of their faces for a reaction. They were all relatively green, new recruits with no preconceptions except for what they had been told. For the most part, they all looked tense. A few people shot him resentful glances when they thought he was not looking. But there was this thing about Hoshiro…he was always looking. You could really never fool him. These new men and women just did not realize that yet.

The Samsons continued on over the forest, leaving the river behind. Hoshiro's ear piece buzzed with an incoming message from the pilot. "Sir, we've reached the school house LZ." It was an unnecessary thing to tell Hoshiro, and the pilot knew it. Hoshiro had grown to know these woods like the back of his hand. But the pilot also knew that Hoshiro appreciated the communication between his own people. Everyone needed to know where they were, and they needed to stay in constant contact with one another. If you did not pay attention and move in perfect concert with your teammates, Pandora would kill you in a heartbeat. Shit you out dead with zero warning, in fact. That was one of the few things that Quaritch had actually gotten right.

The choppers flared for a perfect landing in a picturesque meadow, the grass underneath the aircraft blowing flat from the downdraft of the rotors. The avatars manning the guns unclasped their weapons from their frames, hoisting them to their shoulders as they fanned out away from the helicopters. Norm was in the lead, his face intense as flashed out hand signals to his three fellow scientists. No longer nerdy academics, these men and women were quite used to Pandora and to the rifles that they bore. Even without former military training, experience alone had shaped the avatars into a force to be reckoned with. Several of the former mercenaries, Hoshiro's trusted troops, disembarked as well, their machine guns up and out. But they never strayed outside of the protective circle formed by the avatar drivers.

Norm turned back to Hoshiro and made a slashing motion across his throat. Instantly the helicopter turbines spun down, and soon quiet descended upon the glade. He spared a quick glance at each of his colleagues, who nodded their ascent. There was no danger, here. Of course, Norm and Hoshiro and everyone else who was not new was already aware of this. The security perimeter was mostly for show, but everyone appreciated the practice, anyway.

"Alright you sons of bitches, everyone out!" Hoshiro barked so suddenly into the silence that just about everyone jumped. "Move, move, move!" he ordered as his own booted feet hit the ground. Years of training were difficult to override, and the new soldiers disembarked from the Samsons with ease and efficiency. Their small group of 18 individuals formed up at Hoshiro's command. They were facing an old wooden structure set at the edge of the clearing. It was clearly of human construction, but it was sized up to fit a Na'vi body comfortably. A few of the more astute soldiers grimly took note of their positioning in front of the landed choppers, with the avatars and seasoned soldiers forming up on their rear flanks. It was a perfect kill zone formation that would make for no friendly casualties.

Hoshiro stepped out in front of the group, hands clasped behind his back as he walked slowly before them, taking time to gaze at each of their faces. Most of the men and women would not maintain eye contact for long – they still did not know what to think of the man. "I understand that some of you may be…confused, right now!" Hoshiro belted out, his voice easily loud enough for all to hear. "Your mission is to safeguard the RDA's operations here on Pandora. The flow of unobtanium back to earth is the one and only reason any of us are here, yes?" No one responded. "Well, am I wrong?" Hoshiro shouted, spreading his arms and turning to look at everyone.

"No, sir!" one of the chopper pilots yelled from the back of the formation where he was casually leaning against the nose of his craft.

"Glad to see that someone's still awake!" Hoshiro shouted. "You know the dangers you face here," he motioned to the jungle around them. The sounds of harmless prolemuris could be heard as the primate-like creatures foraged in the treetops. "Just about everything out there that doesn't eat fruit would just love to eat you instead, trust me!" Hoshiro continued to walk up and down the line, gradually drawing closer to the new recruits. Soon he was close enough to be yelling directly into their faces, if he wished. "But by far, the most nefarious danger to our glorious progress is those damned blue monkeys, whose only waking goal is to see each of you dead, to slit your throats and drink your blood like so much Kool Aid!"

The men and women in the line shifted uncomfortably. Absolutely no one knew where Hoshiro was going with this. The conversation was not what they expected from someone who for all accounts had helped destroy the RDA's operations on Pandora.

Hoshiro turned his back on the group as he gazed into the forest. He squinted as he searched – it took a few moments for even him, someone who knew what to look for, to spot the pairs of golden eyes staring back at him. Even then, Hoshiro knew he would only find about half of the hunters present, and that was only because they had hidden themselves poorly. On purpose.

All of a sudden wild, ululating war cries erupted from the woods surrounding the clearing. The line of men and women almost broke as they subconsciously crouched and reached for weapons that they did not have. Eyes frantically scanned the forest but could see nothing. Behind the group and watching it all, Norm smiled to himself as he observed everyone's terrified response. His ears rotated without conscious thought as he tracked the locations of the Na'vi voices.

Omaticayan hunters materialized in the clearing as if from thin air. Some had been crouched in the grass not a dozen feet away from the humans. Dozens of fierce figures stepped out into the clearing, all bearing giant spears or bows with arrows as tall as man. Bow strings were not drawn tight, but arrows were nocked and ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Mal'ek appeared last of all, striding out of the woods, his own massive bow slung casually over his shoulder – he possessed enough strength in his arms that he could most likely crush a human skull with his bare hands should the need arise. The giant Na'vi prowled back and forth before the line of cowering humans, tail thrashing angrily, passing just behind Hoshiro who had not reacted one bit to the sudden appearance of the Na'vi. On the contrary, he sneered as he motioned around him.

"Behold, the face of your enemy!" Hoshiro exclaimed. Mal'ek hissed fiercely at this, spittle flying from his fangs, his ears folded back threateningly. "I was thinking to myself, how I could possibly explain what you face here on this world? How can I possibly equip you to do the job that the corporation has charged you all with? So, what better way to introduce you to your duties than with a bit of role play?"

Mal'ek spoke in rapid fire Na'vi, turning back to address the woods around the school house. Several youths, both boys and girls, appeared. They were merely teenagers, not yet initiated into their respective roles in the clan. But each one was at least eight feet tall and still looked pissed as hell.

Hoshiro quietly spoke in Na'vi to Mal'ek, who responded in agreement without looking at him. Mal'ek was busy staring down anyone who dared meet his brutal gaze, and those brave souls were few indeed. Turning back to the youths, Hoshiro inquired something to them in their own language.

Snarling, a boy and girl obliged his request and stomped forward until they were standing next to Hoshiro. Turning back to the wide-eyed soldiers, Hoshiro proclaimed, "I have a problem here! These two beasts have set fire to one of our bulldozers! These savages are standing in the way of progress; they are thwarting our very own Manifest Destiny! How do you intend to solve this?" Beside Hoshiro, the young boy hissed angrily.

Not a single voice offered a response. Most of the soldiers standing before Hoshiro looked like they would prefer to gladly dig a hole in the ground and simply disappear. Hoshiro walked straight through the center of the line, shoving aside bodies as he went. "Collins! Give me your weapon!" he commanded. One of the rear guards tossed him his machine gun, which Hoshiro caught one handed before spinning around and walking back out to the front of the line. This time, those in his path swiftly stepped aside on their own. With practiced efficiency, Hoshiro ejected the magazine, checking its contents before slamming it home again. He cracked back the bolt slightly, peering into the chamber. Satisfied, he let it snap back into place. This was going to be the hardest part, Hoshiro thought. Which unlucky bastard should I pick to be my example?

"Which one of you fearless warriors will demonstrate how we should deal with this opposition?" Again, no one answered, and distinct looks of fear were settling over those present. "Surely such an unprovoked attack must be responded to, correct? Why, as soon as they sense weakness, they WILL walk all over us! We must set an example!" Hoshiro was screaming at the soldiers at the top of his lungs. As if reinforcing the insane Japanese man, the Na'vi present added their own yips and howls, shaking their fists in the air.

Hoshiro's eyes finally settled on his intended victim, a particularly large, muscle bound man who in any other circumstance would have been a scary individual to meet. Now he was shaking like a leaf. Hoshiro strode forward and grabbed the front of the man's camouflaged fatigue shirt, yanking him forward out of the line. "What is your name, soldier?" Hoshiro shouted in his face.

The man stuttered something incomprehensible.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," Hoshiro stage whispered, leaning forward and tilting his head in an exaggerated manner.

The man licked suddenly dry lips and replied with somewhat more conviction, "Corporal Steven Lovell, sir!"

Hoshiro shoved the machine gun into Corporal Lovell's arms so hard that the startled man almost stumbled backwards. "Well, Corporal, do you duty!" Hoshiro commanded, taking a step back himself.

Corporal Lovell swallowed nervously, and he began to visibly tremble again. He looked at the gun in his hands as if he feared it would lunge up and bite him. Hoshiro reapproached the man, setting his arm around the corporal's shoulders in an amicable manner. He pointed at the scowling Na'vi boy and girl.

"Go ahead, son," Hoshiro whispered in his ear. "Set the example. Show these creatures how we handle opposition. Which one are you gonna shoot first?" Corporal Lovell stared at the young boy who gazed back at him just as intently, golden eyes narrowed with malice.

"S-sir?" the man stuttered. He made no move to raise his weapon, so Hoshiro placed his hand under the barrel and hoisted it up himself, leveling it at the boy's chest.

"Go on, Corporal. Blow him away," Hoshiro hissed.

Lovell swallowed and shook his head. "I…I don't think I can do that, sir," he said softly.

"DO IT!" Hoshiro bellowed, the Wasp revolver holstered to his hip suddenly in his hand and pointing right at Corporal Lovell's head. "I gave you an order!"

The trembling corporal did not respond; he screwed his eyes shut and lowered the gun away from the youth. Hoshiro took two steps forward and placed the barrel of his gun to the side of Lovell's head, just behind the seal of the exopack.

"Commander, sir!" a female voice shouted. It was only then that Lovell realized everything was silent. Hoshiro was no longer screaming, the Na'vi where no longer howling and even the forest itself had grown still.

Hoshiro turned to look at the woman who spoke. She was at the very end of the line of new arrivals, gazing at him with a pleading expression. Hoshiro glared at her with seemingly crazed eyes, and she shook her head rapidly, hands extended in a beseeching manner. "Please," she whispered. "Stop this."

With an animalistic snarl Hoshiro holstered his revolver and snatched the machine gun from the stunned soldier standing before him. Hoshiro stepped back once, leveled the machine gun at the man named Steven Lovell who was now observing with wide panicky eyes, and pulled the trigger.

The sound of the hammer falling on an empty chamber was almost as loud as an actual gunshot, or so it seemed to those present. The avatars and humans at the rear of the formation watched with stern, unreadable faces as the entire event unfolded. The Na'vi hunters made no move to interfere as well. Mal'ek watched it all, keeping his face neutral as he absorbed all that he was seeing.

Hoshiro let loose with a wild, rageful scream and hurled the empty gun back towards the Samsons where it landed on the ground with a poof of dust, people ducking away from under its tumbling ark. The man turned and stormed passed the two young Na'vi, past Mal'ek and into the abandoned building. He could be heard rooting about inside for something. There was the sound of splintering wood and Hoshiro emerged again bearing a stained board that he held reverently in both hands. The sight of the wooden beam caused a noticeable reaction to ripple through the Omaticaya who were present. One huntress broke down, letting out a single wail before she turned to the man beside her, sobbing into his chest. The hunter, who was clearly her mate, held her close in his arms and whispering soothingly into her ear. Mal'ek himself saw the burden Hoshiro carried and swallowed back his own emotion.

Stopping directly before Corporal Lovell, Hoshiro asked him, "How old do you think that child is, Corporal?" He indicated with one hand at the teenager behind him. Hoshiro was like an entirely different person, now. Gone was the maniacal expression and he spoke with a calmness that surprised everyone. "Speak freely, soldier. The lesson is over."

Corporal Lovell was still shaking, his breathing fast and frantic behind his exopack. Even still, he raised his gaze to look at the young Na'vi before him. A change had come over the boy, too. Now the child gazed down at him coolly with no trace of anger, only curiosity. A spell in the clearing had been broken, and though Corporal Steven Lovell would never realize the full implications of his actions, he recognized that a certain danger had passed. "I…I don't know," Lovell said uncertainly.

To the great surprise of Corporal Lovell, the boy raised his hands, spreading all eight digits. He then closed his hands into fists before spreading them open again, this time with six fingers raised, and held the pose.

"Fourteen?" Lovell asked. The boy nodded before lowering his hands and taking silent steps back to rejoin his peers at the edge of the forest. Rather than following, the girl padded over to the hunter who was comforting his mate. The couple enfolded the child in their arms when she reached them, and she returned the embrace just as eagerly.

"What do you think this is?" Hoshiro asked, drawing Lovell's attention to the board in his hands. Its grain was exotic, obviously from some native tree. The dark stain across the middle was obvious, even to the very rattled Corporal Lovell. Hoshiro held the plank forward as he showed it fully to the crowd. "Look at this," he commanded. "Look at it long and hard!"

"Blood," the woman who has spoken up before answered softly. "It's a blood stain."

"Yes, it is," Hoshiro confirmed. He was speaking loud enough to be heard by all, but he was definitely no longer yelling. "It is encouraging to me that it would seem you all still possess a shred of what makes us proudly human. The situation I described to you was not random. Years ago, several young Na'vi did indeed torch a bulldozer. You can imagine that none of us were happy about it, but the RDA's response was to fly in a squad of soldiers here to this very place and seek retribution on a schoolroom of unarmed children. One of those killed was the former chieftain's daughter." Hoshiro paused, making sure that everyone was paying attention. Not a single person was looking away, now. "Does this help bring…some perspective to our situation?" he asked. "Is this what you signed up for? To murder children?"

Hoshiro turned back and approached Mal'ek, who observed the human quietly. "Rutxe, tsamsiyu. _I cannot bear this burden any longer,"_ Hoshiro said softly. Mal'ek accepted the board stained with the blood of his clan mates without protest and walked silently back towards the school house to return it to its place.

Facing the group of soldiers, Hoshiro began to speak again, suddenly looking very old. "I understand that events beyond your control have changed your plans irreconcilably. I apologize for the inconvenience this has no doubt caused you. I cannot speak as to how the corporation will compensate you for your time, and if you seek to abstain from interaction with those whom you perceive as traitors, that is completely your prerogative. You will be treated well, but generally confined to your quarters. I would imagine that many of you would wish to return home in a year on the next ISV."

Hoshiro paused before continuing, looking at each face in line. Mal'ek reappeared from the school house and stood behind Hoshiro, arms folded solemnly across his chest. "All that I ask is that you respect what has happened here. Our race has committed a grave crime against these people, and if they chose to strike us all down this instant, I would not raise a hand to stop it. You do not have to fully understand, appreciate, or even agree with the choices that my men and I have made. But I will give you all this one order: Do not stand in our way. Am I crystal clear?" Hoshiro waited for a response, but received none. Turning towards Mal'ek, he asked, _"Is there anything you wish to add to what you and your people have witnessed here today?"_

Mal'ek considered this request. He looked over the assembled Tawtute, taking in their wide ranges of reactions. The new Sec-Ops mercenaries looked positively shaken to the core. This was clearly not the orientation that had expected to receive. _"I think not, Hoshirotanaka. You have made your point with brutal clarity. I am confident that you are in control of the situation within your home, and I will report this to my Olo'eyktan. It pleases me that these Tawtute have passed at least this test. I was not eager to shed blood today."_

Sighing with relief, Hoshiro nodded. _"Then our business is concluded here. _Eywa ngahu," Hoshiro said, and bowed at the waist towards the mighty Na'vi warrior.

"Eywa ngahu," Mal'ek returned, and rested a hand companionably on Hoshiro's shoulder. Then without another word, Mal'ek pivoted smoothly on his feet and moved away, disappearing into the forest without glancing back. As one, all of the Omaticaya present retreated soundlessly as well, leaving the meadow as abruptly and stealthily as they had entered it.

There was a stunned silence hovering over the people who remained. With a moan, one of the men in line dropped to his knees. He managed to get his exopack up over his head before he vomited his lunch onto the ground. His companion beside him crouched down, murmuring softly to him and patting his back.

"Pilots, prepare for departure," Hoshiro commanded. "Alright, people. Back onboard the choppers. Let's head home. We're done here."

A minute later and everyone had boarded except for Hoshiro and for Norm, who would be staying behind. The scientist crouched down low to speak with his friend. "That was…difficult to watch, to say the least. But I am glad it turned out well. You are a good man, Hoshiro. Don't you ever think differently."

Hoshiro nodded. He swallowed nervously. "I am just relieved that I could redeem some of my sins today…instead of adding to them."

Norm could not think of a response, so he simply nodded and shouldered his pack, stepping away towards the jungle. In an instant Norm was gone, leaving Hoshiro alone with his thoughts and nightmares.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A month passed in a heartbeat for those at Hell's Gate. In many ways, the crash of Valkyrie 25 and subsequent rescue efforts did much to solidify the tenuous relationship between the humans who had chosen to stay behind on Pandora and the new arrivals, who by all accounts still had every reason to not doubt the company they worked for. Ah, that particular thorny issue… Ironically, Major Zinda played a huge role in bridging the understanding gap there. The fact that he had attempted to murder half of the people aboard the ISV _Enterprise Star_ offered a compelling reason to begin to trust the "traitors" at Hell's Gate.

Hoshiro Tanaka's object lesson at the old schoolhouse was the chief topic of discussion for many days after the event. A select few individuals took offense to Hoshiro's teaching methods, but all agreed, even if it was begrudgingly, that the point was illustrated effectively, if not memorably. A few people preferred to take the isolationist route, and even fewer people came up to Hoshiro privately to discuss what it would take to be integrated into a more active role within the community. A great majority of the Sec-Ops troopers, all cross-trained in various other specialties other than soldiering, offered whatever services they could. We'll be here for a least a year, they said. Might as well help put food on the table and maintain all the equipment. No one would get paid if they all suffocated if the air purifiers happened to fail. This was all said with a wink and a nod – there was definitely some anxiety as to what they would be returning home to (or with, in monetary terms), but such problems had a way of stepping into the background when they were light years distant.

The new avatars were growing well. The four hybrids were looking more and more like their drivers every day, and it was not uncommon to find one of the drivers in the biolab, staring raptly at their alien counterpart. Except, of course, for Kyle Fischer, who was in a medically induced coma. He was stable, at least physically, but more than a few people worried how his mind was holding up within the weak shell of his human body. Often, it was Norm who would be found watching Kyle's avatar grow.

Max entered the biolab one evening to retrieve some forgotten files when he came across such a situation. Norm was sitting by the incubation tanks, feet propped up on a desk, reading a book. Norm looked up as Max came in and nodded a greeting to him.

"You know he's not here," Max said gently as he gathered his things.

Norm paused, looking up from his novel. "I know…" he hedged, and then shrugged his shoulders. "Either he's dead, or he will end up looking like this. I guess I'm just trying to cling to the positive outcome."

Max nodded his ascent, and opened his mouth to say…but then chose to remain silent. He had almost said, 'don't get your hopes up.' Norm knew the chances of success as well as the next person – it would do him no good to rub it in. "I'm sure he'll be fine," Max replied instead.

But Max was not sure. They would be decanting the avatars in a few days. Amber's avatar, as well as the two belonging to Ramirez and Dryers would be decanted first. It would not hurt for Kyle to wait one more day, and no one could really anticipate what kind of complications his particular case would bring. Contrary to Max's normal approach to problem solving, he would be saving the most difficult thing for last, and the prospect of finally linking Kyle to his avatar hung over his head like a brooding storm cloud.

The real reason for Max being in the biolab was that he had forgotten some of his notes on the new link machines. Max would let no other person touch the device he was working on – he trusted only himself to make the necessary modifications. In truth, Max was somewhat ingloriously hacking away at safety buffers. The goal for this link would be to indeed burn Kyle's brain patterns into the avatar – his human body would not be waking up from this event.

Max was messing around at the far edge of science, and he knew it. Sure, it was one thing to transmit someone's persona into another remotely controlled body, fascinating and complicated though that process was…but at what point does the persona become the person? It was true that while linked to their avatar the driver possessed all of the knowledge, memories, and functions as they would in their human body. Still, Max trembled at the thought of words like 'spirit,' or 'soul.' That was not something he could hold, measure, or quantify. And that terrified him deep down inside. What was it that would tie Kyle to his avatar body? What would keep him alive when his human form inevitably expired? When this whole crazy endeavor was complete, Max wondered if he should throw his head back and laugh evilly, proclaiming, "It's alive, IT'S ALIVE" – cue lightning and thunder. At this irreverent but amusing thought, Max turned to check behind him for the presence of a hunchbacked assistant. Thankfully he found none; there was only Norm quietly reading his book, completely ignorant of Max's inner turmoil.

I'm no Eywa, Max thought bitterly. Shit, I really hope this works.

* * *

True to his word, Jake, Neytiri, Moat, and several other Omaticaya dropped by Hell's Gate for a visit the day before the avatars were to be brought out. They brought with them four entire hexapede kills, which the cooks eagerly accepted. Enough meat would be saved for a special meal on the evening of Kyle's transfer. People hoped silently amongst themselves that it would not be a funeral dinner. Max was greatly surprised when Neytiri sought him out in the midst of his work in the biolab. "Come, Maxpatel. Mother wishes to speak with you." Such a request would be ill ignored, indeed.

Donning an exopack, Max followed the huntress outside towards the avatar cabin. They entered, and Max noted that Moat was unloading several jars and bundles of herbs from a carry net.

"We have much to discuss and more to do, Maxpatel," Moat said by way of greeting. "I have been thinking much of Kylefischer as of late, as I am sure you have, too. Tell me, are you completely confident in what is about to transpire?"

Max glanced and Neytiri, who smiled comfortingly back to him. "Actually, Tsahìk, I am not confident at all in things right now. I have deep concerns and fears for Kyle's safety."

"I am not surprised," Neytiri said, but there was no condescension in her voice. "Your tìftia kifkeyä, your _science,_ you are finding it lacking in this matter, I am sure. At first this appeared to be a physical problem, and now you are finding it to be more…spiritual?"

Max agreed, tiredly closing his eyes. "Yes," he said.

Moat spoke again. "You are a man firmly entrenched in the physical world, Maxpatel. All that you See and Know you must touch with your hands or see with your eyes. The Tawtute are curious creatures, always pressing the boundaries of the world around them, but generally numb to the real truth of the matter." Moat chuckled lightly. "But like a curious young nantang, you sometimes discover more than you hoped to find. What you are attempting to do for Kylefischer is beyond your ability alone."

Max's shoulders slumped. He could not bear to put accusation in his voice, but he asked anyway, "Then why did you agree to let us try? Why would you give Kyle and Norm false hope?"

Moat shared a fond glance with her daughter before responding. "I merely said that you could not do this alone. I will assist you where your science fails so that Kylefischer will awake in a body of the People, Eywa willing. Will you let me do this?"

Max's mind spun in place at this revelation. "Of course, Tsahìk," he managed. "I would never refuse your help." He paused, examining the things that Moat had placed out on the bed, brow furrowing in confusion. "What are these?" he wondered.

"Even now, you are preparing a body for Kylefischer, correct?" Moat asked as she organized her belongings. Max nodded. "These will help prepare his spirit," Moat explained.

This is getting really bizarre, Max thought to himself. But he nodded again, anyway. "What must we do?" he asked.

* * *

The decanting of the first three avatars went well, with blessedly little excitement. The only incidence of note was that Amber was surprisingly clumsy in her new body, much to her own embarrassment. The third time she nearly tripped over her own tail in nearly as many minutes was cause for much amusement at the poor woman's expense. Neytiri very graciously volunteered to coach her as she learned her new physical abilities, as well as help her through the obstacle course once she was ready for that challenge.

That day finally complete, Max turned his full attention towards the task of preparing to link Kyle with his avatar. Some very specific (and nasty smelling) teas were prepared by Moat to be fed to both of Kyle's bodies. From what kind of plants she refused to say, no matter who asked her. Only Neytiri, as a Tsahìk-in-training herself, accompanied her mother during the gathering and preparation of the special herbs. Their exact purpose was kept secret as well. Dr. Mirhadi was not keen on the idea of putting an unknown substance in her patient's body, despite Moat's calm insistence that it was safe and for Kyle's ultimate good. Ultimately she felt compelled to seek Norm's approval, as the closest living relative; of course he gave his consent willingly – if Moat said it was necessary, that was all the reassurance he needed.

Getting Max and Janelle to feed Kyle's avatar its necessary medicines was definitely an easier task. Max had no intention of refusing the Tsahìk's help after their conversation in the avatar cabin. It was disconcerting indeed, though…both bodies readily accepted the uncomfortable feeding tube without any real response.

All activity at Hell's Gate came to an unofficial halt as the time for the…procedure, for lack of a better term, grew near. Everyone was mightily intrigued to see if this plan would work. No one except his closest friends actually talked to Norm about what was approaching, but he knew that everyone was aware of what was happening. A small part of him was going to be happy when today was over, no matter how things turned out, if only so that people would stop whispering about how he must be doing behind his back. The weeks spent with the Omaticaya were a blessing – Norm felt he would suffocate if he had to spend all his time at Hell's Gate.

Norm gazed out through the windows at Kyle's avatar as it lay on the gurney in the ambient room. He smiled to himself when he remembered waking up there for the first time. Jake pretty much stole that show – it really was idiotic of them not to have anticipated how the paralyzed man would have responded to the renewed use of his legs.

Norm heard someone approach from behind him. A hand patted his shoulder, and Max spoke, "They're bringing Kyle up now, just so you know. Do you want me to get your link ready?"

Turning, Norm shook his head. "No, thank you. I'll link after he does. I can be here for the whole process."

Max nodded his head. The biolab door slid open, and Dr. Mirhadi and Mo Ye came in, pushing Kyle's inert form on a rolling hospital bed. The rest of the lab was empty, as Max had requested that only the absolutely necessary people be present. Norm never said anything, but he was very grateful for the scientist's thoughtfulness.

Kyle's face was extremely pale and sallow looking. Zero physical activity for a month had not done good things for him, except merely keeping him from expiring outright. Norm inhaled sharply as he took in his cousin's condition. He looked worse than he expected. "How is all of this going to work, exactly?" he asked quietly.

"Think of it this way…his body has really been the one that's been unconscious. His mind should still be fine, it would only seem to him that he's been asleep," Max answered.

"'Should?'" Norm repeated, turning to his friend.

"Who knows what could be happening now, what with that strange crap we fed him," Dr. Mirhadi groused. "Kyle's brain activity has been steadily increasing, but his heart rate and breathing are slowing. Damndest thing I've ever seen. Dr. Patel, sooner than later would be best for us to try this."

Max nodded. "Ok. Mo Ye, help us lift him into the link." Together, the four people gently took Kyle's body and transferred him to the gel bed of the link unit. Norm was shocked at how light he was. Kyle had always been a very active, very fit person. Now he seemed like he was nothing more than skin and bones.

A spike of anxiety coursed through Norm's body as he watched Max lower the neural frame and then activate the lid. The upper shell of the link unit descended, locking into place with a very final sounding thump. The thought that he had just buried his cousin right then and there caught Norm completely by surprise.

Dr. Mirhadi stepped back, sitting at an unused console as she studied Kyle's vital signs on her data pad. Max and Mo Ye leapt into action as they started up the link procedures. Max was speaking softly into a microphone keeping Janelle, who was in the ambient room with Kyle's avatar, informed of events.

Norm felt distinctly forgotten until Mo Ye gently laid a hand on his arm. "Would you like to link up now, Dr. Spellman?" she asked. The small woman smiled reassuringly at him.

"Yes, I think that'd be a good call ," he replied. Mo Ye led him over to another unit that lay open for him. Norm hoisted himself easily into the bed, and some part of his mind began to grow excited at the prospect of meeting up with his "other half," so to speak. The gel mattress was very comfortable, but Norm suddenly began to feel claustrophobic as the clamshell lid began to close around him. Norm fought back the panic of being buried alive as the rational part of his mind examined the new sensation. Gee, that's never happened before, he thought to himself.

* * *

Norm awoke in the avatar cabin an instant later, and he found himself gasping in relief at the unconfined feeling that enveloped him. As he sat up in his bed, already fully dressed for the day, he caught sight of Jake leaning casually against the wall, arms folded across his chest. Jake silently brought a finger up to his lips in a 'hush' gesture, then pointed to wear Moat and Neytiri were sitting cross-legged on a bed, holding hands while apparently very deep in meditation.

Jake pushed off from the wall and headed towards the gate, motioning for Norm to follow. Once outside, the afternoon sun warm on their shoulders, Jake asked, "Are they beginning? Is everything going well?"

Keeping pace with his friend, Norm nodded. "Yeah, they're starting the link process now. Max will be staying inside to watch over that part. He's thinking that for some reason it will probably take longer than normal for Kyle to fully sync with his avatar, though."

"Time frame?" Jake inquired.

Norm shook his head as he regarded Jake with worried eyes. "There is none. No one knows how long this might take."

"Ok. Hang in there, Norm. We'll make it through today, no matter what," Jake said.

Norm sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He was grateful for Jake's support, more so then he could ever express. The fact that Jake was not sugarcoating things was like a blast of refreshing air to Norm. True, he was stressed out right now, but Norm did not need to be coddled, and only Jake seemed to understand this.

Jake rapped on the exterior door frame of the ambient room. Janelle yelled some sort of affirmative response, and Jake pushed the door open. He watched Norm closely, trying to gauge as best as he could how his friend was doing. When Norm's eyes opened again, his gaze was intense, but not frantic. Jake could see the stress and tension in the worry lines in his friend's brow, and in the tightness of his shoulders. Norm's ears were held slightly back and his tail tip flicked back and forth quite rapidly. But overall, Norm held himself tall and with confidence. He nodded his thanks and Jake held to door open for him to enter first.

When Jake and Norm arrived in the prep room, they found Janelle leaning back against the wall, lightly drumming her fingers on her data pad. She nodded her greeting to the two men. "Fine afternoon, yes?" she said dryly.

Norm's glance, filled with concern, flickered from Janelle to the face of Kyle's avatar. "Is everything ok?" he asked.

Janelle shrugged. She was a very kind, sensitive woman, but as soon as she put on her work face, she was nothing but business. She had once been observed to make a few of the Omaticaya healers leap like startled school children to obey her commands while they were operating on a wounded hunter here in this very room. She held up the data pad for Norm to see. "I mean no disrespect, but right now this is as fascinating as watching software load."

Norm growled subconsciously back in his throat as he examined the proffered data pad, and Jake hid a smile.

"Kyle is reaching his congruency stages much slower than anyone else I've ever seen," Janelle continued. "A normal link would have been completed by now, actually before you and Jake even got here. But Kyle has only reached about 20 percent alignment right now."

"Why do you think it's taking so long?" Jake asked.

Janelle shrugged. "Not sure. As best as Max and I can tell, this really shouldn't be taking any longer than usual…" Her voice faded out, she regarded Jake with something like suspicion. "Are you sure you can't tell me what that brew was that Moat gave to the both of them?"

Jake held up his hands in surrender. "Your guess is as good as mine. It would…perhaps be possible for me to demand to know what that was, seeing as how I am Olo'eyktan and all…" Jake rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. The fierce looking man suddenly appeared cowed in a way that Janelle immediately picked up on.

"But as a mated man, that may not be the wisest course of action," Janelle finished the thought with a womanly smirk. "Especially because the Tsahìk also happens to be your mother-in-law."

Now Jake grinned, somewhat relieved that he himself did not have to admit that fact outright. "Yes. Absolutely."

The intercom crackled. "Janelle? Anything new on your end?" Max asked. He sounded worried.

Janelle responded, "No, Dr. Patel…" She frowned at her data pad and glanced over at the avatar. To everyone's surprise, the avatar's eyes were moving back and forth rapidly underneath its closed eyelids, as though it was dreaming. "But he's at 90 percent congruency. Damn, that was a big jump."

"I know," Max said. "His vital signs up here just about redlined. Dr. Mirhadi is kind of freaking out."

Norm hovered over Kyle's avatar, looking very concerned. "Is that normal?" he asked frantically. "Is there anything you can do?"

Janelle shook her head as she looked up from her data pad. "We wait," she said simply.

Jake and Norm both sensed another presence in the room, and their ears flicked as they both turned towards the door. Neytiri had appeared, and she was watching Kyle's avatar with fascination. "This is his test, now," she said quietly.

"What?" Norm asked incredulously.

Neytiri turned to him, her face serene as she took both of Norm's hands in her own. She rubbed her thumbs in his palms, offering her comfort to the worried man. "Norm, Kylefischer must pass through the Eye of Eywa as well. Just because we are not at Vitrayä Ramunong does not mean that Eywa will not weigh his spirit."

Norm looked positively stricken, and he turned to look back at Kyle's avatar. Neytiri placed a hand against his cheek, turning him back to face her.

"I am sure that he will be found worthy. I do not feel that death is near today," she said. "Your cousin is a brave man. He has already demonstrated his willingness to put the wellbeing others before his own, including those he has never met." Neytiri ran her thumb over the illuminated spots on Norm's cheek, smiling warmly. "If he is anything like you, he was already a friend of the People before he even arrived at this place. You must exercise patience, Norm."

With a gasp, Kyle's avatar lurched upwards from the gurney, its eyes flying open. The pupils were dilated as wide as they could go, and the gold irises were barely visible. Janelle had a stethoscope on and she was struggling to listen to the avatar's heart, but she was almost knocked away as it began to thrash on the bed.

"Someone hold him down!" she yelled, and Jake was at the bedside instantly, placing his palms on the avatar's shoulders, keeping it pinned to the bed.

"Norm! His hands! Watch his hands!" Jake yelled over his shoulder.

Norm was frozen in shock, glancing from the avatar up to the window then back again with rapid jerks of his eyes. Max was yelling something over the intercom, but he could not make out what he was saying.

"Spellman, snap out of it or I'll kick your ass out of here myself!" Janelle snarled as she fought to get some kind of reading from the suddenly very active avatar. She was a brave woman, indeed – it did not take much effort at all for an avatar or a Na'vi to accidentally hurt a much smaller human. Several of the electronic leads attached to the avatar's wrist broke free and the computer wailed a very irritating tone in protest.

Norm shook his head quickly before jumping to the opposite side of the bed from Jake, reaching across the avatar's body to keep his wrists pinned down. Neytiri was at the foot of the bed, restraining the avatar's ankles so that it did not inadvertently thrash right off of the gurney. She began to murmur something in a singsong voice, and she spoke so rapidly that even Jake could not make out her words.

Janelle worked quickly, alternately listening to Kyle's avatar's heartbeat and breathing, as well as flying through pages of information on the data pad, her brow furrowed behind her exopack in concentration. "Max?" she asked, staring uncertainly at her data pad.

"He's there! Kyle's reached 100 percent congruency!" Max yelled from up in the link room. Jake heard a thump on the glass and looked up to see Max's hands up against the window, his eyes wide as he watched the activity in the prep room.

Kyle's thrashings (they all began to think of the avatar body as Kyle himself, now) began to slow, his breathing calming from its formerly frantic pace. A pitiful whimper emerged from Kyle's throat. "Stay there, guys," Janelle said. "Hang in there. I think he's coming out of it…"

* * *

Kyle wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Still nothing," he yelled from the top of the ladder. He adjusted something with his wrench and then shouted, "Try it again!"

Trudy, sitting in the pilot's seat of the Samson, muttered something fowl under her breath and began the engine start sequence again. Kyle heard a rapid, electronic clicking from somewhere in the engine before him, but the turbine refused to engage. A burst of sparks and a wisp of arid smoke came up from some solenoid in the engine, and now it was Kyle who cursed.

"Stop, stop!" He slammed the wrench against the cowling. "Stupid son of a bitch," he growled.

Trudy hopped out of the cockpit and stood at the base of the ladder, hands on her hips as she looked up at him. She squinted up at him, saying, "Should I even ask what you burned out now?"

Kyle looked down at her, feeling quite irritated with her snarky attitude. But Trudy did not look pissed at all, despite her sailor-grade cussing. "The starter. Again." Kyle fumed.

"Did you ground it?" Trudy asked patiently.

Kyle checked. "Yes, of course I did! I'm not stupid, you know."

"Of course you're not stupid. Just ignorant, and slightly impatient." Kyle sputtered in protest, but Trudy continued on sweetly. "Did you ground it twice? There's more than one live circuit in that module, you know. How 'bout the lead in the back? Did you make sure that was soldered down, too?"

Kyle opened his mouth, but then stopped with a sigh. "Hand me that little mirror," he grumbled at last.

Trudy picked out a small mirror on a stick, like what a dentist might use, and handed it up to him handle first. Kyle accepted the tool in his gloved hand and reached deep into the compartment, using the mirror to peer behind the small module while carefully avoiding any contact between his skin and the structure of the helicopter. It had only taken one more burn on his wrist before he finally understood that for whatever reason, he really could not touch any part of the chopper. The back of the starter was indeed charred black, right where Trudy said it would be. She'll never let me forget this, he thought somewhat bitterly.

It had taken almost six hours to reinstall the Samson's guts. Trudy and Kyle had traded an equal number of compliments and insults as they worked to rebuild the aircraft's engine. Kyle found he really enjoyed the experience – it had been a long time since he had worked on something as blessedly mechanical as a Samson. Most of the maintenance with his Valkyrie had involved a computer and sometimes a bad case of carpal tunnel. Any geek with a fast enough laptop could have probably run the diagnostics on the shuttle. Getting greasy hands (or at least, greasy gloves) was a wonderfully novel experience for Kyle, and he found himself feeling disappointed as Trudy and he grew closer to completion. Trudy had laughed at him when he smeared grease under each of his eyes and growled like a football player. Yes, the entire experience had been enjoyable indeed…except for this infuriating final stage. They had already burned out three starters for one reason or another, and Kyle wondered how many more Trudy could possibly have hidden in her bottomless toolbox.

They had also conversed about much more serious things as they worked. Trudy had patiently explained all of the events that had led up to the Time of Great Sorrow, as she had called it. Kyle could not believe that the company he worked for could be so crass. It took no convincing whatsoever for him to agree with Norm and everyone else's viewpoint on the matter. With the exception of Jake, Neytiri, and Moat in the infirmary, Kyle had never met a "real" Na'vi before, but he found himself loving them and their way of life more and more with each word that Trudy spoke of them. Kyle had never been to Pandora before, but already this was feeling more like home than the dead world he left behind so many years prior.

The concept of Eywa was much more difficult for Kyle to grasp. Trudy waved him off, saying that some things he could figure out later for himself. "No sense spoiling the surprise," she said mysteriously.

Trudy dug in her toolbox and produced yet another starter which she handed up to him. Kyle simply shook his head as he began to unbolt and disconnect the fried unit. "How many more of those do you happen to have?" he asked while he worked.

"Oh, just enough," Trudy answered easily. Kyle smiled to himself. By now he knew that would be the only answer to the question he would receive. After checking Trudy's location on the ground, he tossed the useless starter over his shoulder, feeling satisfied with the crunch it made as it hit the pavement. The new starter went in easily, and this time Kyle made sure to ground both circuits.

"Ok, once more, with feeling," Kyle muttered. Trudy smiled up at him and sauntered back towards the cockpit, hoisting herself easily into the seat. Kyle heard her throwing switches down below, and to his immense pleasure and satisfaction, the engine before him coughed once and caught, the powerful wine of the turbines spooling up growing louder in his ears. "Yes!" he said triumphantly, thumping the side of the engine nacelle with his gloved hand. Kyle heard similar expressions of joy from Trudy.

Trudy throttled the engines back down, satisfied that they were in working order. As Kyle reached the base of the ladder and Trudy exited the cockpit, a stiff breeze began to kick up. It was surprisingly cool. Kyle rubbed his arms against the sudden chill and scanned the sky, but it was still bright and clear. "What's up with the wind?" he asked curiously.

With a sigh, Trudy answered, "It would appear it's almost time for you to go," she said sadly.

Kyle suddenly felt light headed, and he stumbled once before sitting himself on the ground. He just felt…weird inside. Not sick, just different. Trudy crouched down before him, watching his face curiously. Remembering the very beginning of their time together, Kyle gasped, "Well, did I pass?"

Trudy brushed her dark hair behind her ear and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think you did," she said.

Kyle coughed, thumping his chest. "Will…will I get to see you again?" he asked.

Now a look of sadness came over Trudy's features. "I honestly don't know," she replied. "But I know that I've really enjoyed the short time we've got to spend together. I would have loved to count you as family, Kyle."

Kyle closed his eyes against a wave of dizziness, struggling to maintain his connection with…wherever here was. "I don't see why that still can't be the case," he said.

Trudy nodded. "Ok. I'm down with that." She smiled again, and Kyle did not think it looked forced at all. "I don't know how much you'll remember from all of this, but can you tell Norm when you see him…" Trudy's voice trailed away, and she looked stricken again.

Kyle waved her off. "I already know what I'll tell him, don't worry. I'll put in a good word for you."

Trudy laughed softly. "You don't have to do that. Just tell him I'd like to speak to him myself. He'll know what I mean." She looked up around her, seeing something that Kyle could not. "Looks like I gotta go. It was a pleasure hanging out with you, Kyle," she said again. She stood up and turned to leave, a few strands of hair blowing free from her pony tail. Kyle suddenly felt very lonely. At the last minute Trudy turned back and said, "Whatever happens, you're still a pilot, and a damn fine one, too." She smiled mysteriously at him. "One rough landing doesn't change that, you know. See you around," she said finally, and the sight of her and everything else around him began to fade from Kyle's vision in a wash of brightening, swirling light.

* * *

Once again, the feeling of emerging from a deep dream, or dive. Kyle's limbs felt leaden, and his eyelids were similarly burdened. This has to be like being born again, he thought. He had no sense of time, had no idea how long he was suspended in this strange limbo. It could have been a few minutes or a few hours, for all Kyle knew. The strange time dilation made it difficult for Kyle to become aware of his surroundings.

Finally, Kyle began to hear noises. Surprisingly, he also began to smell things, and the cold and sterile smell of metal mixed with the warm, pleasant scents of other bodies in his nostrils. The dull roar in his ears gradually morphed into indistinct, but at least individual, voices. He heard both men and women talking but still could not make out actual words. And he still could not see worth a damn.

At long last, Kyle became aware of light and darkness. His eyelids were still apparently closed, but his actually vision was returning. Kyle realized he could see the inside of his eyelids as a bright light moved across them, and the intricate web of faint blood vessels seemed to Kyle to be the most captivating thing he had ever beheld.

His eyes flickered open, but Kyle had to squint them closed against the light. He turned his face away and grumbled incoherently, but a gentle hand on his cheek guided his head back. "No you don't, sleepyhead, I still have to check your pupils," a woman's voice spoke to him.

"That's the Kyle I know," a man said, and Kyle felt relieved to recognize Norm's voice.

Kyle forced his eyes to stay open as someone waved a small flashlight before his face. "Looking great," the woman said, and to Kyle's relief withdrew the annoying light. A large, blue face filled his vision, and as his sight cleared he realized the Na'vi looked remarkably like his cousin.

"Norm?" he asked, then coughed and had to clear his throat. Kyle struggled to sit up, and Norm quickly steadied him, helping him obtain an upright position.

"Yeah, it's me alright," Norm said. "Here, have some water." A cup was handed to Kyle, and he drank eagerly.

As Kyle's hand brought the cup back down from his lips, he suddenly gasped in amazement as he caught sight of his arm. "Whoa!" he exclaimed as he rotated the limb back and forth and flexed his fingers. His other hand came up and traced the pattern of darker blue stripes on his arm. "Hot damn," he gasped. "Blue with racing stripes." He looked up at Norm, his eyes wide with excitement. "It worked, didn't it?" he asked.

Norm himself was positively beaming. "I think so," he said, and looked up at Max who was observing through the window. Max could have just about fainted in relief, and he found himself dabbing moisture away from his eyes.

Janelle moved back in with the stethoscope, listening to Kyle's breathing and heartbeat. She snapped her fingers beside his head and was pleased with the way Kyle's ears flicked at the noise. "You're doing great so far," she said with an encouraging smile. "Do you feel everything? Fingers, toes, tail?"

After setting the cup down, Kyle moved both hands into fists and wriggled his toes. He flexed each finger in to touch his palm easily. "Tail?" he repeated, and turned to look behind him. Sure enough, he possessed a long, blue tail complete with a tuft of black fur on the end. He squinted in concentration as the appendage moved back and forth, and Kyle had to laugh at himself – he had no idea if he was telling his tail to move on his own or if it was wagging completely of its own volition. I have a tail! How wild is that, Kyle thought to himself. A new idea occurred to Kyle, and he asked quickly, "Do you have a mirror?"

Jake, who had been quietly watching and standing back against the wall with Neytiri, retrieved a small mirror off of a counter and handed it over. "Good to see you again, Mr. Sully," Kyle greeted him with a big smile.

"Likewise. And please, it's just 'Jake,'" he responded with a grin that was just as large.

Kyle inhaled sharply as he gazed at his own face for the first time. "Holy crap," he breathed as he ran his fingers across his cheek and down his nose. "I look…like me," he said. His nose was flatter and more catlike, and obviously his skin was blue. Kyle's eyes were the same bright gold as a Na'vi or any other avatar, but his facial structure looked remarkably like the human face Kyle knew as his own. He gently rubbed at the luminous freckles on his face. "Weird," he murmured, completely enthralled with his transformation.

Neytiri chuckled as she watched Kyle. "They are called 'tanhi,'" she explained. "They are one of the ways that we express emotion. They grow brighter with strong feelings."

Kyle ran his hands over his head. Most of his long, black hair had been braided back around his queue. A few loose strands fell around his face, and he brushed them away. Kyle brought his braid around so it draped over his shoulder, and he looked at it curiously. "Your tswin," Neytiri offered. "That is how you make your connection with Eywa, with the smaller brothers and sisters of the Na'vi, and with your mate."

Jake chuckled at the blank, confused look on Kyle's face. "That may be a bit much for him right now, Love," he said to Neytiri. Jake motioned downward with his hand over his body and then gestured towards Kyle. "We're remarkably similar to our human bodies in some ways, but in others completely different. Take my word for it, there will be much to get used to."

Kyle looked towards Norm for verification, and Norm laughed, too. "He's right, Kyle. Boy, you're in for a trip!"

Max observed all of this from the observation windows with profound relief. He sighed and looked at Mo Ye, nodding in gratitude. "Thank you so much for your help," he said with sincerity.

"My pleasure," Mo Ye replied, smiling shyly.

Max turned towards Dr. Mirhadi, and he frowned when he caught sight of the worried expression on her face. "Is everything alright?" he asked her.

Dr. Mirhadi continued to frown at her data pad. "I'm not sure…" she hedged. Her data pad began to beep softly, and she gasped. "His vitals are dropping!" Dr. Mirhadi shot out of her chair and took a step towards the link unit instinctively.

Max interposed himself between her and the console. "No!" he shouted. "He has to stay in! We'll kill him for sure if you pull him out, now!"

"He's already dying!" Dr. Mirhadi countered, waving her data pad at him.

Max stepped forward and gently grasped the doctor's arms. "Please, just wait. This is the only way that Kyle has any chance of making it." Dr. Mirhadi did not fight him, and both people looked with concern towards the prep room. Moat had told him that he was in no way to sever the link. Such action will doom him for sure, she had warned. Max wondered how the Tsahìk knew this, but he chose to not question her. Now it took all of the faith he possessed to follow through with her instructions.

Down in the ambient room, Kyle gasped and doubled over, his eyes widening with alarm. He struggled to take a breath, but his chest felt constricted. Despite the distinctly strong emotions that he was feeling, the spots on Kyle's body had dimmed to the point where they were barely visible. Norm crouched down by the bed, holding Kyle's shoulders with apprehension. "What's wrong?" he asked frantically.

Janelle looked down worriedly at her own data pad and took a step back as Kyle's body twitched. One foot lashed out, just barely missing her. The other caught Norm square in the stomach, and he grunted in discomfort.

"Sorry," Kyle gasped out. A strange sucking sensation wrapped around Kyle's consciousness, and his vision dimmed for a second. It felt similar to passing out, only much more intense. It felt like dying, in fact.

Neytiri moved quickly, crouching down by Norm while making sure to leave enough space in case Kyle's body jumped again. She waved a hand in front of his face, but Kyle's eyes did not track the movement. She thumped him lightly on the forehead, finally gaining his attention. "Kyle?" she asked, and Norm noticed with a start that she had referred to him by his first name alone. "Kyle, you must listen to me. Pay attention to my voice."

Kyle nodded and tried to focus his eyes on her. It was incredibly difficult to do, and another spasm racked his body. Kyle hissed through clenched teeth, and his ears were folded back against his skull in distress.

Neytiri continued, "Your Tawtute body is dying, and your spirit seeks to return to it. The tie to the body of your birth is strong. But you must decide now, with all the strength of your heart, whether or not you wish for it to do so. If you let your spirit goes back, you will die. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

Kyle nodded wordlessly.

"Come on Kyle, hang in there. Stay focused!" Norm said. "You have to fight this!"

The room started to white out and spin before Kyle's eyes. He clenched his hands to his temples as his head felt like it would burst. No! I want to stay, he thought fiercely. I still want to live!

Then stay, another voice that was distinctly not his own replied.

* * *

Max and Dr. Mirhadi stared at each with horror. The data pad in Dr. Mirhadi's hand sounded a single, unbroken tone. Kyle's heart had stopped. His human heart, anyway. With a worried beeping, the link unit ejected from the wall on its own as its sensors detected the demise of its occupant. The lid opened automatically, revealing Kyle's inert human form. Mo Ye covered her mouth with her hand as she emitted a startled gasp.

Dr. Mirhadi flicked the data pad off and let it clatter onto the desk. She sat back in her chair with a groan, removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes tiredly. Max turned back towards the ambient room windows, afraid of what he might see. He took a hesitant step forward to peer through the glass. Had everything been for not? Was Kyle dead? Max fought back the deep feeling of apprehension that churned in his gut.

Kyle's avatar was sitting on the side of the bed, feet resting on the floor. Norm kneeled on the ground as he gazed at Kyle's face, mouth moving with words that Max could not hear. Neytiri stood at the bedside, gently rubbing Kyle's back as he began to shiver. Janelle and Jake stood a ways back, watching with quiet astonishment.

As though sensing he was being observed, Kyle moved his head up, looking towards the window at Max. His golden eyes, clear and bright and very alive, locked with Max's. His lips moved – Kyle mouthed simply, "Thank you."

Max could only nod, and he stepped back from the window, suddenly feeling the need to sit down himself. Dr. Mirhadi looked at him from her own chair. "Is he…alive?" she asked. Even now, she could not quite wrap her mind around the full concept of what Max had attempted, or more accurately, completed. For her, when Kyle's human body had died, it was all over. Even faced with someone like Jake Sully, who everyone claimed had been human once, she found it difficult to believe that essentially a person's spirit could switch bodies.

Max nodded his head affirmatively.

"Well, I'll get someone to take care of…" she faded off as she looked uncertainly at the body in the link bed. Finally she shook her head and started walking away, muttering softly to herself. Max could have sworn he heard her say something like, "I'll take that drink, now."

As for Max, he struggled to accept in his mind that though Kyle Fischer's human body was lying dead not a dozen feet away, he in fact lived on in his avatar. Max did not feel he could take credit for any of this. True, he had modified the link machine to obvious success, but his mind kept going back to what Moat had said. "You will take care of his body. I will take care of his spirit." Max shivered at this. He had the distinct impression that something very powerful and very sacred had just passed by him, and he did not know if he should respond with elation or terror.

* * *

Kyle stopped shaking, and Neytiri gently patted his forehead with a towel, dabbing away the sweat that had beaded there. "It is done," she whispered to him. Kyle nodded, sighing with relief.

"Is it over?" Norm asked from beside her, glancing uncertainly back and forth between Kyle and Neytiri.

Neytiri looked at Norm and touched his shoulder reassuringly. "Yes, Norm. Your cousin is here to stay."

"Let's not do that again," Kyle said weakly. "Ever." He looked around at everyone in the room. "Well? What's next?" he asked.

Jake laughed at this. "Next?" he repeated. Jake pointed to a pile of clothes that had been brought in and set out of the way and gave Kyle a toothy smile. "Get dressed. You aren't coming to dinner in a hospital gown, are you?"

Kyle grinned in agreement. "Hey, what about my…" he started to say as he stood up hesitantly, making to move towards the observation window.

"Stop!" Jake's sudden command drew everyone up short. Kyle looked at him curiously, his ears slightly lowered as though he had been scolded. Gently, Jake told him, "Trust me Kyle, you don't want to see your human body now. It will do you no good. You should choose to remember that shell as it was in life, not in death." After a pause, Kyle nodded slowly in agreement.

A short time later, once he had thrown on some clothes, Kyle was walking with Norm outside by the gardens. Janelle had released him, announcing with pleasure that Kyle's new body was functioning just as it should. "See you guys at dinner," she said with a wave as she reentered the biolab. Kyle was maintaining his balance pretty well, but Norm stayed close by, just in case. Most new drivers had some initial balance issues, but so far Kyle was managing without too much difficulty.

Jake and Neytiri were back in the avatar cabin, speaking with Moat. In a short while, they would be heading inside to the cafeteria. Neytiri had prepared several tasty nikt'chey, the flavorful, portable food wraps that Jake loved so much – especially when they were stuffed with seasoned yerik, as these were. He had offered to help Neytiri prepare their dinner, and she quickly waved him off. "Do you wish to send Kyle to meet Eywa so soon after being reborn?" she chastised him. It was no secret that Jake, despite all his good intentions, could not prepare a decent meal worth a damn.

"This is so weird," Kyle said as he looked around him with brand new eyes. Every now and then he would run a hand over his own arm or check behind him to make sure that yes, he did in fact have a tail. "How the heck did you ever get used to this?"

"Just practice, I guess," Norm replied. "Sure, I trained to be an avatar driver. But you'll be living like this. I'll bet you'll be just as coordinated as a full-blooded Na'vi in a few days." He watched Kyle out of the corner of his eye and sighed without thinking.

"What?" Kyle asked, looking over at his cousin.

"Nothing," Norm replied. "I'm just… I'm just glad you're safe. I didn't realize how much I missed my family until you got here. And then after almost loosing you…" he trailed off and shrugged. "Eywa really does provide," he said quietly.

Kyle crouched down and gathered up a handful of dirt, sifting it back and forth between his fingers. "I had no idea this was how things were going to turn out," he said at last. He looked at Norm and grinned, inhaling deeply before tilting his face up towards the setting sun, basking in its warm glow. After a moment of reflection, he looked back at Norm, admitting, "Honestly, I'm a little nervous. How the heck am I going to keep living? I'm an alien now, on an alien world I know nothing about." He shrugged and watched the dirt fall through his fingers back to the ground. Dusting his palms off on his shorts, he turned to Norm. "We're going to have to take it one day at a time, cousin. Still," Kyle smiled. "I don't think I'd trade this chance for anything." Kyle inhaled deeply again. "Damn, that smells good. I bet I would never have known with an exopack on."

Norm simply nodded, watching the puffs of dust rise off of Kyle's shorts.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Kyle said as he frowned in concentration. "It was something important, but I don't remember much from when I was out. It really felt like an acid trip, honestly." Kyle glanced up towards the avatar cabin. "Did Jake ever say anything about when he…switched bodies?" Kyle's voice hung up a bit, as though he himself still had not come to grips with all that had happened.

Shaking his head, Norm replied, "He hasn't really talked to me about it. I asked him once, but he dodged the question. I haven't pushed the issue since. I imagine it was a deeply personal thing for him." Norm looked at his cousin curiously. "What do you remember, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kyle rubbed his temples as he struggled to remember. "It was like a dream," he muttered to himself. He looked at Norm helplessly. "I… There was a woman, I think."

Norm snorted with good humor. "If I remember you right, you could be about to describe any dream of yours, or waking moment for that matter."

Kyle's ears flicked back and forth with slight irritation. "Thanks, but I was trying to be serious."

Norm covered a smile with a cough. "Sorry, cousin. I'm just remembering conversations Mom had with your dad. Your college antics were the talk of the family."

"Fine," Kyle grumbled as he rolled his eyes. He smiled a bit at the memories, though, as he blew on a stray lock of hair that had fallen over his eyes. "Is this the only hair style that works? My hair's never been longer than an a half inch for as long as I've lived," he asked as he pushed some of the annoying strands back over his ears. Suddenly remembering, Kyle said, "Her name started with a 'T,' I think."

Now Norm froze, a chill shooting up his spine. "Trudy?" he said softly.

Kyle watched Norm carefully. "Yes, that was it," he said. More and more of what happened while he was unconscious was coming back to him, but he chose to proceed cautiously. "Um, did you know her?"

Norm closed his eyes and swallowed. "She and I…" his voice trailed off and Norm wiped at his nose with the back of his hand. "It's a long story," he hedged.

"You should tell me sometime," Kyle said seriously, patting Norm on the shoulder. This part would be difficult to tell his cousin. Very difficult, even if only because the message did not make sense to him, but it was how he now remembered it distinctly. "I recall this much, Norm. She said that you should speak with her yourself, said that you'd know what that would mean."

Norm knew full well what Kyle was talking about, and he felt suddenly weak-kneed. Kyle reached out to steady him. "Whoa, there. Take it easy," Kyle said, gripping Norm's upper arm. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine," Norm replied, gently freeing his arm from Kyle's grasp. "It's just a lot for me to process, is all." Norm looked at his watch, wanting desperately to change the subject. "It's getting close to dinner time," he said. As if on cue, Jake and Neytiri walked down the steps of the avatar cabin, the meals that they carried wrapped in large leaves. Norm observed their burdens and his mouth started to water. "Dang, I'm actually a little jealous. You're in for a treat. No one can make a nikt'chey as good as Neytiri."

"What the heck is that?" Kyle asked, frowning over the unfamiliar word.

Jake answered as Neytiri and he approached. "It's like a Na'vi burrito. Trust me, you'll like it. And Neytiri didn't let me help her, so it's pretty much guaranteed to be awesome."

Neytiri swatted his arm in that universal manner of couples everywhere, gazing at her mate with unabashed love. "My Jake is quite skilled with the bow and arrow," she told them. "But if he wishes for you to be truly dead, he may just decide to cook for you rather than shooting you."

Norm and Kyle both burst out laughing at the wounded look on Jake's face. "I'm going to unlink and meet you all inside," Norm informed them once he had recovered. "See you guys in a bit!"

Kyle followed Jake and Neytiri towards the ambient room airlock. "So I can still breathe Earth air apparently, right?" he asked.

Jake nodded. "You can. Max never really lets us stay inside for too long though, but I've never had any ill effects from it." He glanced and Neytiri for verification, and she nodded. "It is just a bit uncomfortable changing atmospheres."

"I would much rather stay outside," Neytiri admitted honestly, "But it is much more difficult for our Tawtute friends out here then it is for me in there." Jake smiled fondly at her as he held the door open for them.

"Just watch your head," Jake warned Kyle. "You're quite a bit taller now, and they didn't exactly have Na'vi in mind when they designed the inside of Hell's Gate.

Just as Jake said, it was indeed very uncomfortable at first to breathe the different air. Kyle felt like he was being gassed, but he found it did not take too long to get used to the new air mixture. Norm met them in the hallway, and Kyle sniggered down at him when he saw his cousin in his human body.

"What?" Norm asked, frowning slightly.

"Now it'll be this much easier for me to beat up on you if I want," Kyle informed him seriously.

Norm tapped his forehead. "Mind over muscle, cousin. Just remember, I will always have you beat in that department."

"Alright you two," Jake chuckled. "Norm, go ahead and lead the way. I'm starving!" Kyle's stomach gurgled as if in response, and everyone got a good laugh out of the surprised look on his face.

As they reached the cafeteria, Kyle suddenly dropped back, a confused look coming over him. "Are you alright?" Norm asked.

Kyle looked strangely stricken. "Yeah…I think. It's just that…I've known most of the people in there for years. Now I feel like an entirely different person." Kyle glanced down at himself doubtfully. "Am I still even really me?"

Neytiri tugged on Jake's arm, indicating they should probably give Norm and Kyle a moment alone. Jake opened the door, the dull roar of dinner time growing momentarily louder as they slipped inside.

Norm looked up at his cousin, who despite now being nearly twice as tall as he was looked quite vulnerable. "Kyle, you're still the same person, no matter what. You'll always be family to me. No one worth your time will think of you any differently, either. If anything, I bet everyone will be excited to see you. You saved the lives of just about half the people in that room, you know. None of them will ever forget that."

Kyle blushed a bit at the reminder. He shuddered slightly as some fleeting memories of the crash flashed before his eyes. Don't go there, he told himself. "Fine, I guess," he relented.

Norm laughed softly. "You'll have to face everyone eventually. Come on inside, we've got good food waiting for us," Norm said as he opened the door and entered, motioning for Kyle to follow him.

Kyle felt distinctly uncomfortable and self conscious as he ducked under the door into the cafeteria, and the fact that the entire room quickly grew silent upon his appearance did not help things one bit, either. Norm and Kyle both paused in confusion. Kyle's ears lowered back against his head, and the dots on his face and arms were brightening noticeably with embarrassment. He would have disappeared in a puff of smoke by now if he had the ability.

Everyone was staring at him with stunned looks on their faces, and it seemed quiet enough to hear the proverbial pin drop. But then a strange noise reached Kyle's ears, which twitched slightly at the sound. It was applause. One person, somewhere, had started to clap their hands, the rhythmic noise sounding frighteningly loud in the otherwise hushed room.

The clapping man stood slowly, and Kyle was stunned to recognize his own crew chief. A chair was hastily pushed back and a second person stood and began to clap as well. It was Roger Oros, smiling triumphantly at him. A third person also rose and began to applaud, quickly followed by a fourth, then a fifth. In an instant everyone in the entire room was on their feet, cheering and clapping and whistling. Neytiri, sitting on the floor by a table in the corner, shot an appalled look at her mate who had let loose with a piercing, ikran-summoning whistle of his own.

Norm looked up at his cousin, grinning widely at the perplexed look on Kyle's face. His ears had slowly started to come back forward as he began to process the fact that maybe, just maybe, everyone here was happy to see him. Norm patted Kyle on the elbow. "Looks like you made quite an impression, cousin."

Kyle swallowed back a rush of emotion. "I guess so," he replied softly.

"Come on," Norm said, motioning for Kyle to follow. "Let's eat. Let's celebrate! You are alive, after all!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Again, sorry for the long wait between updates. I'm taking to heart the advice I've recieved about writing only on my own time, but when I know I've wasted time I still feel at least a little bit guilty. You know how it goes! Anyway, I wanted to take extra care with some of the interpersonal interaction in this chapter. You'll know when you get there. ;-)**

**To the one who helped me with the language, thank you so much! But I fear that I had already impatiently plowed ahead with my writing and thus biased my computer's autocorrect towards typing "that certain word" without the little 'tchick' over the 'i,' to borrow a phrase from Jeff Dunham and Peanut. *hangs head in embarrassment* So I cast myself at your feet and beg forgivness for that and any other inacuracies in the language, and am still definitely open to any constructive criticism that anyone cares to offer.**

**Ok, enough self immolation already. I hope you all can keep enjoying the story! 8-)**

Chapter 10

Dinner was a truly blessed time of fun and fellowship. Norm spoke the truth when he had informed Kyle that Neytiri's nikt'chey were a treat to be savored – Kyle had never eaten anything so delightful in his life. Max and Janelle sat at the table with them, and they all traded fond jokes and stories about one another. Jake was more than happy to poke fun at himself as everyone recounted their first experiences on Pandora. Kyle sighed; it was like the family reunions that he remembered from his childhood, where no one had a care in the world, and all present were fully present in the moment indeed.

Other people came up as well, all of them full of smiles as they congratulated and thanked him. It seemed that everyone who was aboard his Valkyrie came up and talked to him at least once that night, and Norm cheekily pointed out that they might as well turn out the lights and use Kyle himself as illumination owing to how bright his tanhi were glowing by the end of the evening. When Serina Rowley had ended up kissing him chastely on the cheek, Norm and Jake had simultaneously pantomimed putting on sunglasses. (Neytiri promptly scolded her mate for his teasing.) Kyle was truly embarrassed by the amount of attention he was receiving.

Roger Oros approached Kyle towards the end of the evening. Without any regard to the presently rather drastic difference in their size, Roger had extended his hand and Kyle gripped it and shook gingerly, still not sure of his own strength. "Congratulations, Mr. Fischer," he said.

Kyle frowned slightly. "Um…for what exactly, sir?"

Roger chuckled. "For earning my approval to conduct unrestricted space operations," he replied, and withdrew a small jewelry box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal two small gold pins, each a stylized representation of a Valkyrie shuttle orbiting the Earth. "I don't know if we'll ever get you to fit back in the cockpit again, but as your mentor I am more than happy to completely sign off on all your training with 100 percent satisfaction." Kyle's friends at the table whooped and congratulated him anew.

Kyle took the tiny box and held it reverently, his golden eyes wide with amazement. "I don't even know what to say, sir," he said after a moment, still completely taken aback. He was flattered that even in the haste to abandon the ISV, Roger had thought to bring Kyle's pins with him.

Kyle's friend and mentor beamed at him. "First off, please stop calling me sir. You're making me feel old, Blue." Kyle smiled at the new nickname. "We're equals now, so just call me 'Roger.' You're a damn fine pilot, Kyle. You've earned those fair and square."

Roger's word choice triggered a faint glimmer of a memory deep in Kyle's brain. He could not recall anything specific, but he left ear twitched slightly in acknowledgement. Mentally shrugging, Kyle held the small box close and shook Roger's hand again. "Thank you, sir – Roger. I just…" Kyle swallowed nervously. This was a great honor – why could he not simply accept and enjoy this?

Picking up on his hesitancy, Roger gave him a knowing look and asked, "Yes? Anything else on your mind?"

Kyle's face fell slightly and he closed his eyes in distress. "Not everyone walked away from that crash, Roger," he said quietly. He reopened his eyes and met his mentor's understanding gaze. "I don't feel like I should be congratulated for that."

Roger sighed, his suspicions confirmed. "I could tell you that it wasn't your fault…that you did everything you could do. I suspect you know all of that, somewhere up in that head of yours. What it will take for you to believe that, though, is another story. I can't make the feeling go away, but I can offer you my reassurance, as a friend and as a professional, that I would have done the same thing. You can't let this eat you, Kyle."

Kyle nodded, even if he could not yet fully believe Roger's reassurances. "Thank you," he managed again.

"You're welcome." Roger nodded to the rest of those present and shot Kyle a salute. "I'm going to hit the rack, then. It's been a long night. Evening, y'all," he said in farewell.

"Wow, cousin, congratulations!" Norm said, reaching as high as he could to pat Kyle on the back.

Jake offered his encouragement as well, recalling with fondness some of the commendations he had received while with the marines. Jake also noted the glimmer of sadness in Kyle's eyes as he regarded his pins. Neytiri did not quite understand the symbolism of what had just transpired, so she whispered an inquiry into Jake's ear.

"Think of it as completing your uniltaron or iknimaya," he replied to her. "Kyle has proven himself to have all of the necessary skills to be a pilot, and he needs no further supervision from his elders."

Neytiri nodded, eyes growing slightly wider in appreciation. Jake had told her the harrowing tale of the crash landing he had witnessed, and of the great skill that Kyle demonstrated to be able to pull off such a stunt. "This is a great accomplishment to be proud of, then," she smiled towards Kyle, trying to help lift his spirits. "May I see the tokens you received?"

Kyle quickly handed Neytiri the small box, and she carefully pried the lid open to examine the two pins inside. The Tawtute, for all their strange ways, certainly knew how to craft fine jewelry. Neytiri's eyes could make out the intricate detail on the pins, and she asked curiously, "How will you display them?"

Shrugging, Kyle replied. "I'm not sure yet, I guess. Normally they would be pinned to my flight suit but, ahem, I don't exactly fit into that anymore. I'll think of something."

A thought occurred to Neytiri, and she whispered again into Jake's ear, which twitched slightly from the light caresses of her breath. Jake nodded and sighed, his eyes drifting closed with memory. He turned and kissed Neytiri lightly on the head and replied, "Srane."

Neytiri turned to Kyle and spoke as she returned the small jewelry box. "During the Time of Great Sorrow, my Jake became Toruk Makto. Do you know what this means?"

Kyle shook his head, and Norm leaned in and whispered, "It means that Jake tamed a Great Leonopteryx."

"Oh…oh!" Kyle said, his eyes growing wide as he processed such a feat.

Continuing, Neytiri said, "My Jake gathered all of the nearby clans, he gathered all of the Na'vi and organized them into a unified force against the evil Tawtute who sought to destroy Vitrayä Ramunong, the Well of Souls." Neytiri nuzzled close to her mate, leaning into the crook of his neck and trailing soft kisses against his jaw. Despite the serious tale Neytiri was recalling, Jake found himself smiling faintly at his mate's shows of affection. "In our darkest hour, my Jake proved to be a great leader. Without him, all would have been truly lost."

Jake colored slightly at this, the spots on his face flaring brighter for a moment, but he remained silent.

"During the battle, many good warriors died. Many friends died." Kyle felt Norm stiffen beside him, and on the other side of the table Max and Janelle had grown respectfully silent.

Jake spoke up. "It is a difficult thing to preside over an occasion where people die, Kyle," he said, staring straight into the other man's eyes. "I would not wish such responsibility on anyone."

"But even as we mourn the loss of friends and loved ones, we must remind ourselves that we did not fire their killing shot. We did not make them to be there. During the Time of Great Sorrow, it was each of our own individual choices to be present," Neytiri said. Her eyes grew frighteningly hard for a moment before resuming the warm, caring gaze that Kyle had begun to associate with her. "And those that did fire the shot that ended their lives, they were made to pay the price."

Jake leaned forward, folding his hands on the table before him. "I know it will take time for you to fully accept this as true, because believe me I know the weight of responsibility for what has happened still burdens your shoulders. But Kyle, you must grow to believe this: you killed no one that day. You are the living's hero, not the dead's murderer."

Kyle looked away, unable to maintain eye contact with Jake's serious face. "I'll do my best," he said softly. He looked back at Jake, who was now grinning slightly, the somber moment passed. "Thank you for support."

"Don't mention it," Jake said, leaning back and putting an arm around Neytiri's shoulder. He shook her gently, causing the beads in her hair to clink together softly. "She is the one who has to keep reminding me. I'm still learning that lesson, too."

* * *

Thankfully, the conversation continued in a much lighter direction for another good hour. The cafeteria began to empty out as people made their way back to their quarters. "You'll probably have to sleep in the avatar cabin," Norm had told Kyle, much to his disappointment. Max had interjected, "You've spent enough time in the bad air anyway; some rest outside would do you good." Indeed it was true; Kyle did feel abnormally tired and slightly light headed. Of course, it had been a pretty abnormal day, and whether his lethargy was from transferring bodies or spending too much time breathing Earth air inside, he could not tell.

It was not until Kyle was outside with his hand on the cabin gate that the first flickers of loneliness began to settle over him. Jake had explained that whenever they visited Hell's Gate, the Omaticaya preferred not to actually sleep in the cabin. Beds were a foreign concept to the Na'vi, who preferred to pad down outside in some of the wilder areas within the walls of Hell's Gate. Of course, judging from the shameless flirting and the way that Jake and Neytiri had their tails wrapped around each other's waist as they walked outside, it was doubtful they would get much sleep wherever it was that they decided to spend the night.

So with a heavy heart, Kyle entered the cabin alone. As he turned away from the door he flinched a little; maybe he was not so alone after all. The dormant bodies of the avatar drivers, including his cousin's, were all reposed in their beds. When Kyle focused, he could hear the steady breathing of each one. "This isn't creepy at all," he muttered as he made his way down the aisle, padding softly as though he was afraid to wake someone.

When he passed Norm's avatar he paused, staring at it thoughtfully. He reached down and carefully shook Norm's foot through the covers, then leapt back as he waited for a response he knew would not come. Kyle's head was cocked to one side and his tail twitched curiously behind him as he watched for any kind of reaction. With a small smile, he sneaked forward again and lightly poked his cousin's other body in the ribs, a place he knew was extremely ticklish for Norm. Unsurprisingly, the inert avatar did not respond at all – its breathing never even varied.

The novelty of picking on a defenseless Norm quickly faded, and with a subconscious shudder, Kyle turned away and walked to the far end of the building, selecting the bed that was farthest from the sleeping avatars. As he shucked his shirt over his head and started to fold it, he paused, staring at the garment in momentary confusion. He did not recognize the dark green t-shirt at all. Kyle looked down at himself and ran a hand over his stomach, lightly tracing the pattern of glowing spots on his body. In the darkness of the cabin, his tanhi glowed in a soft but still very discernable way. Breaking out of his reflection, he realized that the cargo shorts and hiking boots, even the underwear he wore; none of it was really his, either. Kyle patted down his shorts, feeling his pockets. They were all empty save for the small lump of the jewelry box, which he withdrew and held carefully in his large hand.

Kyle sighed to himself, the sound coming out as a small whine as it dawned on him that those two pins that went on a uniform he no longer had, or could even fit into, were his only possessions in the entire universe. He did not realize that his ears had fallen back with sadness from their normally upright and alert posture.

Kyle reverently placed the box with his pins in it on the bedside table. He shivered, even though the night was comfortably warm, and rubbed his shoulders. Kicking off his shoes and socks, Kyle crawled into bed, not even bothering with the shorts. As he rolled over to face the wall, his back to the rest of the cabin and its unnaturally still occupants, Kyle shivered again and closed his eyes, desperately willing for sleep to descend on him quickly.

* * *

Is it possible for someone to burn to death in their dreams? Kyle wondered this as he tossed and turned in his bed, his mind filled with images that he struggled to push away. Much to his horror, Kyle found himself back in the Valkyrie's cockpit as the disabled shuttle streaked downwards, clear sunlight blinding him as it shown in through the windscreen. Behind him a fire had started, and he was unable to rise to fight it.

Kyle struggled with the controls even as he felt the heat licking at the back of his neck. It was a torturous race for Kyle – could he land before the fire consumed him? The ungodly heat was becoming unbearable, and sweat streamed down his face, dripping into his eyes and blinding him. He tried to raise a hand to wipe his face, and with a frustrated grunt found he could not do this – his mask was in the way. With a growl he shook his head, drops of sweat flinging onto the inside of his faceplate.

The land was so close…but the fire was closer; he could see the flames out of the corners of his eyes. The burning pain was all consuming now as Kyle felt the skin on his back and neck start to blister, and he could not fight the instinctual urge to reach back, to twist away from the heat. As soon as he let go of the control stick the shuttle rolled over sickeningly, and suddenly Kyle could see nothing but fast approaching jungle through the windscreen. Kyle heard himself screaming as he wondered what would kill him first; would he burn to death or be dashed into a million pieces?

With a panicked gasp Kyle forced himself to awake into the land of the living. He thrashed upright in the bed and rolled completely out of it without meaning to, and with a grunt found himself landing hard on all fours on the floor, the sheet twisted around his legs. Kyle's chest heaved as he inhaled great calming breaths, his lips pulled back from his teeth in a silent grimace. His long braid fell past his shoulders and pooled on the floor, and more than a few strands of hair had pulled free from it during Kyle's thrashing and hung around his face.

Kyle's left hand quickly went to his right side as a sharp pain ripped through his stomach. A long hiss escaped his lips, and Kyle had to force himself to take in a new breath. Kyle exhaled again, blowing the air out from his mouth until his lungs were completely empty. Inhale again…then exhale. With each slow breath Kyle felt the pain lessen. Norm had mentioned that he sometimes felt phantom pains in his shoulder and chest from his old wounds, and Kyle groaned as the realization hit him that it appeared he would be in for the same treat.

Kyle pushed himself up so that he was kneeling on the floor and ran the back of his hand across his forehead. His entire body was damp with sweat, he realized. Kyle leaned on the wall for support as he disentangled himself from the sheets and finally looked around him. His side throbbed one last time as though saying; _I'll be back,_ before the discomfort left for good.

It was still night, or at least very, very early morning. The natural purple, pink and blue of Pandora's flora still illuminated the night and cast their glow inside, and the sky was mostly dark except for a great sliver of blue from the "setting" planet of Polyphemus. A few of the gas giant's other moons could be seen suspended in the sky, looking close enough to touch.

Once he had located the doorway to the washrooms Kyle began to stagger somewhat drunkenly in that general direction. Kyle took in his own reflection in the mirror and began to reach for the light switch. He stopped, however, when he somewhat grumpily realized that he himself provided enough illumination for his highly sensitive eyes to see by. Kyle twisted the handle for the cold water all the way against its stops and began to splash the refreshing stream over his face. He gripped the sides of the sink with both hands as he leaned forward towards the mirror, golden eyes narrowed as he stared at his reflection.

"Who are you?" he wondered as he reached out and touched the glass. The opposite figure, of course, duplicated his motions perfectly as his reflection reached out and touched the real Kyle's fingers. "Who the hell are you?" Kyle repeated, but the reflection only seemed to be asking the same question and was maddeningly short on answers. With a sigh, Kyle hung his head in frustration, his loose hair falling down to frame his face again. Kyle pushed back most of the wayward strands, securing a few to limited effect back into his main braid.

Kyle left the washroom and looked back at his bed, which unfortunately had most of its sheets yanked off. Huffing to himself, Kyle turned and walked towards the doorway, bare feet not making much noise at all on the wooden floorboards. "Probably wouldn't sleep anymore, anyway," Kyle justified to himself as he exited the cabin. Don't want to, in any event, he thought bitterly.

He stood silently on the steps as he took in the world around him. Kyle was suddenly twitching with nervous energy as he stared in awe at this, his first night on Pandora. All of the bright, vibrant colors were simply mind blowing! Strange animal hoots and howls could be heard from outside the fence, reinforcing the fact that though he was now 10 feet tall, Kyle was still very small indeed.

Kyle's eyes finally settled on the obstacle course, and he was surprised with how much he could actually see, even in the relative darkness. He still had so much to get used to concerning his heightened senses of sight, smell, and hearing. "That might be fun," he said to himself as he regarded all of the towers, hurdles, and net walls. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed the pleasure of any kind of strenuous workout. Behind him, Kyle's tail began to twitch in excitement, apparently agreeing with his assessment. Kyle jumped slightly at the sensation and turned to visually check what the appendage was up to, chuckling a bit to himself. "You probably don't keep secrets very well, do you?" he asked his tail, which continued to gesticulate merrily behind him. "Think that'd be a good way to tire the both of us out some?"

Wag-wag-wag.

Laughing, Kyle replied, "Ok, fine, let's go then." Kyle did not bother to go back to retrieve his shoes, the faintly damp grass feeling fantastically soothing against his bare feet as he made his way to what he guessed was the starting area. The first obstacles were a set of what appeared to be track hurdles, some set at a height Kyle suspected he could still jump over, others more so that it looked like it would be best to tuck and roll beneath them.

Kyle bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, enjoying the tingles of excitement that raced down his limbs (all five of them). After a few stretches, Kyle rolled his neck and shook out his shoulders, pleased with the few gentle pops his spine made as it loosened up. Without further ado, Kyle crouched down in a ready stance that honestly surprised him (it would not have occurred to him to bend his human body that way) before finally springing forward towards the first obstacle, which he easily vaulted over without much challenge.

The next hurdle seemed a little high to Kyle, so he ducked and rolled in a ball beneath it, springing to his feet on the other side just in time to leap up over the next obstacle. Supporting himself with his hands, he rolled over the top of the third hurdle on his back in a motion that was quite similar to the one he had just completed on the ground. A joyful laugh finally escaped his lips as he leapt, ducked, weaved, and at one point somersaulted his way through the course, moving in ways he never thought were possible. The darkness, a factor that would have debilitated a human, now provided nothing more than a new challenge as Kyle's alert eyes probed ahead of him for the next obstacle.

That next obstacle turned out to be a log pyramid, whose smooth and rounded surfaces proved to be no trouble for Kyle who ascended one side swiftly on all fours. He descended the opposite face on his two legs, both of his arms and tail swinging wildly around him for balance as another childlike laugh escaped his throat.

Next, Kyle threw himself up onto the net wall, reveling in the newfound strength of his arms and legs as he propelled himself upwards at a speed that truly surprised him. Kyle found he could move with surprising grace once he could resist the urge to manage every small motion of his body. Even the distraction of his new tail, something he suspected would take a very long time to get used to, faded away as the appendage moved on its own in a way that just seemed _right,_ in a way that offered a balance that he was quite unprepared for.

Kyle hurdled the top of the netting and rolled across the narrow wooden platform at the top at a speed he suddenly was not comfortable with. A surprised "Whoa!" left his lips as he scrambled for a handhold to stop himself, one hand finding purchase just as his lower body slid off of the platform. Apparently the opposite side of the netting was a climbing wall-type construction with numerous hand- and footholds that was intended to be taken at a much slower pace than Kyle was now moving at.

With startling rapidness Kyle felt his body drop off of the platform, bending his arm painfully and causing him to let go. One foot scrabbled madly for a hold on one of the grips, but Kyle still ended up pitching backwards off of the six meter tall platform. Kyle's voice seemed to leave him as his still very human mind processed the height that now found himself falling from, that without a doubt would be high enough to kill a man.

But once again, Kyle's new body surprised him. Just as it appeared he would land head first on the ground he instinctively reached out with both of his arms to break his fall. Of course his arms could not support his weight from that angle, but they adjusted the motion of the fall from straight down to forward along the ground. Instead of splatting unceremoniously onto the woodchip covered earth, Kyle found himself lying flat on his back several yards away from the base of the climbing wall after completing two whole tumbling rolls. He was now staring up at the tower he had just fallen from, totally perplexed at the fact that he was completely unhurt.

Kyle's giddy self reflection was suddenly interrupted when a Na'vi face appeared upside down in his field of vision, curiously studying the man lying on the ground. "Are you injured?" a concerned voice inquired.

"Holy crap!" Kyle yelped, rolling and leaping to his feet as he faced the visitor. Kyle frantically ran his hands over his body, shaking off the loose wood chips that had adhered to his skin. More than a few were tangled up in his air, and he struggled to pick them out without taking his long black locks with them. "What the…who…" he sputtered as he looked at the newcomer, who Kyle now could see was a strikingly attractive, even in his human opinion, Omaticayan native. She was slim and petite, but perhaps a better descriptor would be that she was lean, for Kyle could find not a single ounce of extraneous mass on her beautifully shaped body.

The young woman regarded him with large, mirthful eyes. Her tail swished back and forth slowly behind her like a metronome, and Kyle found himself mesmerized by the motion. He snapped out of it and blinked a few times when the woman said, "I do not know whether or not you are exceedingly clumsy, graceful, or lucky." She frowned in thought, still studying him. "Perhaps you are all three?" she asked in accented English.

Kyle still did not know how to respond. He looked back up at the tower, his eyes wide as he realized just how tall it really was. Of course, he still needed to adjust his scale reference to his new body, but the tower was still no insignificant height, even for an avatar or a Na'vi. "I…um…" he proceeded dumbly before he finally shut his mouth, realizing just how foolish he sounded. He looked back at the woman, who was giggling at him politely from behind her hand. When all else fails, introduce yourself. At least give the pretty lady a name to associate with the buffoon before her. "I'm Kyle. Kyle Fischer," he said and stuck out his hand.

The woman did not accept his offered hand, but rather motioned with her fingers out and down from her forehead. "I see you, Kylekylefischer," she said solemnly in a tone that Kyle strongly suspected meant she was still poking fun at him.

Flustered, Kyle responded with a shake of his head, "No, it's just 'Kyle Fischer.' Kyle is my first name, so you can, um, just call me 'Kyle,' I guess…" he trailed off, still trying to figure out the woman who was watching him with a maddeningly serious expression.

"Oh…" she said exaggeratedly. At that point Kyle was pretty sure she had known exactly how to say his name correctly the entire time. "Then I will address you as 'Kyle,' if it would please you." She placed a four fingered hand over her heart and bowed slightly. "I am Tanhi te Nera'nak Li'ona'ite." Kyle blinked at the long alien name. Smiling sweetly, she continued, "But you may address me as 'Tanhi.'"

The name sounded familiar to Kyle, who looked at his arm and asked without thinking, "You're named after glowing freckles?" Kyle suddenly blushed at his exclamation, his own actual tanhi on his face and neck growing brighter for a moment.

Tanhi threw her head back and laughed, revealing a set of white teeth and causing the beads in her hair and necklaces to tinkle together. "'Tanhi' also means 'star,'" she said, pointing up to the night sky over their heads.

"Right," Kyle said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. For now, the irony of her name was lost on the poor flustered man.

Tanhi cocked her head to the right in a very cute manner and said, "I thought I knew all of the uniltìranyu. Are you new here? Did you just arrive on the new _starrrship?_" she asked, trilling the 'r' on the last word.

Kyle blushed again. "Yeah, you could say I'm new…" he hedged. That phrase held multiple meanings in Kyle's particular case.

Tanhi nodded. "And do you usually…exercise, this time of night?" she asked, putting an emphasis on the question that even Kyle picked up on, and he blushed once more. Some of the strange ways of the uniltìranyu had been explained to her, and she thought it odd that one would be up this early in the morning when usually both of their bodies would be resting.

"I, uh, just couldn't sleep. I thought I'd try to work off some energy." Wait, who was she to be asking all the questions like this? "What exactly are _you_ doing up right now?" he asked suddenly.

Tanhi offered another one of her dazzling smiles. "I sleep lightly, and I often enjoy being up when all others are at rest. The silence and solitude is refreshing. But tonight, I awoke because I thought that a bull angtsìk had somehow made its way inside and was making all kinds of noise, and I wanted to investigate." Tanhi finished her explanation with another smirk.

Kyle swore inwardly. He did not know what the hell an 'angtsìk' was, but Tanhi's implied meaning was clear. Once again, she had somehow managed to turn Kyle's question back at him and use it to her advantage. "Do you often visit Hell's Gate?" Kyle asked, trying to change the subject.

Flipping some of her hair over her shoulders, Tanhi replied, "I have been here often in the past, actually. This time I have traveled here with the Olo'eyktan and with my father to be near when the new uniltìranyu are born. I have also yet to visit any of the new Tawtute, so I have my own curiosity to satisfy."

Kyle sighed and wiped his hands on his shorts. He really was rather dirty. "Well, I'm sorry for disturbing you," he said, and looked back over his shoulder in the direction of the avatar cabin again. Now that the adrenaline, both from his fall and from his scare, had worn off he was beginning to feel tired again. The exercise had indeed worked some of the angst from his system, at least for now. "I'd better be going," he sighed.

Tanhi regarded the new dreamwalker curiously. He was acting quite nervous and flighty, and she suspected there was much more to his presence out here in the night than he had let on. There was a wariness in his eyes that did not sit well with her. This man named Kyle did not look like he was up to anything devious, he just looked…scared, actually. Again Tanhi wondered why a uniltìranyu would be out and about at this hour. It did not make any sense to her. He also appeared incredibly disheveled, and she felt slightly sorry for him.

As Kyle was looking over his shoulder, Tanhi reached out and ran a finger lightly through some of the hair flowing around his pointed ears. Kyle jumped at the contact and turned to face her with surprised eyes. "Ack!" she said, tut-tutting in disapproval. "Do you let riti nest in your hair? You were a mess even before you started rolling in the dirt," she said in a somewhat softer tone.

Kyle's face (literally) lit up at this, and his cheeks darkened as blood rushed to his face. It was true: Kyle did not know the first thing about managing is suddenly very long hair style. The tight braid around his queue had yet to fully come out, which was good because Kyle did not know the first thing about repairing it should it ever come undone. Unfortunately, towards the end of his queue the large main braid had begun to loosen. He never had the chance to ask Norm, but Kyle was dreadfully curious and acutely embarrassed about not having the knowledge to take care of his new body. Kyle's tumbling fall from the tower really had made a mess of him in all respects, and now that he had time to think he was mentally kicking himself for not planning ahead any further beyond his mad dash through the obstacle course. Kyle dreaded explaining his appearance to…whoever would be the first person he would meet in the morning.

Tanhi took all of this in as she watched Kyle's embarrassed reaction. He seemed so childlike to her, like one of the younglings who had been caught playing in the mud by the river and did not realize that the consequences of his actions meant a bath. Everything about his body language – brightened tanhi, lowered ears, cowed tail – said that she had struck a nerve with her comment. The Na'vi were certainly not natural liars, but they could at least filter their emotions much better than this man, who was practically an open book before Tanhi.

Before she could think about the wisdom of her next offer, Tanhi said, "I will repair your hair for you, if you wish. But if that be the case, you must go bathe yourself – I will only begin with a clean start."

This took Kyle completely by surprise. He literally only knew this beautiful woman's name and she was already offering to help with his personal hygiene? It struck Kyle as very strange indeed, but also very thoughtful. "I…you would?" he asked as he ran a hand through his loose strands. "I've been meaning to ask someone what to do with this," he muttered softly. "Why would you do that?" he asked guardedly. It had always been Kyle's experience that people were only nice to him when they wanted something in return.

Tanhi offered him a genuine smile that made her nose crinkle attractively. "Because you need it, and I would be remiss if I did not offer any help to you." She gently placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. "Then go make yourself clean, if this is your choice. I will meet you at your shelter in a short while, after I have gathered some of my own things." She wrinkled her nose playfully again. "Besides, you stink after rolling around on the ground."

Kyle took another step back on his own. "Ok," he said hesitantly. "I'll just go now, and…right, shower," he trailed off with a shake of his head and began to trot back towards the cabin. After a moment he growled to himself, "Stupid, stupid! Great first impression you made on the natives, genius! Practically the first thing she tells you is go take a bath!" While Kyle was far enough away that a human would have missed his comment, Tanhi was still able to hear him quite distinctly and she covered up her laugh with her hand.

She watched him jog off and found herself appreciating the broad, muscular spread of his bare shoulders. Tanhi had actually been watching Kyle the entire time as he moved through the obstacle course, and had only revealed herself when he had fallen, for she feared that he had injured himself or worse. His tumble gave her quite a start, but even if she would never admit it to him, she was very impressed with his recovery.

Once Kyle had actually drawn out of earshot, Tanhi slapped her forehead and groaned in Na'vi, "Skxawng! _What were you thinking? You don't even know him and you are offering to help fix his hair?" _What would Kyle think of her if he knew the proper customs? Worse, what would her sempul think if _he_ found out? Why was she suddenly so interested in this man? Sure, he is cute, but I barely know him, Tanhi ranted to herself. It was a bold offer, indeed, for most Na'vi only trusted those closest to them, or one of the special hair workers, to braid their hair. To braid around another's queue, well, that was reserved for one's mate or parents to do.

Tanhi stalked off, not exactly regretting her offer but still mad at her own impulsiveness. She suddenly froze as she realized something: She had told a slight untruth to Kyle. Despite his workout and tumble on the ground, Kyle Fischer did not stink at all. Tanhi thought he smelled quite good, actually.

"_Skxawng!" _she hissed at herself again.

* * *

Kyle reveled in his first shower in at least six years. The sponge baths that the ISV crew had to take were a joke, but of course an actual shower would have been too risky an endeavor to undertake on a space faring vessel. Giving up any hope of salvaging his main braid, Kyle simply undid it so he could wash all of his hair thoroughly. Unscented soap, like what a hunter would use, was easily found in the shower facilities in the avatar cabin, as well as a towel and a spare change of clothes. The nice thing about the avatars was that other than men's and women's distinctions, everyone pretty much wore the same size of clothing.

The whole concept of being as uncomfortable as a wet cat took on new meaning for Kyle as he toweled his hair dry. The main braid made a lot more sense to him, now – he thought he looked perfectly hideous with his all of his hair loose. Kyle shuddered as he held the end of his queue in his hand and watched as the pink neural tendrils emerged. "Weird," he said to no one in particular. Norm and Jake had both explained that new part of him, at least. They both could not emphasize enough that his queue was a very sensitive and precious thing and he had to take the utmost care of it. The braid was not just a style statement – it offered essential protection for the sensitive queue.

When Kyle asked what the hell it was for, Norm had given him the cliff-notes version, that he could essentially bond with any other animal (and even a tree!) that had a queue; in essence it was a way to link minds. "Even with another person?" he had asked.

Norm had gulped and looked at Jake. "Only if you want to marry them," Jake said. "It's a pretty serious deal." Jake offered nothing else, and Kyle suspected that he would receive no more information. Kyle got the distinct impression that he had stumbled on a topic that was way out of his league.

Kyle emerged from the washroom refreshed and wearing clean clothes. He walked carefully towards the door, still not used to the sleeping avatars. Tanhi was waiting for him outside with a small carry net of supplies, and he waved his hand tentatively in greeting. "Where –?"

"Sit there," Tanhi said without preamble and pointed to the ground at the base of the steps. Kyle sat without a word and Tanhi positioned herself a few levels up from him. She took his queue and laid it carefully out over her lap, and Kyle gasped at her touch.

"Wow, that's really…sensitive," he said slowly as Tanhi ran her fingers through his hair, causing him to shiver and his voice to hitch. The sensation was actually quite pleasurable. Tanhi withdrew a comb from the carry net and carefully ran it along Kyle's queue, ensuring that there would be no tangles. The main braid could be left alone for a very long time if it was constructed properly.

"Yes, it is," she agreed softly. "You…honor me with your trust, to let me help you in this way," she quietly said.

"Don't – whoa! Don't mention it," Kyle replied casually. Man, that felt really good! Tanhi chuckled a bit at his reaction.

"You have never had to do this before?" Tanhi asked him curiously.

"No, one of the female lab techs braids the avatar's hair after they decant it, I guess. It's what they told me. This is the first time I've had to redo mine." He frowned a bit. "Man, I guess I ruined it pretty quick, didn't I?"

Tanhi smiled behind him. Diplomatically, she said, "Tawtute do not know the best way to braid the People's hair. It was not your fault alone."

The pair sat on the steps in a somewhat awkward silence as Tanhi continued her work. Her motions were very gentle and relaxing, and Kyle struggled to avoid nodding off right then and there. After a while, Tanhi spoke again. She was trying to make light conversation and also perhaps find out a little more about this strange man. "Most of the uniltìranyu are scientists," she said. "They come to study this or that; some study the plants and others the animals. Is this what you do, also? What are you here to learn of?"

Kyle sighed. That was a great question – what was he here for now, anyway? Kyle was dreading this train of thought, as he was not sure if he felt entirely comfortable admitting that he was not just any normal avatar driver. "I'm definitely not a scientist," he said finally. "That's more Norm's deal."

"Normspellman? Do you know him?" Tanhi asked. Normspellman was a very kind man indeed, and a dear friend of the People. Almost all of her clansmen thought the best of the friendly scientist. His role, and his own sacrifice, during the Time of Great Sorrow was not easily forgotten.

Nodding carefully to avoid disturbing Tanhi's work, Kyle replied, "He's my cousin."

"Then that would already mean you hold a special place in the People's heart. Any family of Normspellman's would be well respected indeed," Tanhi informed him proudly. Much to Kyle's disappointment, Tanhi did not forget her original question as he had intended. "I know Normspellman, but what about you?"

Kyle thought back to the pins on his bedside table and tried to reply in a level voice, "I'm a pilot, I guess."

Impressive, Tanhi thought, or perhaps a little infuriating, depending on which Omaticaya you talked to. "You are one of the Tawtute who fly a kunsìp, then?"

Once he had deciphered the English loan-word, Kyle felt a momentary rush of pride. "Oh, sure I can fly a chopper, but I meant that I fly the…" he trailed off, not sure how much Tanhi knew of human technology. "I fly the big shuttle that takes people back and forth between Pandora and the human starship."

Tanhi caught Kyle's hesitation and she smiled to herself. "I am not ignorant of the ways of the Tawtute, Kylefischer. If I do not understand something that you say, I will ask for you to clarify."

Embarrassed, Kyle replied quickly, "Of course, I didn't mean to insult you or anything like that…"

Now Tanhi laughed and she lightly slapped his shoulder. "I know, do not worry. But none of us will learn anything if we do not ask questions, yes?"

Kyle chuckled with her. "Yes, you're absolutely right. Your English is very good, you know," he complimented as he tried to offset his previous blunder. Kyle had been quite pleasantly surprised how easily he and Tanhi had been able to converse.

Tanhi swelled a bit with pride of her own. "I studied at Toktor Augustine's school. She said I was one of her brightest students. I have also spent much time with Janellehuxley, because I myself am learning to be a healer for my clan."

A doctor! That is probably no easy task, no matter what species you are, Kyle thought to himself. "Then you must be very bright indeed to be able to learn how to repair the body when it is sick or injured," Kyle offered. Wait, am I trying to flatter her? Kyle wondered to himself.

Is he trying to flirt with me? Tanhi thought as she smirked to herself, grateful that Kyle could not see her face flush with slight embarrassment as she finished braiding the hair around his queue. Out loud, she replied with a simple, "Thank you." Tanhi leaned back to examine her work. Kyle's braid looked much better, now. She ran her hand over it one last time before stroking the hair around his ears again. "There, your tswin is finished. Do you wish for me to braid any more of these loose strands? It will make your hair much easier to deal with."

Kyle's ears twitched slightly at her touch. "It wouldn't look too girly, would it?" he asked playfully.

Tanhi laughed. "Are you asking for it to?" she teased.

"Definitely not!" Kyle hastily amended.

"Then I will do my best to make you look as manly as possible," Tanhi assured him with a giggle.

"Go right ahead, then," Kyle laughed. If anything, he found he was rather enjoying Tanhi's attention.

Reaching back into her carry net, Tanhi withdrew a few small pouches and shook out some beads into her hand which she then reached forward showed to Kyle. "Here, I will put some of these at the end of your braids, to help hold your hair together, if you wish."

The beads were simple wooden ornaments that had been polished smooth. They were comfortably understated and not gaudy in any way, and Kyle found he did not mind at all the thought of having them woven into his hair. Dad would have a heart attack if he saw me now with my hair down to my waist, Kyle thought. 10 feet tall, blue, and tail notwithstanding. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at Tanhi. "If you say so, go right ahead."

When she was finally finished, Tanhi had Kyle stand up and face her, and she examined him with a critical eye. All of her work had come out just fine, even though she did not have the extensive training and practice of an actual hair worker. Kyle raised an eyebrow as he took note of the way that Tanhi's eyes traveled over his entire frame, and not just the work she had done on his hair. Kyle smirked when he caught Tanhi's eye, who blushed again when she realized she had been caught.

Still smiling, Kyle brought his queue around and examined it, letting out an impressed whistle as he ran his fingers over the tight new braid. "Wow, you did a really good job," he said as he positioned his braid back behind him. Kyle reached up and felt the smaller tresses that Tanhi had created, which had thankfully simplified his wild hair into several manageable braids that hung around his ears. "Thank you. Thank you very much," he said earnestly.

"You are welcome, Kylefis…Kyle," Tanhi said, and he grinned at her as she caught her almost-slip.

A wave of tiredness washed over Kyle, and he yawned and stretched his arms over his head, revealing an impressive set of canines and causing his tail to curl up tightly behind him. He checked the horizon, which was just starting to brighten with the light of Alpha Centauri. Dawn already? Kyle clamped a hand over his mouth suddenly when he realized what he just did in front of Tanhi. "Damn, that was really rude," he apologized.

Tanhi looked at him with amusement. "You are tired, Kyle. You should go back to sleep. You still have time to get some useful rest before the sun rises."

Kyle looked guiltily back towards where his bed waited for him. "Um…will you be around, tomorrow?" he asked hesitantly. His evening was ending much better than Kyle could ever have anticipated, and he was very grateful to Tanhi for her company. At this point Kyle finally admitted to himself that yes, he was actually attracted to this woman, and it had to do with much more than the fact that she was beautiful. She had been unreasonably kind to him, and Kyle really did want to get to know her better.

"I do not know when we will return back to Kelutral, but I am sure I will see you again," she reassured him. "Now back to your pallet, before you fall asleep here on your feet." Tanhi made a shooing motion with her hands as she said this.

"Ok. Goodnight, then," Kyle said. He pointed to his hair and expressed his gratitude again. "Seriously, thanks for your help. That was very kind of you. I should…I'll have to find some way to repay you."

Tanhi bowed towards him again before slowly drawing away. "It was my pleasure, truly. No payment needs to be made. Txon lefpom, Kyle." I will do my best to see you again, she thought.

* * *

Norm rose extra early the morning after Kyle's transfer. He shoveled his breakfast down as fast as he could swallow and practically sprinted to the biolab to link up. He was hoping to fly into the jungle today to collect some plant samples for some of the new scientists, and he was eager to include his cousin in as many activities as he could.

Norm blinked his Na'vi eyes open and sat up in his bed, stretching out the kinks in his shoulders and back. He dressed quickly, hopping on one foot then the other as he crammed on his hiking boots, tail thrashing madly behind him as it tried to prevent its owner from falling over. Finally ready for the day, he turned to look around the cabin for where his cousin had bedded down.

As soon as Norm saw his cousin he froze, frowning at the sight that greeted him. Kyle was sound asleep, sprawled out on top of the covers on the furthest cot away and fully dressed in completely different clothes from what he had been wearing the day before. Also, his hair was sporting the distinctive tight braids that only a true Na'vi could weave. "How the heck did you manage that?" Norm muttered to himself before he walked over to wake his cousin.

Neytiri was gathering some fruit for breakfast for Jake and herself when Norm and Kyle walked out of the avatar cabin, talking amicably amongst themselves. They both waved a greeting to her, which she returned cheerily. Neytiri was just about to steal a bite from a particularly tasty looking fruit when she stopped and spun, giving Kyle's retreating form a double take. Squinting at him, she confirmed that yes; he did in fact have his hair styled in the way of a young Omaticayan man. Neytiri was able to discern from the workmanship exactly who the stylist was, and she smiled to herself. Her next thought was to wonder whether or not she should tell Jake. "He will find out soon enough," she decided with a smile and shake of her head as she finished collecting their breakfast.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"So where exactly are we going today?" Kyle asked again.

As they approached the massive vestibule of the aircraft airlock, Norm replied, "It won't be too far. We'll be flying about 20 clicks out to a marshy area where the main river that flows by both Hell's Gate and New Hometree widens and slows. It's a great spot with all sorts of different environments. We can walk five minutes one way and be in deep jungle. We can walk five minutes the other way and sample aquatic fauna, if need be. It's a really cool area; I think you'll like it!" Norm was talking fast and gesturing wildly, clearly quite excited.

Kyle gave him a sideways amused look, smirking ever so slightly. "Whatever you say, cousin. Let's just say I hope it's not my life's destiny to help you poke around in the mud till we both expire."

While Norm caught Kyle's deeper meaning and fear in his comment, he chose to ignore it for now. "Psh. I wouldn't let you help me gather anything. You'd probably spoil it or something." Norm approached a very tall cabinet on the inside of the airlock and began to enter a code into the lock.

Kyle observed the way Norm shielded his actions with his body and asked, "What, don't trust me? That a classified weapons locker or something?"

Norm gave his cousin a guilty look. "Sorry, force of habit. We've really tightened security since you guys have arrived. Can't be too careful you know. I'm sure they'll put you in the know in a little bit." He withdrew two large M60 machine guns, both complete with scopes that were compatible with a Na'vi body. "You still as good a shot as you brag about?" he asked as he handed Kyle one of the weapons.

Kyle hefted the gun in his hands, getting a feel for its balance. He raised it up to his shoulder and pivoted to face outside, sighting into the scope. "Doesn't feel too bad. I kept on top of things in the simulators on the ship, but of course that's nothing compared to a real firearm." Kyle brought the rifle back down and pointed it at the ceiling as he ran his hand over the grip, locating the safety, single vs. automatic fire selector, charging bolt, and magazine eject lever. "Seems simple and sturdy enough," he commented, looking back at Norm who nodded in approval.

The two men walked over to where two Samsons had been wheeled out of the main hangar and were being preflighted by their pilots and mechanics, and Norm showed Kyle how to mount the machine guns in their door frames. Kyle chuckled to himself as he realized he was tall enough that he could almost see straight over the helicopter. Norm made some introductions as they walked to the front of their aircraft. "This is Lieutenant Thom Collins, who's now our main pilot around these parts," he said, gesturing to the man who had just hopped out of the pilot seat. "Thom, this is my cousin, Kyle Fischer."

Lieutenant Collins did not offer a hand but he shot Kyle a jaunty salute. "Good to meet you, Fischer. You can call just call me 'Collins;' everyone else does. If you're family with this geek, you're probably cool by the rest of us," he said with a teasing look at Norm while he continued to check over the outside of his chopper. Norm huffed a bit but did not look too bothered by the friendly jibing. "Valkyrie's, eh? You won't be looking over my shoulder too much, will ya? I hate back seat fliers." Collins turned and performed an elaborate double take, craning his neck to look up at Kyle's face, who was grinning down at him. "Guess you can't help it much now, can you?"

Kyle chuckled at this. Collins was probably a man he could grow to be friends with, he thought as he observed the way that he held an intelligent, friendly conversation yet did not sacrifice the quality of his preflight checks.

Collins made to step up on the wing to remove the engine covers, but then he paused. "Um, would you guys just mind grabbing those for me?" he asked. "We should be set to go, just need to wait for your other two partners-in-crime."

Both Norm and Kyle laughed at the pilot and obliged him by simply reaching up to remove the bright red covers from the turbine intakes.

Norm and Collins had started to draw away as they discussed flight plans and other nomenclature for the day's mission. Kyle made to follow, but then he caught sight of a new person entering the hangar airlock, a man who was concentrating intently on a data pad in his hand. The view of his face was distorted slightly from Kyle's angle due to his exopack, but there was something about the way he walked, about the way he held himself…

Kyle finally recognized him, and he growled and lowered his ears in aggression. Kyle felt pure righteous anger flush through him, causing the skin on the back of his neck to prickle. A hunter's instinct that Kyle did not even know he possessed halted him from storming straight out to meet the person; rather, he crouched down and moved back around to the opposite side of the Samson's cockpit, watching the man draw closer through the glass. His tail tip flicked rapidly and the muscles in his thighs began to twitch as he fought the urge to outright pounce on the man.

The human had just rounded the front of the chopper when Kyle's hand shot out. He made sure to avoid the exopack hose as he gathered a fistful of the man's shirt in his large blue hand and yanked him forward with startling speed. With one arm Kyle heaved the man straight up off of the ground, turned, and slammed him into the upper works of the helicopter. By design he just barely missed the sharp serrated vine catcher that protected the front of the turbine intakes. A startled cry left the man's mouth and his data pad clattered to the ground.

"Well look at you," Kyle hissed through clenched teeth. His ears were pinned all the way back against his skull and his lips were pulled back from his fangs. "If it isn't Robbie Jonas. How've you been, buddy?"

Robbie coughed and sputtered as he struggled to catch his breath, his panicked eyes darting back and forth between the massive metal spike that he had almost been impaled on and the rageful, golden eyes of his former pilot. "Fischer! Shit, man, what are you doing?" He squirmed and fought futilely, but there was no way he could escape before Kyle intended him to.

"You. Are. A. Coward," Kyle snarled as he tightened his grip and leaned in close to Robbie's face. Kyle's fist slammed into the metal right beside Robbie's head, and the copilot screwed his eyes shut in terror. "You left me! You ducked out and ran! And not just me! What about everyone else who was on board? You left us ALL to die!"

"Dude! No one knew whether or not we were gonna survive that! I'm not insulting your skills or anything, I just wanted to live! You could have done the same thing…" Kyle's face twisted with even greater fury, something Robbie did not think was possible. That was clearly the wrong thing to say, because Kyle practically roared in his face and slammed Robbie back against the Samson again, causing the man to wince and cough anew as the air was forced from his lungs.

"Do you remember what I told you back in the shuttle, Robbie? Do you?" Kyle's voice had taken on a maddeningly calm tone. Robbie could not answer; the breath had been squeezed totally out of him. He just choked and gurgled, his eyes growing wide – he did indeed recall, with vivid detail, exactly what Kyle had told him back in the Valkyrie, not so long ago. Now Robbie truly feared for his life and his struggles redoubled, but Kyle's grip was unbreakable. He tried kicking at Kyle, but his legs could not even reach Kyle's torso.

Kyle had been so focused in his anger on Robbie that he did not take notice of other people drawing up behind him. Finally, Norm's frantic voice cut through his rage. "Kyle! What are you doing? Let him down!"

Kyle tilted his head to the side as he examined Robbie's face, which was starting to redden alarmingly beneath his mask. "I think not," he hissed.

"You're killing him!" Norm said as he moved forward and placed a hand on Kyle's arm. Kyle snarled at his cousin and gave him a firm shove on the chest with his other hand, sending him stumbling away with a startled "Oof!"

Kyle's ears flicked as he registered the sound of a weapon cocking. Collins was standing a (very) safe distance away with his Wasp revolver drawn and leveled at Kyle's head. "Put the man down, Fischer. I heard what he did – I saw it, actually. He's a grade-A scumbag and maybe he does deserve to be offed, but this isn't how we handle things here. Don't do it, pilot. You don't want his blood on your hands."

Collins' level voice finally penetrated Kyle's fury, and his expression started to soften ever so slightly. He relaxed his pressure on Robbie's chest enough for the man to start inhaling again, and the sound of Robbie's frantic gasping was amplified by his exopack.

Kyle looked deep into Robbie's eyes, and a small part of Kyle's brain was horrified at the fear that he saw in his former friend's expression. No one had ever looked at Kyle like that. Ever. Common sense and sanity flowed over him, soothing the burning heat of his anger. Soothing it, but not totally quenching it. Kyle pulled Robbie away from the chopper and held him a few feet above the ground. "Get out of my sight," he growled as he released his grip.

Robbie fell to the ground, landing with a pained cry on the pavement even as Kyle turned his back on the man, not thinking he could bear to look at him any longer. Robbie scrambled backwards as he heaved in unrestricted breaths of air. Both Kyle and Norm heard the man gasp, "Freak," under his breath as he finally climbed to his feet.

Kyle whirled around with astounding speed and scooped up Robbie's forgotten data pad. With another furious cry he hurled it towards the ground at Robbie's feet, shattering the device into a thousand pieces on the floor and pelting Robbie's legs with relatively harmless bits of glass. "Leave! NOW!" he roared.

Collins pivoted and leveled his gun at Robbie. "Better do as he says, Jonas," he said casually. "I don't think I feel like stopping him a second time if he takes another go at you."

Robbie glanced once between the gun and the giant, 10 foot tall blue man who still looked pissed enough to leap his way in a single bound if he felt inclined to. Without waiting a second longer he turned and bolted for the exit.

A tense silence settled over those that remained. With a shrug as if nothing had happened Collins reset the Wasp's hammer, holstered his revolver, and calmly went back to work. Norm swallowed nervously and looked at his cousin, who was still fairly trembling with rage. His ears were still back and his tall whipped to and fro behind him. "Kyle…" he said and tried to rest his hand on his cousin's shoulder, who was still shaking slightly from his own adrenaline-fueled breathing.

"Please don't," Kyle said, pushing off Norm's hand and turning away. He looked back at Norm after a moment with eyes that suddenly shown with a deep pain. "You still get to be yourself at the end of the day," Kyle muttered and stormed off.

From back in the Samson, Collins spoke for only Norm to hear. "You know, he really is more human than that other piece of shit. Of course, he needs to figure that out for himself. That's something you won't ever be able to do for him, Dr. Spellman." Norm did not reply. He could only stare after the receding form of his cousin, unable to think of a response for what Kyle had said.

After a minute, Norm asked Collins a question. "You wouldn't have actually shot him, would you?"

Collins snorted from the back of the Samson. "Who, Kyle? Probably not. I'm really a terrible shot, you know. Probably would have ended up winging that sniveling coward Jonas, knowing my rotten luck."

* * *

Kyle was grateful that the rush of wind provided a convenient excuse to avoid conversation. He and Norm were actually sitting on opposites sides of the Samson manning the door guns. Again, the odds of an aerial attack were slim, but Kyle appreciated the excuse to not have to say anything. He and Norm had not really talked much after the incident in the hangar, only saying what needed to be said to get ready for the flight out. Together they had pushed the Samson outside, its skids resting on wheels to make movement on the ground easier. The exertion felt good to Kyle, and he was glad to be able to burn off his anger in a constructive way.

In the center of the cargo compartment, Ramirez and Dryers talked constantly between themselves, their voices coming in loud and clear through the ear buds that all four avatars (or three avatars plus Kyle) were wearing. Conventional headsets did not fit around an avatar's ears, so in-ear sound protection was utilized so no one went too deaf from the constant roar of the Samson. The two scientists went on and on about scientific things that Kyle had no concept of. More than a few questions had been directed at Norm, but when he persisted in only giving the barest possible answer, they gradually left him alone. They had arrived after Kyle's and Robbie's altercation, and no one felt it was necessary to relive the event by telling them about it.

Kyle in no way begrudged them for their exuberance. One man or the other would look over his shoulder at the jungle below with wide eyed amazement. As for Kyle, he was simply content to absorb the scenery in silence as he struggled to get Robbie's parting comment out of his head. Kyle shook his head rapidly and growled to himself, but the sound was lost to the wind.

Collins' nervous voice cut in over the chatter, and the Samson rocked slightly. "Hold tight boys, check left. Spellman, is that what I think it is?"

Kyle turned and looked through the cargo compartment at his cousin, but Norm was already leaning out the door and shading his eyes. Norm touched his throat mike and replied. "Yep, it's a Toruk alright. Still a ways off – Collins, you need to make sure that he stays that way."

"No shit, don't have to remind me," the pilot deadpanned. Collins had been there during the assault on the Tree of Souls. After the fall of Hometree he had grown a conscience very quickly, but he had feared the repercussions from Quaritch if he had refused to fly out with the attack squadron. Collins' Samson was at the back of the formation when the Na'vi struck, and the sight of Jake's Toruk as it tore into chopper after chopper was something that he would never forget. Suspecting that the end was very, very nigh, Collins had dove straight for the jungle and had landed at the drop zone for the ground troops, thinking ahead enough to get into position for evacuating whoever might survive what was coming. Despite the near mutiny of his crew, Collins had been right – the battle turned into a rout for the humans. Absolutely nothing could have stood up to the wrath of Eywa once she had turned loose the entirety of Pandora upon the would-be invaders. Everyone had listened in shock over the radio as the horrible battle unfolded.

It was actually at this point in time that Thom Collins had met up with Hoshiro Tanaka. Collins was the only pilot who had thought of what might happen to the ground troops – it just so happened that one Samson was all that was required to evacuate the few survivors of the ground force.

Kyle leaned across the Samson and looked out between Dryers and Norm. Way off in the distance he could make out the yellow and red form of a Great Leonopteryx soaring on the distant thermals. "If it even looks this way, we're hitting the deck," Collins informed them. Norm's and Kyle's door guns would be absolutely useless against such an aggressor.

"No objection from back here," Norm told him. The great flying predator never drew closer, never gave any indication that the presence of the helicopter ever bothered it.

A few minutes later they were approaching the wetlands that Norm had described. Collins' amused voice came in over the radios. "Hey boys, you may want to grab a window seat for this. Looks like we're gonna have to buzz the airfield."

Ramirez joined Kyle on his side of the chopper and both men stuck their heads out to see what Collins was talking about. At first Kyle could not figure it out – it looked like a perfectly still blue carpet stretching most of the way between the river and the forest, and Kyle chalked up the strange color to some Pandoran plant that he was not yet familiar with. Kyle checked to see what Norm was doing, but the scientist was maintaining his own gaze outside.

Collins nosed the Samson over into a shallow dive and overflew the marsh by a couple hundred yards. As the noise and downdraft reached the ground, the "plants" suddenly all grew wings and leapt for the air. Everyone gasped as literally thousands upon thousands of tetrapteron took to the sky, squawking in disapproval at being so rudely disturbed.

They maintained a safe distance from the flock – Collins was not eager to ingest one of the flying creatures into his rotors. After the massive group of creatures winged off down river, Collins brought the chopper in for a smooth landing a hundred yards away from the edge of the forest. As the rotors spun down Kyle pulled his ear buds out, eager to be relieved of their irritation, and leapt free from the chopper.

Kyle's newly braided hair gently blew around his face in the dying breeze from the helicopter, and he fingered one of the small beaded strands fondly, thinking of Tanhi and her smiling, beautiful face. The stark newness of the world filled Kyle's senses, and he was seeing, hearing…even smelling things that he never knew could possibly have existed. Norm interrupted his pleasant reverie when he said, "Kyle? Would you mind taking one of the M60s? We're going for a bit of a walk."

With a sigh Kyle turned back. Norm had already unhooked one of the machine guns and was holding it out for Kyle to take. Collins hopped out of the cockpit wearing an exopack and, to everyone's amusement, retrieved a lawn chair from the cargo bay. He promptly unfolded the chair out in the sun, settled into it with a contented sigh, and pulled out a book. "Call me when you're ready," he said distractedly as he flipped the pages open to his bookmark.

Dryers and Ramirez would be conducting their work within sight of the helicopter, but the plants that Norm needed were an uncertain distance out in the woods. As Norm shouldered his pack, he watched Kyle carefully as he ejected his rifle's magazine to check the load before slamming it back in. Kyle looked at his cousin and nodded tersely. "Ready," he said.

* * *

With a wave of farewell to their comrades, the two cousins set off for the forest. Though Kyle was the one armed, he was more than happy to follow Norm's lead and defer to his greater wisdom and experience. The silence between the two men was absolute, and for a moment Kyle had forgotten the drama of the day as he stared all around him, often spinning in circles to take in the view and having to jog a few steps afterwards to catch back up to Norm. Life was simply _everywhere,_ and the sheer variety of plants, animals, and insects astounded Kyle. This was a kind of wilderness like he had only been able to read about back on Earth.

Up ahead, Norm stopped so suddenly that Kyle almost ran into him. Norm raised a closed fist in the air before pointing out in front of them. Kyle rested one hand on Norm's shoulder as he leaned around him to look forward, his ears alert and straining for any kind of noise. Kyle just barely caught a glimpse of some kind of dark blue striped animal that bounded away from them into the woods, emitting a startled bleating as it went.

Norm looked back at Kyle and smiled at the wide eyed expression his cousin wore. "That was a hexapede. I suppose they're like deer back home. The Na'vi call them 'yerik.' They make for really good eating," he explained.

"Was that what was in the food wraps that Neytiri made last night?" Kyle asked.

Norm nodded in agreement. "I can't believe we saw one. They're usually very skittish." Norm chuckled a bit to himself. "Jake's tried teaching me some tracking skills, but I'm a bit of a slow learner."

Kyle snorted. "I couldn't imagine you being slow at anything. Wait, were you tracking that thing this entire time?"

Norm smiled proudly at Kyle and pointed to some hoofed tracks that were barely visible in the loam coating the forest floor. "Well, maybe…" he hedged modestly.

Kyle shook his head and grinned. "Who would have thought you'd turn out to be such a wilderness man," Kyle teased. He continued looking around him in wonder. Over their heads a troop of prolemuris swung through the trees, hooting and hollering. "Do you think Jake would ever teach me some of that stuff?" he asked as he continued to stare up into the canopy.

Following Kyle's gaze, Norm stared after the retreating group of prolemuris. "I'm sure he would," he said absently. Then he smiled mischievously as a new thought occurred to him. "Or maybe you could get the lady who did your hair to teach you, hmm?"

Kyle's ears fell back in irritation. "So what if I made a new friend! What's it to you?" he huffed grumpily.

Norm let the outburst pass, and then asked his next, more pressing question. "Oh, it's not a big deal at all. I'm sure you'll get introduced to lots of the Omaticaya." Norm examined Kyle with a critical eye. "But what I'm most curious about is when exactly you found the time to meet said lady between dinner last night and this morning."

Kyle whirled to face Norm and blurted, "I met her after I –" But then he stopped mid sentence, and his expression darkened somewhat. "I couldn't sleep last night, ok? I woke up before dawn and decided to do some exercise on the obstacle course, and I met…" Kyle did not want to reveal her name for some reason, as if admitting Tanhi's existence would cause her to vanish. "I met this really nice woman." Kyle sniffed. "Sounds cheesy, doesn't it?" he asked, as though daring Norm to make fun of him.

While Norm was quite curious as to the identity of this mystery gal, he chose to leave that question alone for now. "It's not cheesy," he reassured Kyle. "Why couldn't you sleep?" he asked carefully. This was the part that bothered Norm the most.

"I started having a really bad nightmare," Kyle finally admitted softly, shuddering at the memory. "And I got…" his hand drifted to his right side.

"Phantom pains," Norm finished for him. "I'm sorry, Kyle. I know those really suck. Do you want to talk to someone about the dreams?" he asked slowly. It was quite clear to Norm that his cousin was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"What's to talk about? I fricken crashed my ship, just about wrapped the whole damn thing around a tree! There's not a whole lot of unexplainables in that, Norm!" Kyle ranted. In the distance some animal hooted in response to Kyle's own yelling.

Norm started to reply but then stopped himself. With a shake of his head he said, "I won't push it, then. I promise."

Kyle deflated and lost his defensive front. "Thank you," he said softly. Kyle shouldered his rifle and marched passed Norm. "So what are we looking for exactly? Come on, teach me something useful," Kyle said and shaded his eyes with his hand while he peered around him in an exaggerated manner.

Norm shook his head again and smiled as he let Kyle change the subject. "We're looking for Aloeparilus Succulentus," he announced smugly.

Kyle stopped and turned, giving Norm a blank look. "What the hell is that?" he grouched.

Norm gave Kyle a haughty grin before hiking past his frozen cousin. "Why, it's quite similar to the Aloe Vera plant back on Earth. Its watery sap from the topmost leaves is quite soothing to cuts and burns, and it possesses some pretty powerful healing properties. The fleshy leaves near the base can also used as a kind of water bottle due to their high moisture content."

Kyle rolled his eyes and trailed after Norm. "Well lead the way, Columbus," he muttered good naturedly.

* * *

"Aha!" Norm announced as they rounded a large treefall. Before Kyle stood a plant about as tall as he was. True to Norm's description, the bottom most leaves were fat and fleshy with a smooth green skin. Norm grasped one and gently twisted it off, watching as a drop of moisture fell away from the end. He held the end to his mouth and sucked nosily, smiling in contentment. "Here, try one!" he encouraged as he removed a leaf from the opposite side of the plant and handed it to Kyle.

Kyle looked at the leaf with suspicion and ran his finger over the tear, gathering up some of the liquid. He licked his finger clean experimentally as Norm watched with amusement, and Kyle's ears perked up instantly upon tasting the sap. "That's not bad! Tastes a little like cucumber," he declared as he proceeded to suck on his leaf like Norm had done.

"Yea, they make a nice change of taste from just normal bottled water – hey, watch it!" Norm warned as Kyle reached up and plucked one of the leaves from the top of the plant. Norm pulled his cousin back by his collar just as the plant ejected a sharp spine from where Kyle had pulled out the leaf. The projectile whistled out of the stem and embedded itself in the trunk of a fallen tree over 20 feet away with a resounding _thunk_. Kyle's head whipped around to trace its path through the air, his eyes wide with shock.

"What the crap was that?" Kyle blurted out incredulously as he walked over to the downed tree and stared at the thorn, which was about the size of his finger. He looked over his shoulder and asked, "Can I touch this, or will it try to kill me a second time?"

Norm chuckled nervously, "No, go ahead and pull it out. That's about all the surprises this thing has to offer. Sorry, I was going to get to that," he apologized sheepishly. "That was a defensive mechanism, designed to prevent overharvesting of the medicinal leaves."

Kyle gazed at the innocuous looking plant with newfound respect. "Sure will discourage me from poking at it in the future," he agreed. Grasping the thorn between his thumb and forefinger, Kyle was able to wiggle the small missile out with little trouble. He gently touched the end with his other finger and winced slightly – it was still very sharp.

Norm reached up and gathered some more of the medicinal leaves while Kyle stayed a safe distance behind and to the side. As long as you knew not to stand directly in front of the plant, the shooting spines were no real danger, and Norm only activated two more during his gathering. As he cautiously worked he murmured something in Na'vi that Kyle could not understand.

"What were you saying?" Kyle asked curiously, once Norm had finished.

Norm continued to organize the leaves he had carefully gathered in a sample jar. "It's…it's the Gatherer's Prayer to Eywa," he said after a moment. "I'm thanking the plant for its sacrifice to us and wishing it a speedy recovery and a long life." Norm cringed a bit inside, waiting for some kind of snide remark from his cousin. He was mildly surprised when none came and he looked up to check Kyle's expression.

While Kyle had not voiced anything he did look slightly dubious at Norm's explanation. Kyle extended his left arm and examined the pattern of blue strips on his hand, flexing his fingers as he did so. "I guess I've seen weirder things," he murmured after a second, and offered no further comment.

For his part, Norm was content to drop the conversation. Kyle had so much to learn, and much of it was stuff that Norm would not be able to teach him. Norm checked his watch – they had been gone for almost two hours. "We should be getting back. I've got enough material here to keep the botanists happy for a good while."

Kyle merely grunted an affirmative and readjusted the rifle in his hands, and both men began the long walk back towards the river.

Norm still wanted a chance to talk about what happened in the hangar, and now was probably a good time while they still had privacy. Norm did not know the best way to proceed, so he simply took a deep breath and plowed right in. "I've been doing some thinking. About what you said in the hangar, I mean," he began.

Kyle's expression darkened and Norm noticed his tail start to twitch a little more rapidly. "Yeah, what of it?" Kyle said in an impressively level tone.

"Do you remember what I said last night at dinner? Who you are hasn't changed one bit, Kyle," Norm replied. "And like I said, no one worth your time thinks of you any different. Look at how Roger treated you last night! Your new body didn't bother him one bit. And you were joking with Collins about it less than two hours ago. You've still got all the mannerisms and personality traits of the guy I've always known. You're still Kyle to me, no matter what shape you're in."

Kyle managed a fond smile at those memories. He looked at Norm with a sincere expression. "I don't want you to think that I'm ungrateful for this chance to live, cousin. Don't ever think that for a minute. But with all due respect, this situation is still incredibly bizarre to me. What's the longest time you've been linked to your avatar?" Kyle asked.

Norm paused his steps as he searched his memory. Honestly he changed forms so easily now that the times spent in his avatar seemed completely normal. "I'm not actually sure…" he said. "I guess all day. Maybe 15 hours or so."

"Well I've already got a one up on you, cousin. I've slept in this body, and that's something you've never done. Everyone dreams, but I'm convinced that no human could ever dream like a Na'vi. Norm, that nightmare felt _real, _and I'm talking about it being way more vivid than a night terror." Norm could only nod – Kyle did have a point, there. "I also had some good dreams, too." Kyle closed his eyes as he remembered. "I was young again, back in grade school. I was dreaming about being with my parents again. I was dreaming memories that I probably could never recall if I was awake. How do you explain that, Norm?"

In all honesty, Norm could not comment on what Kyle was saying. For all of Kyle's inexperience in this world, he had actually succeeded in painting Norm out of the picture with what he was describing, and that caused Norm's heart to fall. Norm wondered to himself, am I losing my cousin all over again, my only family I have left?

Kyle continued, "Norm, about 48 steps ago you stepped on some kind of plant. I don't have a fricken clue what it was, but with every step you've taken since you redisturb the plant matter between the lugs of your boots, and it releases something that smells like mint. Even if I was blind and deaf, I could tell every time you moved your foot from my sense of smell alone. How do you explain that, Norm?" he asked a second time.

Norm stopped and just stared at Kyle, completely slack jawed, before reflexively examining the soles of both of his feet.

Kyle motioned at himself, then at Norm, before he kept talking. "You know as well as anyone that these bodies come with a pretty sweet upgrade in the sensory department. And even though avatars aren't sentient, don't you even try to tell me that you haven't felt the latent instincts that are buried deep down inside. Every night, or quite frankly whenever you feel like it you can unplug and turn human again, but I'm stuck here. I may have a very human mind, but I'm caught in a decidedly unhuman body, and it's doing strange things to me."

Kyle had taken on a very vulnerable look as he revealed all of this, and Norm felt intense sympathy for his cousin. He also felt quite honored that Kyle would confide all of this in him. Finally Norm managed to find his voice. "Maybe you could talk to Jake about some of this? I suppose he's the only person in existence who knows how you feel."

Kyle snorted. "Yeah, maybe, maybe not. I mean, come on Norm! The man runs around in a loincloth for crying out loud! He made his choice under entirely different circumstances, and his new existence doesn't seem to bother him in the slightest. Who would have known a disabled marine would end us as the chieftain of a tribe of aliens four light years from Earth."

The logic in Kyle's response was cold and accurate. Still, Norm kept pushing. "I'm sure all that's true, but maybe you could at least try talking to him about…I don't know…something…" Norm trailed off with an irritated mutter, and Kyle watched him with subtle amusement.

"Norm, I really appreciate what you're trying to do to help me, but I don't think there will be any easy –" Kyle stopped as he observed a startling change come over Norm. His cousin was rooted in place, a distant look affixed to his face, both of his ears swiveling slightly in different directions. "You ok? Hello?" Kyle waved a hand in front of Norm's face and snapped his fingers, but Norm still was not listening to him. "Pandora to Norman?"

"Do you hear that?" Norm asked finally as be suddenly began looking all around them.

Kyle frowned. "Hear what? I don't hear anything – oh, shit." It finally dawned on Kyle that the forest had gone deathly silent – there were no animal sounds at all, and even the insects had mysteriously turned mute. Kyle's own senses strained to make out any details as he brought his rifle up to his shoulder and flicked the safety off. He tried to remain as quiet as possible as he began to scan the around them, looking for anything that might be a threat.

"We need to get off the ground, right now," Norm said firmly as he made his way over to a promising looking tree and began to climb, his tail gyrating behind him for balance.

Kyle glanced up at him incredulously. "Are you serious?" he hissed as be started to back towards the tree Norm was ascending. The sense of dread in the air was almost palpable as Kyle backed up against the trunk of the tree. He did not notice or care as small shavings of bark fell down on him from Norm's climbing.

Suddenly the skin along Kyle's arms and neck began to tingle with some hitherto unknown sixth sense, and a feeling of mortal terror began to settle in the pit of his stomach like a cold rock. It felt like he was in the crosshairs of a sniper…or the eyes of a predator, as it where. Kyle still could not see, hear, or smell anything, but he grimly noted a slight breeze from the north. Anything south of him would remain undetected while his own scent was born away from him on the gently swirling eddies of air. Kyle pivoted and faced south, his sharp eyes straining through the scope for a glimpse of something, _anything_.

Something in the atmosphere shifted, and Kyle gradually became aware of a new presence in the area. Something eminently bigger than he was very near, its presence only just now given away by the displacement of air that its mass created. Frustration gripped Kyle and a small growl curled out from his throat unchecked, and a small bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

"Rambo!" Norm hissed from somewhere up above. "Shoulder the gun and get your ass up here! NOW!" Norm was trying to whisper, to maintain some semblance of stealth, even though he knew the element of surprise belonged to their stalker alone.

Finally relenting to the unfiltered fright in his cousin's voice, Kyle swore softly to himself before he affixed the rifle's strap across his chest, slinging the weapon around his back. He turned to the tree that Norm was in and began to climb as his hands began to shake with terror. Kyle's ears flicked backwards as the softest of sounds, the tiny skittering of leaves brushing across the forest floor, came to his attention. Such a strange concept, Kyle absently thought to himself, that such an innocuous sound could be a portent of death.

With a speed born of sheer terror, Kyle ascended the tree. The sound of a twig snapping as a great weight bore down on it reached him from an indeterminable distance away. Kyle fought against the urge to look back, to catch a glimpse of his stalker. Instead he focused with all his strength on the hand and footholds before him as he struggled to make firm his every step on the vines that encircled the tree. Go, go _go, _his mind screamed in constant alarm, mindful that a misstep would most likely end in a fall and certain death. The weight of the M60 bit into his shoulder and it slapped against his back, and he momentarily entertained the idea of ditching the gun. He discarded the idea with another growl – damn it if I'm going to give up my only defense, he told himself.

Kyle reached a sold branch 75 feet above the ground and opposite of the limb that Norm had perched on. Norm was scanning the forest around them with wide, unblinking eyes, his ears ramrod straight as he struggled to sense around him. He held off Kyle's unspoken question with a wave of his free hand. "I don't know where it is yet," he murmured.

"_What_ is it?" Kyle responded quietly. He shifted until he was crouching on the branch and steadied himself against the trunk with his left hand. Kyle reached back and unshipped the rifle, holding it tight to his shoulder with his single free hand, his bicep bulging and quivering slightly from the strain.

"Must be a thanator," Norm responded grimly.

Kyle had seen faint, blurry pictures of Pandora's apex land predator. Information on the beasts was slim owing to their rather vicious nature – their nasty temperament generally discouraged close study. Still, a monster so large could not remain hidden from sight indefinitely, could it? Kyle had a general direction to search in, but he still had no reference for what possible range the animal might be at. It became nearly impossible to discern though the brush more than five yards or so from the base of their tree due to the natural thickening of the jungle growth.

The barest movement, shadow upon shadow, caught Kyle's eye through the scope and he gasped slightly and lowered the barrel of the gun. Out of the corner of his vision he saw Norm look towards him, but the scientist remained silent. Kyle studied the area where he thought he saw the movement, and for a second he thought he must have imagined it. A startling revelation struck him as he realized at last he was trying to look too far out into the jungle. Not 10 yards away he finally began to discern the outline of something huge hidden deep in the foliage of the tall, fernlike plants that coated the jungle floor. The predator had used the cover of the massive bough of ferns to almost stalk right up to them, and Kyle's mind struggled to calculate exactly how close to death he must have been when he was on the ground.

"Fuck me," he breathed.

Kyle braced the rifle against his knee as he scoped in on the fern bough. He still could not distinguish shadow from flesh; it was more of watching for where the shadows were not, as strange as it sounded. All of a sudden a splotch of color leapt out at him, and Kyle swiveled back to examine the space between the leaves where it had been. Again, Kyle thought it must be his mind playing tricks on him, but the then the shadows slid open to reveal a single yellow eye, complete with a vertically slitted pupil, staring straight back at him through the scope.

The very breath froze in his lungs as Kyle locked eyes with the predator. The thanator, for this is surely what this creature must be, held Kyle completely captive with only its gaze. The intelligent malevolence glaring back at him caused Kyle to whimper softly without thinking; it was the pitiful mewling sound of a prey animal. Instinctual fear, long forgotten by humanity, bubbled up from some untapped well deep within Kyle's soul. It was the impulsive dread, the natural aversion to the simple but horrifying concept of having one's flesh be consumed by another creature.

Then the eye slid shut again and the spell was broken. Kyle resumed breathing with a wheezy gasp.

"It's right there, isn't it?" Norm asked forlornly. Kyle could only nod. Norm continued speaking, his voice clinical and unemotional. "Do not try shooting it. Even if you can discern its head or chest, your bullet would be unable to penetrate it. I have been told a killing shot can only be obtained through the eye socket." Kyle could not trust himself to locate the place where the thanator's head must have been. In any event, he hoped to never have to look such an animal in the eye again.

"It was less than 25 feet away from me, Norm," Kyle finally managed to whisper. "Why didn't it attack me? That's got to be less than a body length."

Norm struggled to process this. They should both be dead, in fact. "I don't have an answer for that," he finally managed.

"Well, now what?" Kyle managed to grumble. "Do you think I could scare it away?"

Norm chuckled humorlessly. "You'd probably piss it off before you scared it, Kyle. Thanators aren't scared of anything." After a moment Norm traded a grim look with Kyle. "I think we might be up here a while."

* * *

Tanhi finished her time of teaching with Janelle in the ambient room. Her fascination for the images of the inner working of the Na'vi body that Janelle was showing her on the data pad completely made up for the fact that she was essentially indoors with a cold metal roof over her head. Now that the lesson was over, though, Tanhi was quite relieved that she could be out in the open. The sun and warm breeze on her skin felt fantastic. Her stomach grumbled at her as a reminder to attend to its needs, and she smiled to herself as she began to walk towards the gardens and the bounty of fresh, tasty fruit that they held.

She had just finished consuming a delicious purple skinned fruit when she heard someone approaching. She turned to see Neytiri, and she quickly greeted the Olo'eyktan's mate. "Oel ngati kameie, Neytiri," she greeted.

_"And I see you, Tanhi," _Neytiri replied. _"Your teachings with Toktor Huxley are proceeding well?" _

"_They are, very much so" _Tanhi replied. _"She is a wise woman indeed, and very knowledgeable. It is a great benefit for me to learn under her."_

Neytiri nodded sagely, pleased with Tanhi's response. She was very glad for relationships such as these. Even a year after the Time of Great Sorrow, there was still healing that needed to be done between the hearts of the People and the Tawtute. _"Would you be interested in going out to hunt with me, Tanhi? I would greatly enjoy the honor of your company."_

Tanhi's eyes lit up at the idea. _"Yes! Of course so, Neytiri. The honor would be mine."_ A thought occurred to Tanhi, and she tilted her head as she asked, _"The Olo'eyktan would not mind the extra company?"_

Neytiri laughed at this. _"My Jake is not coming. This is a woman's time to get away from the craziness that seems to surround males, yes?" _Her eyes twinkled with love for her mate as she said teasingly, _"His presence is not desired or required."_

Tanhi nodded as the corners of her mouth smirked up slightly and she replied with an admirably straight face, _"It would be a great honor indeed to assist the Omaticaya's future Tsahìk in this way."_

The two women walked back together to the Omaticaya's small camp to gather their bows and to find two pa'li. After forming tsaheylu they mounted up and rode towards the main gate at an easy trot. They proceeded out to the river that fed water to Hell's Gate, and then followed the bank upstream away from the noise and bustle of human activity. Now that Hell's Gate contained much more peaceful occupants, the animal life around the compound flourished greatly. Most of the large predators avoided the humans' home, and the prey animals were quick to take advantage of whatever shelter they could find without regard to who provided it.

Neytiri and Tanhi dismounted and left the pa'li at the mouth of a small creek, giving them gentle instructions to not wander far from this spot. Both of the placid beasts were pleased indeed with the amount of flowers around their present location and ambled a few steps away to begin slurping greedily at the nectar.

Here at the outlet of the creek were plentiful signs of both tapirus and yerik. For the two huntresses it was a simple matter of selecting the freshest trail, and within a moment they both set out into the woods. They worked in silence as they drew one another's attention to various signs along the track. It evolved into a friendly, wordless competition to see who could pick up the most clues.

A fresh deposit of yerik spoor gave both women pause, and a knowing look was shared between them. At this sign they both split up, traveling now on separate sides of the game trail. They maintained communication with various chirping and whistling calls as they closed in on their prey.

Tanhi caught sight of the yerik first, a plump looking female grazing contently in a small glade. Tanhi knew that the time for yerik to bear young had passed long ago – this animal was simply very well fed. The yerik was completely broadside to her and in a perfect position for Tanhi to take a shot, but unfortunately she had arrived at the clearing in the deep cover of the plant life. There was a chance that she could bring her bow around, but she would also run the risk of alerting the wary animal to her presence.

The barest hint of movement in the trees to her right caught her attention, and she took note of Neytiri crouched in the low branches. The huntress was in a good position for a shot – indeed, her bow was already drawn with an arrow nocked, but unfortunately she was facing the yerik's rump. The animal was not exactly facing correctly for a killing strike from Neytiri.

A perfect imitation of a young ikranay call caught Neytiri's attention while simultaneously avoiding alerting the yerik to her presence, and the women locked eyes for a moment. Once Tanhi was confident that Neytiri knew where she was, she looked back at the yerik and clicked her tongue twice.

The deer like animal stopped gracing and raised its head with a start, unchewed blades of grass falling from its mouth. Tanhi clicked her tongue once more and the yerik obligingly rotated to face her, the fan on its head rotating open to help gather in sound, its six legs stiffening as it prepared to flee.

Neytiri's arrow struck it perfectly between its first and second row of legs, right where the lungs where. The yerik emitted one strangled bleat and took a single step before it toppled over at the edge of the clearing. Tanhi and Neytiri both burst from their hiding places and approached the dying creature. Neytiri drew her knife from her belt and administered the blow of grace, murmuring softly, "Oel ngati kameie, ma tsmuke, ulte ngaru seiyi ireiyo. Ngari hu Eywa saleu tirea, tokx 'ì'awn slu Na'viyä hapxì." _I see you, sister__, thank you. As your journey ends, your spirit will return to Eywa, but your body will remain here with the people. _

"_A fine kill," _Tanhi congratulated her once Neytiri had completed the ritual.

Neytiri looked up at Tanhi and smiled, causing the skin around her large, golden eyes to crinkle. _"And thank you, for providing the skillful distraction to make this kill possible. I do not think I could have done this by myself."_

Tanhi blushed at the praise and merely nodded. Together the two women cut down a young sapling, fashioning a carry pole to tie the carcass to, and in a short while they were making their way back along the creek to where the pa'li were grazing contentedly.

Neytiri, carrying the back half of their burden, now spoke the question that had been on her mind for most of the day. _"Have you had a chance to meet any of the new Tawtute, sister?" _she asked innocently. The darkening of the skin around Tanhi's neck was answer enough, and she smiled to herself.

"_Some," _Tanhi replied carefully. _"I have spent some time talking with Amberferris. She is a very kind woman, but unfortunately quite clumsy. Are all of the __uniltìranyu so ungainly when they are first born?" _She did not say it, but she was thinking the despite their awkward introduction, Kyle was decidedly not clumsy.

Neytiri chuckled a bit. _"Yes, Amberferris will take longer than most to get used to her new uniltìrantokx. Tell me, have you spoken with any others? I am interested in what you think of them."_ Tanhi did not answer immediately as she came to grips with the fact that her interaction with Kyle had apparently been found out, and by the Olo'eyktan's mate, no less! Neytiri laughed softly again and said, _"Do not worry, sister. I have seen the man who bears the work of your hands. I am merely curious as any sister would be, for surely there must be a story worth telling here!"_

When Tanhi spoke, her voice was guarded. _"You are not angered by my actions, are you Neytiri?"_

Now Neytiri fully realized just how nervous Tanhi was about this line of conversation, and she instantly took pity on her. _"Don't worry, may your heart be calm, Tanhi. You know that I of all people would have the least grounds to object if you should ever show interest in such a man as Kylefischer."_

The mention of his name drew a sigh from Tanhi. _"I do not know what came over me, what drew me to his presence." _She chuckled in fond memory. _"Besides all of the noise he was making, of course. He had been exercising on those strange Tawtute constrictions, climbing and playing and laughing like a child. He took a fall, and I approached him fearing that he had been injured."_

Neytiri spoke with amusement. _"He looked far from injured when I saw him this morning, sister," _she said.

Tanhi laughed, too. _"Thankfully he was unhurt, yes. But he was a mess, and I felt that I would be in the wrong if I did not try to help him." _Tanhi paused when they reached the clearing where the pa'li where, and Neytiri and she went about efficiently strapping their kill to one of their mounts. _"He was handsome, to be sure, and kind and courteous… But he seemed frightened, also. Why would that be, Neytiri?"_

So Kyle had not told her about the transfer, Neytiri thought to herself. It would not be my place to reveal such information, she thought silently. Neytiri had spent enough time, limited even as it was, with Norm's cousin to know that he possessed a kind heart. His body was new and healthy, but Neytiri could see that his mind was still gravely wounded. Neytiri Saw this and it was not just because of her Tsahìk training. Tanhi apparently sensed this as well but simply did not have the background information that Neytiri did. No person, whether Tawtute or Na'vi, was a simple being, and Kyle was certainly no exception. _"It is not my place to speak of such things," _Neytiri said as she looked across the pa'li's back at Tanhi. _"You must ask Kyle himself to tell you of this."_

Tanhi nodded at this. _"I will certainly try to spend more time with him," _she said with a slight smile as she finished tying down the straps on her side.

Neytiri nodded, and then asked her next question as carefully as she could. _"You do not seek to fill the loss of the one you were betrothed to with the companionship of another so quickly, do you?"_

Tanhi instantly responded with as much anger as she felt she could safely bring to bear on the mate of the Olo'eyktan and the future Tsahìk. _"I am not the one in my family who has difficulty grieving, sister!" _she fairly spat. _"I barely know Kyle, and I would never seek to erase my betrothed's memory with him! I also do not think my betrothed would desire for me to live a life of mourning for him, either!"_ Tanhi whirled away from Neytiri as she fought back her emotions.

Neytiri sighed, and realized with a bit of surprise that she had referred the Kyle by his first name only. There was no easy way to ask such a question, but it had been on her mind ever since she had seen Kyle's braided hair that morning. She walked around the front of the pa'li, gently patting its nose, and made her way over to where Tanhi was staring resolutely out across the river. Neytiri wrapped her arms around the younger woman's shoulders, feeling the tenseness of the knotted muscles under the skin.

The touch broke a damn within Tanhi, who finally erupted into tears and turned to fully embrace Neytiri. _"I miss him so much! Why did Eywa take him from me? Why, Neytiri? My Yawne, and my Sa'nok! Why were they taken?" _She wept bitterly, great heaving sobs that shook her entire body. Neytiri felt her hot tears drip onto her collarbone, and her own eyes began to water as she held the crying woman.

For the longest time Neytiri did not speak, because there really were no words for such a loss. She simply held Tanhi there, on the banks of the river, as the pa'li quietly looked on. Eventually she spoke, saying, _"Eywa does not cause such things to happen, sister, nor does she desire them. Her heart breaks along with yours. Not even the wisest among the People can fathom the number of days that we are granted, or why those whom we love are called to leave us when they are." _Neytiri gently lowered the both of them to the ground and began to gently rock the weeping woman as she stroked her hair.

"Ngaytxoa, tsmuke," Tanhi said after a while, sniffing and wiping her nose with the back of her hand. _"You have always been a kind friend to me. I would be heartless to forget the loss that you have suffered as well."_

Neytiri gently held Tanhi's face in her hands, smoothing away the tears with her thumbs as she smiled. _"There is nothing to be sorry for, sister."_

Tanhi nodded, sniffing again as she rose to her feet. She coughed and looked somewhat guilty at her outburst. _"We should hasten back with our catch. There is still much preparation that we must do before we can share this meat with our brothers and sisters."_

"_Perhaps we can invite Kyle to partake of this bounty with us when he returns, yes?" _Neytiri said, and laughed as Tanhi struggled and failed to fight back the smile that broke out across her face.


	12. Chapter 12

**Ug, for some reason this was really hard to write. I got a third of the way in and then nixed my progress, totally not pleased with it. In any event, I'm satisfied with where I'm at now. Right now I'm of the frame of mind that if I wait to long I'll be stalled here for a month, and I really don't want that. **

**Still sore from putting winter tires on my car yesterday, but I'm sure it will be worth it, as it's been doing nothing but "precipitating" freezing rain for the last 12 hours. Seriously I love winter! Bring on the snowpocalypse.**

**As always, let me know what you're thinking so far! I greatly value your feedback. Enjoy!**

Chapter 12

Tanhi and Neytiri returned to the Omaticaya's camp in Hell's Gate with their kill, the sky just beginning to darken with a brooding afternoon storm. The fat yerik would provide enough meat for at least one or two good meals. Jake walked out to great them, smiling warmly towards his mate. "Oel ngati kameie, Neytiri," he said as he saw her. "Please, let me carry that for you," he offered and moved to relieve the two women of their burden.

Neytiri huffed slightly at him but smiled all the same. Sometimes it was a struggled to realize that her mate's actions were meant to be only courteous, and not an insult to her ability. Jake had grown into a strong and capable leader, but there were still plenty of human mannerisms and habits that he had that he would probably never outgrow – and truth be told, there were so many things about him that she hoped would never change, anyway. You are my Jake, and I love you just the way you are, she thought silently. _"You may carry my kill, my love, but do not think that means you will be allowed to take more than your share," _she teased him aloud as only the mate of the Olo'eyktan could.

Jake looked slightly contrite and offered her another one of his crooked grins that he more often than not displayed when he was trying to convince her of something, while one of his eyebrows rose a bit with faint meaning. _"I would never think such a thing,"_ he replied, and swiftly kissed her on the lips to silence any further objections.

When they broke apart Neytiri said to him in a voice tinged with amusement, _"You have never been a subtle man, my Jake."_

_ "You are one to talk,"_ Jake replied huskily and leaned in to kiss her a second time. He stopped short as Tanhi lightly cleared her throat from behind Neytiri.

_"Would you wish for me to dress your kill for you, sister, if you have…other matters to attend to?" _Tanhi asked politely as she tried to keep a smirk off her face.

Neytiri jumped a bit as she remembered their audience and lightly slapped Jake on the chest. Jake, for his part, simply grinned in a very self-satisfied way as he watched a blush creep up Neytiri's neck. _"Of course not, sister. It would be rude of me to shrink from my responsibilities." _She offered Jake a look that conveyed her intentions to continue their "conversation" at a later time.

Tanhi looked around before taking a step closer to Jake, bowing her head slightly in respect. _"Olo'eyktan, is my father still here?"_ she asked.

Jake looked at Tanhi and shook his head once. _"No, Tanhi, he is not. He flew back to Kelutral earlier today to oversee clan affairs in my absence. Is everything alright?"_

As Tanhi swiftly assured him that everything was fine, all three people became aware of the sound of an approaching helicopter. Jake tilted his head a bit as his ears flicked slightly to track the machine's movement. He gave Neytiri a curious look and asked, _"It is not landing in its normal place. Do you know of anything that is going on?"_

Neytiri shrugged and gave Jake an equally puzzled look. _"Everything is fine, to the best of my knowledge," _she replied.

Jake discerned from the sound that the Samson seemed to have landed right on the lawn near the basketball courts, and after securing the yerik carcass he began to make his way in that direction. Neytiri and Tanhi followed, equally curious as to what might be going on. After they passed the gardens Jake could see two avatars swiftly unloading some of their gear, while at the same time the pilot was throwing open his door and exiting with noticeable haste. Jake frowned as two things struck him simultaneously – Norm and Kyle were not present, and the Samson had only one of its door guns mounted. Jake checked the sky and grimly noted that fully one half of the heavens was now blotted over in dark clouds.

Collins caught sight of Jake and began to swiftly jog in his direction. "Mr. Sully, we have a bit of a problem," he panted. Jake raised his eyebrows for the pilot to continue. "We had to come back without Norm and Kyle. They radioed in and said that they had been treed by a thanator, and the great bastard doesn't seem to be giving any indication that it's moving anytime soon."

This news was greeted with simultaneous gasps from Neytiri and Tanhi. "Are they safe?" Tanhi asked quickly. To himself Jake was wondering what twisted sense of humor Eywa had by introducing everyone to a thanator on their first day on Pandora.

Collins nodded. "They said they were plenty far up off of the ground, and Kyle does have one of the M60s. I'm not too sure how much protection that will provide them, though…" Collins looked up at the approaching storm. As frustrating as it was, he knew as a pilot that this would not be flyable weather. "I don't want to leave them out there in this," he said in an exasperated voice.

Neytiri gave Jake a worried look. "It is nearly impossible to deter palulukan from the hunt, once he has decided on his prey," she said. "It seems strange that it would not have attempted to pursue Norm and Kyle into the tree, though."

Jake nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I was wondering that, too. Do you have any idea why that would be?"

"I cannot say, my Jake. But I know for certain that the palulukan will be able to wait much longer than our two friends." It was not unheard of for a treed Omaticayan hunter to have to wait for days until a palulukan lost patience. More often than not a large hunting party must be dispatched to assist the waylaid hunter. "I am especially worried for Norm, for he will be unable to sleep, lest he leave his uniltìrantokx."

Tanhi silently puzzled over Neytiri's wording. Was she not worried for Kyle in the same way?

Jake asked Collins, "Do you know what supplies they were able to take with them?"

Collins shook his head. "Norm had his daypack with him. Of course, who knows how much of that was scientific crap, rather than food or water. You know how Spellman works. And who could blame him! This trip was only supposed to be for a few hours."

"Norm has come a long way in learning the ways of the forest. He should have no trouble finding the gifts that Eywa provides for them," Neytiri said, trying to sound reassuring.

"Yeah, good luck foraging from a single tree, though," Jake grumbled. In echo of his morose thoughts, a great peal of thunder crashed forth from the clouds, echoing around the buildings and causing the Na'vi to lower their ears for a moment. "That's it, get your ass inside, Collins. Park your chopper later, it's about to get really wet out here."

Tanhi had followed Collins inside, bidding Jake and Neytiri farewell, saying she wished to speak with Janelle about something. Jake joined Neytiri inside the avatar cabin after making a quick blitz through their camp, gathering things that they might need or did not want to get soaked. The rain began before Jake could fully gain the shelter of the cabin however, and he unfortunately looked like he had been doused with a bucket by the time he slammed the door behind him.

Neytiri giggled at the ticked off look her mate was wearing.

"What?" Jake replied as he tried to work the water out of his hair and wring out the flaps of his loincloth. "I don't mind water, I just hate being surprised by it is all." He spoke in English, as he often did when he was distracted or spun up by something. Jake kept fussing with himself as he fought with the wet leather straps of his weapons harness, but found his movements came to a grinding halt as he took note of the way Neytiri's hips were swaying as she approached him.

"_You know you can always ask for my help disrobing you," _she fairly purred as she ran a finger over his wet chest, causing Jake's breath to catch in his throat. _"I've proven to be quite good at it."_

Jake swallowed and looked around at the slumbering avatars, not sure if he wanted to continue with this course of action with a potential audience. A wide, toothy grin split his face as he arrived at a satisfactory solution. As Neytiri deftly removed his frustrating weapons harness, he gently staid her hands from further mischief and said, "Showers. Now."

Neytiri let out a frustrated huff, her tail curling behind her, and said, _"But you were just saying you did not wish to be wet?"_

"True, but I already am, and now it's your turn," he replied as he wrapped his arms around Neytiri's waist and hoisted her up over his shoulder, ignoring her cries of protest as he carried her bodily towards the shower room.

* * *

Kyle was cursing his continued bad luck as the sky poured rain with the all the gusto of an inverted lake. The racket of gigantic rain drops smacking into tree leaves was almost loud enough to drown out the din and clamor of thunder. Under the jungle canopy, the uniform rain fall transformed into countless raging waterfalls as the leaves of the trees condensed and guided the flow of water down to the ground. Norm did not have any ponchos in his pack, but thankfully the leaves of the tree they were in were quite large, and close to the trunk it was much easier to avoid said waterfalls.

All these separate facts combined to find Kyle curled up on his side in a fetal position on a tree branch 75 feet above the ground, a 10 foot long leaf draped over his body like a gigantic tarp, and his tail wrapped forlornly around his waist.

"I'm sorry!" Norm groused again from a similar position on the other side of the tree, even though Kyle had resolutely purposed not to complain. Being saved from a near death experience did wonders for Kyle's perspective in life. "I should have planned better," Norm muttered.

Kyle rolled his golden eyes and tried to hunker down further beneath his leaf, tensing as another gust of wind tried to remove him from his branch. The storm kept trying to fling his cover off of him, and his back was soaked from the rain. "I told you not to worry about it," he replied through gritted teeth. Still, he managed a slight grin and shot back, "If you were really sorry, though, you could always jump down and –"

"Oh, shut it!" came the reply.

The storm lasted the entire day, and evening was beginning to darken the sky. Kyle and Norm did not talk much, each engrossed with their own thoughts. Though it had finally stopped downpouring, the air was still permeated with dampness, and the jungle itself continued the rainfall as the trees shed the moisture on their leaves. Kyle removed the scope from the M60, which he had kept blessedly dry by wrapping it in several leaves, and checked the ground below them.

Insects and critters too small to notice or care about a thanator had finally resumed their existence around them, even though Kyle could still make out the shape of the concealed predator. Damn stubborn bastard! Kyle shook his head, too tired to be overtly mad at the beast. Eventually, even larger creatures began to stir as though realizing that the thanator had its mind stubbornly set on the two avatars in the tree.

The plants around them were starting to brighten with internal light when Kyle finally spoke. "Norm, we're gonna have to do something about this. The thanator is going to stay there until we drop from this tree from exhaustion."

Norm sighed from across the branch. "Agreed. Got any bright ideas?" he whispered quietly. They did not have much by way of supplies, but the water filled leaves from the Aloeparilus Succulentus plant that they had brought with them provided much appreciated liquid refreshment.

Kyle spoke slowly and carefully. "Well, for whatever reason, we're apparently the most tempting thing out here in this jungle for that monster." He paused before speaking again, keeping his voice soft. "What if we gave it something more tempting then us?"

Norm considered this before answering. "I refuse to get eaten, Kyle," he harrumphed.

Snickering softly, Kyle responded, "I wasn't thinking of you this time, cousin. There's a hexapede a hundred yard back to the right of us. I can see it grazing in a clearing, and I don't think the thanator knows it's there or vice versa, for that matter."

"What are you suggesting?" Norm asked warily.

Kyle closed his eyes for a moment as he considered his own plan. "I…I think I could hit it from here with the M60. Wound it, make it make some noise and draw the thanator away from us. After all, we're just a meal, right?"

"Kyle, that's cruel. You're talking about making a nonlethal shot on purpose!" Norm replied. He shuddered – such a move was not honoring to the hexapede at all.

"Do you have a better alternative?" Kyle hissed back softly. A silent pause from the opposite side of the tree was his only response.

Without any further objections, Kyle readied the gun with a sigh. He did not enjoy the idea of making the graceful animal suffer any more than Norm did. At this point in Kyle's day, though, all he wanted was for the thanator to simply leave, and he had no desire to spend another stretch of time out in the wild with the beast, this time in the dark. Right now, that concept seemed to hinge on giving it an easier meal then they would make.

Kyle finally raised himself into a firing position, balancing precariously on the still damp branch. He observed the hexapede grazing, completely ignorant of the danger it was in. As he began to contemplate the best way to disable, but not kill, the graceful creature, Kyle's stomach clenched and he felt distinctly dirty for what he was about to do.

A soft growl from below, just at the edge of Kyle's hearing, solidified his resolve. "Better you than me. Sorry, baby," he whispered as he took in a deep breath and began to slowly exhale. Kyle settled the crosshairs on the hexapede's spine, just above its hind legs, and gently squeezed the trigger.

The large rifle barked once, the report of the gunshot shockingly loud as it echoed out through the trees, and the single spent brass shell casing twirled and fell silently away from Kyle towards the ground. All around them various creatures emitted startled shrieks, howls, and hisses at the unnatural noise, and for a moment Kyle wondered if the forest itself would descend on him for his callousness. Even from his perch in the tree, however, Kyle could hear the noise that he hexapede was making. It bleated and mewled in a way that absolutely tore at Kyle's heart. He watched through the scope with grim satisfaction as the beautiful, deer like creature tried to crawl away for the cover of the forest using its forelegs alone, dragging its ruined hind end behind it.

Kyle looked down at the thanator's hiding place, silently willing the loathsome creature to give chase and leave them. With a frustrated hiss, Kyle looked back at the hexapede, watching it through the scope.

"Make it stop," Norm whispered from across the branch, where he sat with his knees against his chest and hands clenched to his ears. The thanator remained still below them.

The hexapede was almost to the cover of the woods, still crying wretchedly, as Kyle lined up the crosshairs on its head. He had already determined in his heart that he would put the animal out of its misery if it appeared his plan would fail, as was currently the case. "I'm so sorry," he whispered again, and started to pull the trigger.

"Wait!" Kyle heard Norm hiss, freezing his movement.

Kyle glanced down at the outcropping of ferns and witnessed several of the plants moving and twitching as something unseen brushed against them. Kyle had the impression of watching a snake move underneath a carpet as the thanator began to creep away at a painfully slow pace, homing in on the death moans of the hexapede. The slow, unhurried way that the creature moved profoundly disturbed Kyle, as it seemed to almost draw pleasure from listing to the mortally wounded hexapede cry out. He finally lost sight of the thanator's passage through the ground cover, and he and Norm waited with grim anticipation for the sound of the thanator striking.

If they had been hoping for a dramatic kill, they were disappointed. Kyle had lost sight of the hexapede – it had managed to drag itself to cover. He could only hear the pitiful whimpering it was emitting. Then, without any preamble, a soft, fleshy crunch silenced the hexapede forever.

Both Kyle and Norm shuddered, but within minutes the atmosphere grew noticeably different, as though the thanator's very presence had cast a cloud over their minds that was only noticeable now in its absence. "I think it's finally gone," Kyle said.

"Yeah," Norm agreed, and Kyle heard him shifting uncomfortably on his branch. "They'll send a chopper out for us in the morning. I still think it would be wise to remain in the tree off the ground. There are other things equally as deadly as a thanator out at night, here."

Kyle leaned his head back against the tree trunk with another frustrated sigh. Great. "So you're telling me to get comfortable, aren't you?"

Norm's humorless laugh answered him. "In a word, yes." After a spell, Norm spoke again. "Listen…I can't fall asleep in my avatar. It'll break the link."

Kyle pondered this, wincing to himself as he considered Norm's predicament. Though it was not his birth body, Kyle knew how precious Norm's avatar was to him. Not even counting Kyle's…unique existence, he had no problem seeing now why the avatar drivers were so careful and possessive of their alternate bodies. It was an indescribable blessing to be able to exist on Pandora without the burdens and trappings that came with being human. "Do you have any rope in your pack? We could lash you to the tree, so you don't fall out when you break link."

Norm paused before responding, answering softly, "I wasn't even thinking about that, Kyle. I was worried about leaving you here by yourself."

Kyle closed his eyes and fought back a heady rush of emotions. Gratitude, that Norm had genuinely put his comfort first, before even the safety of his avatar. And last, but not least, loneliness: for no matter where they may be, there was always the constant fact that Norm would always have to break link, and Kyle would still be left alone. The fact that he was not human anymore rose up and slapped him straight across the face, making him wince silently.

"I'll get some lengths of vine for you," Kyle whispered as he carefully rose to his feet and unsheathed his knife from his belt. "Don't worry about me."

It was only the work of a few minutes to secure Norm to the tree with the vine, and Norm also handed Kyle his throat transmitter and earpiece, just in case. "Thank you," Norm told him softly.

"Don't mention it," Kyle said easily. He put no effort into disguising the anguish on his face, however, for he knew there was no way his cousin could see him. "I'll keep you safe, don't worry."

Norm shifted a little bit in his bindings, making sure that his backpack, which he had put on backwards over his chest, was secure. Then with a long, slow exhale he was gone, whisked away through a tunnel of scintillating light to his human form at Hell's Gate, over 12 miles away.

Kyle fought back a surge of panic. "Norm?" he whispered quietly. "Norm?" he asked again, a little louder this time. There was no answer save for the sounds of the jungle, and Kyle knew his cousin was gone. Kyle shifted again on the branch, trying and failing to find a more comfortable position. He finally settled for leaning back against the trunk with his legs crossed Indian style, the M60 balanced across his lap.

"Goodnight," he whispered to no one in particular, and let his eyes drift shut.

* * *

Norm's link unit ejected from the wall, emitting a soft beeping as it went. The lid rotated open and Norm squinted against the sudden influx of light, even the dimmed evening illumination of the link room proving to be too bright for his bleary eyes.

Mo Ye looked up from where she had been multitasking, monitoring his link and running some data tabulations for Max. "I was wondering if you'd come back," she said softly. "Is everything ok?"

Norm settled somewhat shakily to his feet. His mind, thinking he should still be quite sore, was at odds with his comfortable human body which had not been stuck in a tree all day. "Drink," he rasped out, and Mo Ye quickly obliged him with a bottle of water. He threw his head back and gurgled the entire container in a single go. Norm nodded his gratitude as he wiped his mouth with his hand saying, "The avatar's fine. Kyle and I tied me…it…to a tree, so I…it…won't fall out. Damn, this is confusing."

Mo Ye, long used to the split personalities that all avatar drivers seemed to develop, simply smiled.

"I'm just worried about Kyle. The thanator's gone, but we decided to stay in the tree. Didn't want to get attacked by a pack of viperwolves or something. Night isn't the friendliest time on Pandora." He paused as he remembered what they did to make the thanator leave. "Hell of an evening," he muttered, then felt suddenly guilty. He could go to bed if he wished, comfortable under his own covers. Kyle was still stuck on a tree limb out in a hostile jungle, taking care of not only himself but of Norm's own inert, defenseless body.

"You aren't the only one worried about your cousin," Mo Ye said, giving Norm an unreadable look. In response to Norm's own puzzled expression, Mo Ye nodded her head towards the ambient room.

Norm turned to look and jumped slightly as he realized they were being observed. A pretty young Omaticayan huntress was studying them, her face pressed comically against the glass as her large golden eyes roved all around the room before finally settling on Norm. "Who's she?" Norm asked Mo Ye, even as he began rummaging through his memory for a name.

"She did not tell me, and I did not ask," Mo Ye said as she gave Norm a pointed look. "But she said she wanted to be here when you and Kyle emerged from link."

Norm froze, his face coloring slightly as the pieces to the puzzle began to fall into place. Tanhi. Her name was Tanhi, he remembered. She was often around Hell's Gate as she worked with Janelle. Norm struggled put together everything he knew about her, but his overly tired mind refused to cooperate. "Did you tell her about…?" Norm asked, turning back to face Mo Ye.

"I did not feel it was my place," Mo Ye replied, stifling a yawn. "She did not seem to be in any hurry to leave before speaking to him, though, if you catch my meaning."

Norm noticed her yawn and felt guilty again. "Go to bed, you've been watching over me long enough," he admonished gently. "I'll log the link stats for you." And I think I may need to have a difficult conversation with Tanhi, he added silently to himself.

As Mo Ye left, he made the 'I see you' greeting with his hand towards the window, which Tanhi returned with a smile. Norm held up his hand in a 'wait' gesture as he went about shutting down the link computers, and Tanhi nodded. As soon as he was done he walked swiftly towards the airlock, donning an exopack.

Norm yawned himself due to his own tiredness as well as to help clear his ears from the air pressure change as he waited for the airlock to cycle through. The process finally completed and he unlatched the door, which popped open with a soft _thunk._

Tanhi started to crouch down to put herself more at face level with Norm, but he waved her off and hoisted himself up unto one of the gurneys instead. It bothered him deep inside, that despite the atrocities humans had committed against the Omaticaya, some were still kind enough to literally put themselves on a lower plain to speak with him. "I see you, Normspellman," she greeted again. "Where is Kyle…fischer at?"

"Please, Tanhi, you can call me 'Norm,'" he said gently, then blinked as he realized that she had almost referred to Kyle in the familiar sense. Crap, how the heck was he supposed to explain this one? "Kyle…still isn't back yet, I guess," he said, fully aware of how lame his response sounded.

Tanhi blinked and tilted her head slightly, causing her braided hair to sway gently. "Is he still dreaming in his uniltìrantokx? When will he return to his Tawtute body?"

Damn, she's a sharp one, Norm thought. Not surprising, seeing as how she will probably grow to be one of the most skilled healers in the clan.

Tanhi must have noticed the anguish on Norm's face because she suddenly looked very concerned. "Is Kyle alright?" she asked quickly.

Norm smiled faintly as some part of his brain mentally ticked off the answer to the question of who had attended to Kyle's hair. Norm knew full well that such an act of kindness was very seldom displayed outside of close friends or family. "Mawey, Tanhi," he said gently. "He is safe. Kyle remains out in the forest with my dreamwalker body. The palulukan left a good while ago, and I am sure that Kyle will return tomorrow. We will fly out to him at first light, I promise."

A faintly pouty expression came over Tanhi's face, and had the situation been different perhaps Norm would have found it slightly amusing. "But why is he not back here, now?" she pressed.

With a groan Norm made to wipe his tired eyes again, only to bump up against the obstruction of the exopack. "Damn," he muttered to himself. He looked up into Tanhi's eyes which shown with deep concern. "When you and Kyle talked, how much did he tell you about himself?" Norm asked gently.

Tanhi blushed, the spots on her face brightening slightly. Aware of how revealing her line in inquiry had been, she replied softly, "He did not mention much, actually… I know he recently arrived with the new Tawtute." She huffed, blowing away a stray strand of hair. "Obviously. He said he was a…_pilot…_that he flew the great black and white tawsìp." She frowned as she searched her memory. "He was very mysterious," she said at last.

Norm fiddled with his hands as he struggled to think of a way to explain things to Tanhi. At last, he said, "When Kyle was up in the great starship, he was shot and wounded by a very evil man, a man who wished harm upon both the good Sky People and the Omaticaya. The man kept trying to get at him to kill him, and he ultimately caused great damage to Kyle's shuttle, the tawsìp. He tried to kill Kyle and everyone else aboard." Tanhi gasped at this, one hand coming up to her mouth. "Do you remember the tawsìp crash a month ago?"

Tanhi nodded. She had seen the wreckage, in fact.

"That was Kyle's shuttle. Even as wounded as he was, Kyle managed to land there at the river and save at least some of the Tawtute who were with him. But ultimately, Tanhi, his injuries proved to be too great. He was going to die. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Norm pressed.

Tanhi stared at him with wide eyes. "Yes, Norm… But I saw Kyle in his uniltìrantokx. How can he be dead?"

Norm sighed and closed his eyes. "Tanhi, his uniltìrantokx is his only body, now. With Moat's help, we were able to move his spirit into his uniltìrantokx so that he might keep living in a body of the People. This actually happened on the day before you met him. Kyle won't ever awake in his Sky Person body, because that form of his is gone and buried."

Tanhi's mind spun in place as she processed this information. So this was why Kyle had been up at such an odd hour of the morning when everyone else had been sleeping. Now it was blazingly obvious to her the way that Kyle had deflected away her questions about himself, and how as she had grown nearer to that topic he became noticeably uncomfortable. She wondered to herself what it would be like to be in his position, if she had been mortally wounded and the only way for her to live would be to move into the body of a Sky Person. That thought simultaneously terrified and disgusted her. Then she felt ashamed – if the thought of living in a Tawtute body caused such a reaction to her, how must Kyle feel, being stuck in his current form through no choice of his own?

She had been there when Jakesully had transferred from his Tawtute body to his current form – she had been bonded to the tree along with every other member of the clan, praying that Eywa would allow Toruk Makto to live on as one of the People in the fullest sense of the word. Jake was their savior, their Olo'eyktan. Tsu'tey had passed the mantle of leadership on to him, and Neytiri his mate was destined to be Tsahìk one day. All of that made sense to her.

But what of Kylefischer? He was someone who had no knowledge of her world. Some strange, irrational part of Tanhi's mind wondered what Eywa must have been thinking to allow an untested heart to survive a transfer into the form of one of her children. Wait, what had Norm just explained? "Why did the evil man want to kill Kyle?" she asked finally. What circumstance caused him to have to abandon the body of his birth?

Norm looked at her with eyes that shown with pain of his own. "Because he was angry that there were those among the Sky People who thought that what had happened here was wrong. He wished to continue to make war against the Na'vi." Norm remembered with a shock that damn flash drive that Hoshiro had returned to him. He simply had to find out what was on there. "Kyle risked his life to take from the evil man information that would be of great help to us here."

Tanhi frowned, deep in thought. "So you are saying…that Kyle was willing to give away his own life for those whom he had not even yet known?" she asked slowly, even as she considered the concept in her own mind.

Norm smiled, and though he still wore a pained expression his eyes beamed with pride. "Yes, Tanhi. My cousin is a good, brave man. He sought the best for the People, even though he did not know them."

"Then he is an honorable man indeed," Tanhi breathed softly, her eyes thoughtfully downcast. She looked quickly back up at Norm. "Thank you, Normspellman – Norm. I did not realize any of this."

Giving her a wry smile, Norm replied. "It seems that even after meeting only once, you two became decent friends, if I'm not mistaken."

Coloring a bit, Tanhi nodded, though she did not avert her eyes.

"Then you deserve to know the truth. I hope Kyle will forgive me for having to tell you myself…"

Tanhi smiled. "…But I would not have left until I received a satisfactory explanation. The apology will be mine, when I see Kyle next." She looked at Norm with concern, tracing a finger under her own eyes as she observed the bags underneath Norm's. "You should rest before you sicken," she said gently.

Norm stifled another yawn as he nodded. "You are right, of course. Don't worry, Tanhi. We'll get Kyle back in the morning, I promise." I swear it on my own life, in fact, Norm thought to himself. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him.

"Txon lefpom, Norm," Tanhi said, bidding him goodnight.

"Txon lefpom," Norm replied as he heaved himself off of the gurney and onto the ground.

* * *

After reentering the link room, Norm made his way through the darkened lab and out into the hall. Being well after hours, the halls were only softly lit, and he did not meet anyone else on his way back to his room. He entered his suite and went to his desk, opening up the bottommost drawer. He shuffled aside some messy papers and folders and took out the flash drive, still bearing a slight crust of blood.

"You had better be worth your price," he muttered darkly as he sat back in his chair. This would be the first time he had taken a look at the drive's contents. With everything that had happened with Kyle, Norm had honestly not been in any state of mind to try to add any more stress to his life. Norm booted up his desktop, drumming his fingers lightly on the desk. He cast a longing glance at his rumpled bed, but decided that sleep could wait just a few more minutes, anyway.

Norm stopped for a second. Is this something I really should be doing right now? Whatever was on this drive cost many people their lives, and it cost Kyle his human body. Maybe I should wait and look this over with Hoshiro, Max, and Jake, he thought to himself. They were all much better strategic thinkers than he was, he thought.

"A quick look couldn't hurt," Norm justified to himself. One quick peek, and then I'll hit the sack, Norm promised. He clicked the drive into the side of his monitor and tapped the icon on the screen that would open up the files on the device. As soon as he did, though, his computer winked out as if he had pulled the plug. A split second later, the desk lamp that he had flicked on turned off as well, leaving Norm in pitch blackness.

The darkness was complete, and all Norm could sense was the pounding of blood in his ears. Norm waited breathlessly for the emergency lights to come on, but even these remained dark. With a chill, Norm realized that the continual hum of the air processors had ceased, and the silence was absolute and very unnerving after well over a year of their constant, life giving presence. Every single powered system in Hell's Gate had died in an instant, though Norm did not yet realize it. Computer systems, alarms, electric door locks, lights, air handlers, sensor systems, security cameras… Everything was gone.

"Shit," he complained darkly. Operating by feel alone, Norm pulled open another drawer in his desk and pulled out a flashlight. He flicked the beam on and quickly located an emergency exopack that hung on the wall. This he retrieved and slung over his shoulder – he had no idea how long the air purifiers would be offline, and Norm really did not want to be caught in a situation without a rebreather. With another curse he yanked the flash drive out of the computer and stuck it in his pocket, and he turned back to the door. He should have known better than to plug the unknown device into a networked computer, and he sincerely hoped he had not just given the entire system a virus.

After manually sliding the door open, he played the flashlight beam out into the hall. There were no windows here, and his light provided the only illumination. No one else emerged from their rooms, and Norm reasoned that anyone who was asleep probably had not noticed that something had gone wrong. There would be watch standers on duty in the control room, and Norm decided that would be the best place to head to. They needed to get power restored absolutely as soon as possible; otherwise the entire human population of Pandora was in deep shit.

Norm rounded the corner at the end of the hall, his light crisscrossing the floor before him to make sure he did not run into anything. The tired scientist was concentrating so hard on the task at hand that he failed to notice the additional footsteps that quickly and stealthily moved in to match his own. Norm never realized he was not alone anymore, and when the blow struck him just behind the left ear he went down unconscious without a sound, never feeling the strong arms that took him under the shoulders and lowered him gently to the decking.

* * *

After her conversation with Norm, Tanhi left the ambient room, striding quickly across the grounds back to the Omaticaya's camp, her mind absorbed deep in thought as she considered all that Norm had told her. She had plenty of questions and concerns, but what stuck out to her most was the simple fact that Kyle, though not exactly lost, was currently very alone. This, Tanhi decided, was a problem she could do something about. It did not sit well with her that Kyle would have to wait until morning to return home.

Of course, the idea of trekking such a great distance through the forest at night was a daunting one indeed, even for someone as knowledgeable in the ways of the forest as Tanhi.

She moved stealthily about the camp, gathering the supplies she would need for her dubious midnight run. Chief among the things that she collected was a gourd containing the special plant sap that smelled suspiciously like lenay'ga; this would be able to deter almost any predator that might be tempted to bother her. It was this single trick that would be able to all but ensure her safety in the wilderness, and without it Tanhi would not even considering traveling so far after dark. Tanhi gathered a couple of water skins and some food wraps as well, which she slung onto the back of one of the pa'li that had been dosing nearby. She lightly slapped its flank, waking the slumbering creature.

_"I am sorry to disturb your rest, but we have a quick journey to make," _she whispered as she made tsaheylu. After giving the gentle creature the express command to follow her, she went over and bonded to a second pa'li. With a soft click of her tongue and a gentle urging from her thoughts Tanhi rode out of Hell's Gate and plunged into the forest, the second pa'li following faithfully behind. She had found out from Collins earlier in the day where they had landed by the river in the kunsìp. She knew the place well enough. The real challenge would be to track Kyle's and Norm's progress through the woods, especially since the storm would have significantly degraded their trail. But Tanhi also knew of the plants that Norm sought, and she had an idea of where to find these, too. She was a healer, after all.

So with the barest framework of a plan, Tanhi set out to find Kyle and bring him back home. It was a rash decision, she knew. Her sempul would definitely not approve. With a wry smile she reminded herself that her father was not here, and she was no longer a little girl who needed his permission for everything that she did.

The deep jungle had just closed in behind Tanhi when all of the lights from Hell's Gate suddenly winked out.

* * *

Tanhi urged the pa'li to travel as rapidly as they could, but she was still mindful to not tire them out. Her mount felt her urgency, and Tanhi was grateful as the horselike creature chose to push on past its own mild discomfort. Tanhi considered following the river in order to reach the marsh, but she quickly discarded the idea – she could navigate well enough straight through the forest, and such a course would have added too much additional distance.

After a little more than an hour, Tanhi burst out into the large clearing by the river, and she paused for a moment to orientate herself. Collins had told her that they had landed close to the peculiar ridge of rock that bisected the soft ground…he said it held interest for the scientists who studied the rocks and earth. She directed her mount to head that way as her sharp eyes searched the ground.

She was disappointed that she could find almost no sign of the landing site. The storm had been thorough indeed at erasing their trace. With a frustrated sigh, Tanhi turned her eyes to the forest. Her gaze narrowed in concentration. She knew where a grove of the special medicinal paywll plants grew, and she would just have to start her search there. Hopefully it was the same grove that Normspellman and Kyle had visited, and she fully expected to run across some sign of them between the marsh and the grove.

It was not exactly the precise approach to problem solving that Tanhi usually desired, but at least she was still moving in the right direction. A distant roar from a palulukan came to her ears from a great distance away, and the pa'li shifted nervously.

"Tam tam," she murmured softly, rubbing the neck of her mount. _"He is a long way away, across the river." _This she said to comfort the pa'li as much as herself. Tanhi twisted to check behind her, and she was relieved to see that the second pa'li was still faithfully following, breathing easily and watching her calmly. She smiled at it and praised the animal softly, _"You have been so good! When we return you may graze upon the sweet tasting flowers for as long as you wish."_

The pa'li whinnied and shook its head in agreement.

Tanhi readjusted her bow around her back, and together she and the two pa'li headed into the forest, following a clear game trail. Even Tanhi's expert gaze failed to pick up any sign of Kyle's and Norm's passage, and with a growing sense of discomfort Tanhi realized that her plan to find Kyle was beginning to rely more and more on blind luck. Tanhi reached back and dipped her fingers in the gourd containing the fragrant plant sap. She applied some to her upper arms, her own nose momentarily wrinkling at the pungent scent. Better some momentary discomfort now than to be attacked by nantang later, she thought.

Despite the urgency of her mission, Tanhi found herself enthralled with the beauty of the deep forest. This was why she enjoyed being up at odd hours of the night: the beauty of Eywa shining through every living thing never ceased to amaze her. The carpet of moss that the pa'li tread upon lit up with each of their hoofed steps, sending out shockwaves of light like ripples through water.

_"All Mother, please help me find him," _she whispered out loud as she tried to simultaneously search the ground and the canopy above for any signs of Kyle. Even as she murmured this, a single atokirina' floated by her vision, and Tanhi gasped and drew up short as she watched the ethereal seed waft along across the path. Could this be the very sign she had just asked for?

_"Wait here," _she breathed as she dismounted, taking her bow with her as the seed left the trail. The atokirina' passed by a particularly large tree that was crisscrossed with numerous vines. Tanhi's steps continued to send out waves of light across the mossy ground as she pursued the seed, and a single unnatural dark spot drew her attention downward. She crouched and picked up a lone rifle shell, drawing it under her nose and wincing slightly at its acrid smell. It had been fired recently, no more than several hours ago.

Her gaze traveled up to the tree, and her heart surged as she noticed the scuffing along some of the roots and vines. This was perhaps the one sign of Kyle's and Norm's passage that the storm could not have removed. Tanhi sprang forward a few steps and ran her hand over the marks, which she could clearly determine had came from the confounding footwear that the uniltìranyu insisted on wearing. If Kyle and Norm had been barefoot, they would have left no sign of their passage.

Tanhi paused and let her senses go out to the forest around her. She could hear the calls and cries of the nocturnal creatures calmly going about their existence. She sniffed experimentally, but all she could smell was the soft, pleasant scent of freshly fallen rain. There was no danger here – the pa'li would have warned her of that long ago, if that had been the case.

She craned her head to look up into the tree, but she could not see anything from her post on the ground. Tanhi smiled faintly at this – Normspellman had chosen a good hiding place for them. Resecuring her bow, she began to nimbly climb up the tree, following the faint scuffs and bare spots on the bark.

As she reached the first of the large branches Tanhi took note of several vines looped unnaturally around the trunk. She followed their path to her left and found Normspellman's uniltìrantokx fast asleep, limp and head lolling. He had clearly used the vines to keep his body from falling out of the tree. Tanhi hopped up one more branch and began to lean around the right side of the trunk, and to her great joy discovered Kyle fast asleep, leaning back against the trunk. His rifle was resting across his lap, and his right hand gripped its trigger.

Though he was no taronyu or tsamsiyu, Kyle clearly did not let his guard down, even in his sleep.

"Kyle," Tanhi whispered as she gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

Faster than she thought possible, Kyle's left hand shot across his body and clasped onto her wrist with a surprisingly painful strength. His right hand released the rifle and swept his knife out of its sheath on his right hip, flipped it so that the blade descended away from his thumb, and stabbed back at her stomach all in one smooth motion.

Tanhi gasped and tightened her legs around the branch she was on as her left hand thrust down to grip Kyle's knife hand, stopping his motion a split second before his blade plunged into her ribs. The tip of the weapon quivered a scant inch from the skin of her stomach, the muscles in her forearm quivering from the strain of keeping his blow at bay.

Kyle slowly rotated his head to face Tanhi, his eyelids sliding open to reveal serious golden orbs that regarded her with a cold and unreadable gaze, and Tanhi felt a chill pass through her. This was not the man she had met the evening before – that person had been kind and charming, despite the pain she knew he must have been feeling. The man staring at her now wore the hard expression of a killer.

Then, he blinked, and in the literal wink of an eye everything changed. Kyle's expression immediately softened and Tanhi's feeling of momentary terror melted away, and all she was aware of was the feeling of his warm hand gripping hers and the corded muscles underneath the arm that she restrained. "Tanhi!" he gasped as he released her, quickly withdrawing the knife. "Damnit, you scared the hell out of me! Do you always sneak up on people when they're sleeping?"

Tanhi resumed breathing as they both released their hold on one another. "I did not expect…such a violent reaction. I am sorry for startling you," she finally managed. A faint smile ghosted across her lips. "You are exceptionally quick, Kyle."

"I'm really sorry," he apologized, his brow drawn with concern. "That…could have been very bad."

"It was my mistake, surprising you the way that I did," Tanhi excused as she struggled to catch her breath.

Kyle looked forward and leaned back against the trunk, finally allowing himself to relax as he came to grips with the fact that he was not in danger. A nervous chuckle escaped his lips, and he said, "I thought you were something that was going to try to eat me. There's a lot of weird shit in this forest, you know."

Tanhi allowed herself a small laugh as well as she continued to recover from her own scare. "Yes, this can be a dangerous place, if you are caught unawares. I suspect you would have been fine, though, if your reaction speed is any indication."

Kyle turned back to face her, his expression open and welcoming now. "How did you… What are you doing here?"

With a warm smile, Tanhi replied simply, "I've come to take you back home! Unless you would rather wish to spend the night out here?"

With a shake of the head and another laugh, Kyle replied, "Heck no, point me in the right direction and I'll start walking!"

"You can walk, if you wish, but I did bring pa'li with me. Come! We should head back as soon as we get your cousin's uniltìrantokx out of the tree," Tanhi replied.

Working together, Tanhi and Kyle were able to make a harness from the readily available vines, and Kyle lowered Norm's avatar down to the ground. Tanhi took Norm's limp form in her arms and gently leaned him back against the tree as Kyle made his way down the trunk. Kyle gasped as his feet hit the ground, sending ripples of light away from him in all directions. "Whoa…" he breathed as he watched the moss flow with living light. Tanhi silently smiled as she watched his wide eyed expression.

"It's beautiful, no?" she asked softly.

Kyle did not respond. He simply laughed and jumped in place a second time, watching with childlike wonder as the ground illuminated all round him again.

Tanhi grinned, content to simply watch Kyle enjoy a moment of innocence. For a second, the young man looked like he did not possess a care in the world. _"I hope you never cease to be amazed at Eywa's beauty,"_ Tanhi murmured quietly.

"What did you say?" Kyle asked as he looked up, a big goofy grin still plastered on his face. He paused as his eyes settled on Tanhi. She truly was incredibly beautiful, and the natural bioluminescence from the plants bathed her form in soft light. Her own softly glowing spots traced the fine contours of her body, and for not the first time Kyle swallowed slightly as he took in her flowing figure. Kyle's tail began to subconsciously twitch a little faster behind him.

Tanhi shook her head and smiled shyly as she noticed his gaze. "Nothing," she said. She turned towards the trail and clicked her tongue, calling the pa'li. "We must return home," she reminded him gently.

"Yeah," Kyle agreed. He quickly took a wary step back as the two large pa'li suddenly appeared.

Tanhi noticed this as she rubbed one of the animal's nose. "Do not be afraid. They are very gentle," she said. "Come, and tell her hello!"

Kyle did not look entirely convinced, but he still took a cautious step forward. "I'm just not used to seeing something so big so close," he said.

"You faced down palulukan, did you not?" she reminded him with a slightly amused look.

Glancing first back up the tree, then down to where the M60 was leaning by Norm's avatar, Kyle responded, "That was a bit different," he said by way of excuse. "I never really ever saw it…" He looked at Tanhi and asked, "So we're going to ride this back to Hell's Gate?"

"Yes," she said. She watched his reaction carefully as she explained, "You will have to make tsaheylu, the bond, with her. Do you understand this?"

Kyle's eyes widened and he reflexively reached back to touch his braid as he glanced at the pa'li. "I think so," he said slowly. Looking back towards Tanhi, he admitted, "I've never done anything like that."

With a patient expression Tanhi replied, "Of course, Kyle. I know this. But there must a first time for everyone, no?"

Kyle nodded. He looked at his cousin's avatar and frowned thoughtfully. "Who's Norm going to ride with?" he asked.

"I will carry him," Tanhi replied. "It will take some time to return to your home, and I am the more experienced rider. But you must help me lift him."

Kyle shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Of course," he replied and crouched, grasping the avatar under the arms and gently hoisting him up into a fireman's carry. He walked up beside Tanhi's pa'li, and with her help gently laid Norm's body across the animal's back. They also placed Norm's pack on Tanhi's pa'li – at this point in his ordeal, Kyle felt a particular attachment to Norm's samples, and damn if he would lose them now. Once this was done Kyle looked over his shoulder uncertainly at the second pa'li, which stared back at him with an equally dubious expression. Kyle's ears began to rock back ever so slightly. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea," he muttered.

Tanhi came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, allowing her fingers to gently graze his skin just above the neckline of his t-shirt. Kyle shivered a bit at the touch, but he did not draw away. "It is not difficult," Tanhi explained. "All Na'vi can do this."

Kyle snorted and turned to face her. "I'm not Na'vi," he said tightly and swallowed back the other remark he had been thinking.

If she had not understood the deeper intent of his comment, Tanhi might have been stung by his quick retort. Instead she simply held his gaze and replied, "You can be, if you wish it."

Kyle's eyes widened ever so slightly. Again, Tanhi might well have missed the flicker of emotion if she had not known to look for it. He quickly glanced away towards the pa'li and heaved a great sigh, saying, "Fine. Let's do this." Why did she phrase it like that, he wondered as he picked up the last of his gear, slinging his M60 out of the way behind his back.

Tanhi squeezed his shoulder reassuringly before walking up to the pa'li, gently stroking its head as she ran her hand back along its neural whip. "Take her tswin," she instructed. Kyle did, but for now made no move to bring his own queue forward. "Be gentle, it is very sensitive," she reminded him. Kyle nodded in agreement – he needed no convincing, for he remembered what it was like to have someone hold his queue.

After she called her own pa'li to her, Tanhi brought her queue up to the animal's tswin, allowing the delicate neural tendrils to bind together. Both Tanhi and the pa'li sighed as one at the contact, and Tanhi's eyes fluttered closed for a moment. As she reopened her eyes, she explained, "Tsaheylu is a precious gift from Eywa. It allows us to speak with the younger brothers and sisters around us. You may tell her where to go, in here." Tanhi tapped her forehead, then reached forward and tapped Kyle's, using all her strength to resist stroking the pattern of glowing tanhi on his forehead that descended down the bridge of his nose. "You do not even have to speak aloud, but you may do so if it helps you focus. Are you ready?"

Kyle had watched the entire process and listened to Tanhi's explanation. She made it look and sound so simple, but for some reason this did little assuage his nervousness. Kyle reached behind him and gathered his braid, bringing it over his shoulder. He allowed its length to trail through his hand until he reached its end. Before his eyes the pink tendrils emerged from their protective sheath, and Kyle felt himself tremble with anticipation. Even if his human mind was not looking forward to this, his body had an idea of what to expect.

Deciding to just get on with it before he chickened out, Kyle brought his queue up and quickly bonded with the pa'li. The sudden sensation of having his mind double caused his pupils to dilate, and Kyle's knees almost buckled. Kyle leaned against the animal's heaving flank for support with a gasp that coincided with the pa'li's own nervous whinny. The sensation of the animal's beating heart and breathing lungs flowed over Kyle's mind, the intensity of the feeling astounding him; but what unnerved him most of all was the foreign consciousness that was probing curiously back at him.

Tanhi watched as Kyle grimaced and screwed his eyes shut, and the pa'li shifted nervously on its six legs. The man's tail flicked rapidly twice before stilling and his ears folded back in distress, and Kyle's breathing was rapidly speeding up in a sign that Tanhi knew meant he was about to panic. "Shhh, shhh, Kyle. Mawey. Don't be afraid, everything is alright," she comforted him as she placed a hand on his arm. "Listen and focus on my voice. Think about being calm. _Say _'be calm.'" She continued to rub his arm, comforting both Kyle and his pa'li simultaneously. "Say 'be calm,'" she repeated again.

Kyle could barely hear Tanhi's voice. He felt lost in his own head as he struggled to differentiate between himself and the pa'li. The animal's own nervousness from the bond was rebounding back against Kyle, adding to his anxiety. Tanhi's patient but insistent instruction finally penetrated his hazy brain, and he began to speak, "Be calm, be calm, be calm…," repeating the simple phrase over and over to himself. Kyle likened what he was going through to flying – you could not make any sudden adjustments to any aircraft, or the machine would freak out and overcompensate the intended motion. It took a steady hand to be a good flyer, and right now in this moment Kyle sought to maintain a steady mind.

Slowly but surely, Kyle talked himself back down from the edge of panic. Just as Tanhi had intended, Kyle began to ponder in his mind the words that he was saying out loud, and both he and his mount stilled and began to breathe much more easily. Kyle kept his eyes shut and a faint smile began to play across his lips as he and the pa'li arrived at a happy medium between them. The feeling of the great animal existing just beyond his mind's reach was like none other. He gently phrased a question in his mind: one step forward? Please?

Kyle's eyes sprang open and a surprised and delighted "Whoa!" escaped him as the pa'li obliged his simple request. The animal tossed its head and snorted as if to say, 'that was all?' Kyle chuckled as he felt the animal's own subtle combination of amusement and irritation through their link, and Kyle realized with his own rush of amusement that the pa'li was just as relieved to get over their initial first shock as he was. He looked at Tanhi and offered her a triumphant grin. "I did it!" he proclaimed.

Tanhi tossed her head back and laughed along with him. "Very good!" she praised. "You catch on quickly." And indeed he did. Most young Na'vi tended to over think, for lack of a better term. Jake Sully was certainly a witness to this; his first thoughts had sent his pa'li bolting for the edge of the forest, but Kyle seemed to instinctually grasp the need for smooth, controlled ideas. "It almost seems like you've done this before!" she said.

Shrugging self consciously, Kyle disagreed. "Never," he replied simply.

Tanhi shook her head in continued amazement. Kyle had made tsaheylu for the first time with far less drama than she had expected. He made his first bond easier than she did, in fact. With an easy jump Tanhi swung herself up onto her mount's back, resting just behind Norm's avatar.

Kyle watched her motion, again feeling impressed despite himself that every move she seemed to make was graceful, like a dancer. With a wry smirk Kyle tried to jump up onto the back of his own mount, but unfortunately ended up sprawled across its back on his belly. Grumbling noncommittally under his breath, Kyle righted himself after some awkward shuffling and shot Tanhi a somewhat self conscious grin.

Though she refrained from chuckling, she did offer him an amused smile. It would be much easier for you to do that, Kyle, if you were dressed in the manner of the People, she thought to herself. How unfortunate that the strange clothing that the Tawtute insisted on wearing blocked the body's natural grace. She wisely kept the thought to herself, as she strongly suspected that Kyle would not take too well to the idea of dressing himself in a loincloth. But it was an…intriguing…concept, nonetheless.

"What is it?" Kyle asked as he noticed her look.

With a start Tanhi realized she had let some of her musing spill out onto her facial expression. Recovering fast, Tanhi smiled primly and simply mused aloud, "It is strange. Sometimes you are incredibly graceful. Sometimes you are not."

Kyle smiled and fired right back. "Well, you are graceful all the time."

The spots on Tanhi's face and neck brightened for just a moment, but Kyle still noticed. She changed the subjected by saying, "As you are new to tsaheylu, do not try do too much at once. Simply direct your mount to follow mine. That will be enough, for now. Soon you will be able to lead the pa'li without any effort at all. Do you understand?"

Tanhi silently urged her mount to head back to the path, to take them home, and she checked behind her to make sure that Kyle was able to follow. She was not too surprised to see him sitting calmly astride his pa'li, walking just off of her right flank, giving her a 'that was all?' expression. "Yes, ma'am," he replied, his golden eyes mirthful.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jake slept on in the tentlike shelter he shared with his mate, Neytiri tenderly spooned up against his front, his left hand resting lovingly over her stomach. Even though not joined in the bond of tsaheylu, their breathing had synchronized many hours ago, so much so that someone listening from outside would be hard pressed to discern two distinct people within.

However, within 60 seconds of the power going out at Hell's Gate, Jake's eyes snapped open, and it took only another split second for him to become fully aware of his surroundings. His ears rotated ever so slightly to take in any noise (or lack thereof), and he took in a deep breath to smell the air around him, although the only scent he could gather for his efforts was the beautiful scent of Neytiri's hair – not that Jake minded this too much, of course.

The ability to enter into a deep, beneficial sleep while never really loosing track of one's surroundings was something that Jake had perfected in the marines long before arriving on Pandora. His new body, along with the hunter's training that Neytiri had given him, only heightened this skill. It had been a big surprise for Neytiri to learn this fact about her mate, for she had always thought of Jake as an extremely heavy sleeper. While some part of her always knew that Jake would never awaken unless he actively inhabited his avatar, his inability to be roused until he was damn well ready contributed greatly to his fist title of "skxawng."

So one could imagine Neytiri's fond frustration that even now, a year after Jake had become one of the People in spirit and in body, she had _never_ been able to leave their sleeping place first without his knowledge.

Of course, the stream flowed both ways in this situation. Even in her own deep sleep, Neytiri sensed her mate's subtle tensing and movement as something that was not part of his natural sleep rhythms. Her golden eyes fluttered open a few seconds after Jake had awakened. "What is it, my love?" she asked in bleary English.

The deep, rumbling heart of Hell's Gate had never ceased beating for as long as Jake had known it. Whether it was during his admittedly limited time while visiting in his human form, or later in his Na'vi body, Jake had always been aware of the deep thrumming of machinery, a sound that had always brought comfort to his human mind. It coincided in his psyche with the thrum of a cargo plane's propellers before a jump, or the deep rumble of ship engines. Either way, it was home, a place of safety before all hell broke loose. At least until this moment, when Hell's Gate had suddenly gone deathly quiet. "Something is wrong in our friends' home," he whispered in her ear.

Neytiri sat bolt upright in their bedding and reached for her necklaces, dressing herself quickly. "We must ensure that they are safe."

Jake grinned at her, his teeth flashing in the dark as he secured his own weapons harness around him. When Neytiri wanted something from him, she never really asked for it, she just flat out told him how things would be. It pleased him that this situation was no different.

Neytiri made to hand him his bow, but he waved her away. "It's too tight inside. I'm not comfortable using a bow in there."

She nodded, her expression grim as she observed her mate running his hands reassuringly along his back, checking for something. She knew Jake could wield plenty of other weapons with as much lethal efficiency as his bow. Sewn into the back of his leather weapons harness were six objects slightly smaller than her hand, three along each side of his spine. They were small knives that had originally been arrowheads, but under Jake's skilled hands the hunting arrows had transformed into razor sharp knives that he was quite adept at throwing into any target – with either his right or left hand, no less. Along with his main knife across his chest, he kept another backup knife in a sheath at the small of his back, so altogether Jake had eight blades on him at nearly any given time.

The two large knives were no secret to anyone, and it was not uncommon at all for an Omaticayan hunter to have a second backup knife. But the throwing implements were a form of concealed weaponry that only those closest to him knew about. Jake pined for a silenced handgun large enough for him, but he had yet to get around to meeting with Hoshiro to see what it would take to manufacture one. However, his blades possessed one outstanding feature that warmed Jake's heart every time he thought of it – you never had to reload a knife.

The pair exited their tent, and Jake immediately walked across the camp to Tanhi's shelter. He softly called her name, and when he received no response he moved the flap aside and peeked carefully inside. The tent was empty. Jake spun in a quick circle, examining the ground around them for any signs of foul play.

"She left not long ago. She took two of the pa'li with her," Neytiri informed him after her own quick investigation.

Jake let out an exasperated huff at this. He did not like losing track of his clan mates.

Neytiri gave him a reassuring smile. "I suspect I know where she has gone, and she will be safe. She knows how to safely travel the forest at night. We must attend to the matter here, now. It is more pressing," she said, nodding at the darkened human buildings.

Jake agreed, but held up a hand to have Neytiri wait, and she gave him a curious look but remained silent. Jake tilted his head back, cupping his hands around his mouth let loose with a long, mournful sounding cry. It was hauntingly beautiful, but Neytiri was sure she had never heard anything quite like it in her life.

"What was that, my Jake?" she inquired.

"A loon," he replied absently, waiting for a response from some unknown party. "It is a bird from back on Earth." A sound of softly rustling of wings came to Jake's ears, and Tswayon landed on the ground before them, silent and ghostlike. Jake made tsaheylu with the ikran, passing along silent instructions. _Watch over this place from the air. Try to not let any Tawtute out of the main structure,_ he commanded. _DO NOT get hurt, though. I will check back with you later, and you may tell me what you have seen._

Tswayon cackled his understanding, and he ascended back into the night sky with a few strong wing beats.

"What did you tell him?" Neytiri asked curiously.

"Just sending up a spy plane," Jake replied. "Never hurts to have some aerial surveillance."

Neytiri nodded in agreement, agreeing with Jake's foresight. The two Na'vi stole silently across the grounds, completely undetectable. Jake and Neytiri entered the darkened avatar prep room, and Jake opened the airlock to let Neytiri and himself inside. After securing the outer door he turned to the control panel, but frowned when he saw it was dark and inoperable. He flicked the activation switch several times to no avail – the panel was dead.

"Not good," he whispered, and went to the interior door, grasping the handle. With a quick yank of his arm the door unlatched without protest, swinging outwards. A great rush of stinky Earth atmosphere greeted them as it mixed with the Pandoran atmosphere in the airlock. Jake motioned Neytiri inside, quickly shutting the door behind them.

"It was not supposed to work like that," Neytiri whispered, gagging softly as she became accustomed to the new air, an arrow knocked and ready in her bow.

Jake nodded in silent agreement, wincing a bit at their less than stealthy entrance. It was profoundly disturbing to him, however, that none of the atmospheric alarms had gone off when they had opened the airlock. Whatever had disabled Hell's Gate had taken out everything, even the most basic safety features.

The Olo'eyktan reached behind him and withdrew one of the small knives, motioning with his hand for Neytiri to stay well behind him. This was not due to some chivalristic sense of protection, and Neytiri knew this – Jake had no doubt that Neytiri could handle herself in combat. As the pair moved stealthily through the darkened bio lab, Jake took the point position while Neytiri stood upright behind him, covering her mate's movements with her bow drawn, ready to shoot down any intruder that Jake might fail to drop himself.

Once the lab was clear Jake and Neytiri moved out into the hallway. Here Jake moved in a crouch walk, traveling close the walls to avoid Neytiri's line of fire, his ears up and forward, straining to discern any kind of sound. He was not too surprised to find Hell's Gate thus far abandoned. It was the middle of the night, after all, and everyone should be asleep. Still, it seemed very odd to Jake that something could go so catastrophically wrong with its systems, and he was determined to reach the control room to assess the situation for himself.

Jake and Neytiri moved silently onwards through the darkened facility.

* * *

Miles Kennedy was completely bored sitting here in the control room. Max seemed to have no problem keeping himself entertained, though, and the scientist hummed tunelessly as he worked on some unknown but undoubtedly boring scientific…thing…on his data pad. Miles was honored to be able to help pull his weight by partaking in the night watch. He was the first one of the men and women from the ISV to be asked to participate in the afterhours watch, but he was also finding the experience to be an incredible drag. Still, by now he was long used to sitting for hours while watching over an ISV with a computer that was more than capable of looking out for itself, so this experience was not all that bad.

He just wished Max could hold a tune. He rechecked some of the security video feeds for the thousandth time, finding nothing as he had suspected. Dr. Spellman and Mo Ye had retired to the quarters almost half an hour ago, and they were the only people who had been up and about on the entire base. Miles tabbed through various menus, searching for some kind of relief. Where the hell was canasta, he wondered.

Max had explained to him that the control room was manned at all times. While Hell's Gate was not nearly as busy a place as it had been when the RDA had been in charge, there were still plenty of vital systems that needed some human minding. Until now, the people who had chosen to remain on Pandora had been very tight about security, not allowing anyone from the _Enterprise Star_ to go anywhere around the base without some sort of handler with them. Even now, Miles had no doubt that Max was here look after _him_ more so than the actual base. But when Dr. Patel had told him he would greatly appreciate his systems expertise, he had seemed very sincere. The effort to further integrate the two very different groups of people was not lost on Miles, and he was very grateful to Max for his efforts.

Everything seemed to be going just fine until someone pulled the proverbial plug, rendering the entire base inert. The lights, tinted red to preserve their night vision, winked out and all of the computers in the ops center died with a strangled whine as hard drives and cooling fans spun down. Even the data tablet in Max's hand flicked off, turning into a blank slate of glass in an instant.

Both men froze in place as their eyes grew accustom to the darkness. The faint glow of natural light from outside provided barely enough illumination for their human eyes to see by. "That wasn't you, was it," Max spoke into the darkness, more of a statement than an actual question.

"Not quite," Miles replied, still dazed by the sudden turn of events.

Max pulled out a hand held radio and began to speak into it, trying to raise Hoshiro, while Miles quickly went about the rebooting process for the main computers. None of it was working, however, and Miles kneeled on the floor to check under the control panels. Much to his dismay he found that none of the indicator lights were lit up, either. It would appear that the interruption in the electricity was not up here in the control room.

"I can't reach anyone," Max informed him after a moment, his face tight with worry.

"Aren't there any battery backups?" Miles asked irritably as he stood up, brushing off his knees.

Max nodded. "There are, but something must be preventing them from coming on!" Max replied, shifting on his feet nervously as he tried to work his own dead control panel.

Miles snorted. Clearly. "Well, we're going to have to follow this back to the source," he said, still tapping at a dead computer as though he could will it back to life. "Could a thermal surge have overwhelmed the system?"

Hell's Gate was powered using geothermal energy, a completely clean, self sufficient energy source that used heat piped up from deep underground to spin steam powered turbines that in turn fed the electric generators and massive banks of batteries. The system was completely computer run, but perhaps a large enough geological upheaval had damaged something… The cameras were out, though – someone would have to visually check the plant in person.

Max looked doubtful but did not immediately disagree. Pandora was very active geologically as the massive gravitational pull of Polyphemus exerted all kinds of forces on it. The area where Hell's Gate had been built was chosen for just that reason, because it was very stable geologically, but still…it was a possibility. "If that plant goes down, we're all done for," Max said quietly. Without the air recyclers they had enough usable oxygen inside for maybe two days. That was it.

Suddenly the radio in Max's hand squawked, and he almost dropped it. "Control room, this is Tanaka," Hoshiro's completely level voice said. "Report."

Max sighed in relief, now quite glad that Hoshiro had insisted on so many redundancies. "Everything just turned off, Hoshiro. There was no warning whatsoever. We've got zero indication of power up here. Miles and I were going to go down and check the power plant."

"Send Kennedy down to the plant alone – I will meet up with him there. You remain in the control room, Dr. Patel. Seal the door manually as soon as he exits." Hoshiro spoke in a level monotone, rapping out orders with calm precision. "Do not let anyone in that you do not explicitly trust, Dr. Patel."

Max and Miles stared at each other with growing expressions of alarm. Hoshiro seemed to be treating this as much more than a mechanical failure. "Do you trust me?" Miles asked quietly, genuinely perplexed.

Swallowing nervously, Max replied, "I trust you and your experience enough to check out the power plant. Apparently so does Tanaka." It was the most diplomatic reply he could think of. Miles, along with almost everyone else who had arrived on the _Enterprise Star, _had never given Max any reason to doubt their character. It did not escape the scientist's sharp notice, though, that they had never had anything like this problem before the ISV had arrived.

Miles nodded slowly. No one was accusing him of anything, but he could sense how the situation was forming up. If their survival was truly threatened, Miles had no doubt that he and everyone else from the ISV would be at the top of the list for suspects. "Let him know I'm on my way," he said tightly as he grabbed an emergency pony bottle and a flashlight from a cabinet on the wall.

"Be safe," Max gently admonished as he shut the door behind Miles, cranking down the mechanical lock. As soon as the door was closed Max leaned against it and sank slowly to the floor. "Just fricken great," he muttered.

* * *

Miles walked quickly down the hallway, trying to not let the darkness unnerve him. He had been experienced power "interruptions" aboard ship before, and those situations had the added stress of occurring within a zero gravity environment. Still, he always purposely thought of it as a simple interruption of power rather than an outright failure. They had always managed to turn it back on, after all, always been able to find the problem.

But somehow the knowledge that his feet were firmly on the ground did little to calm the nervous man. Deep down in the back of Miles' mind, he knew that outside of these safe human walls was a world just as hostile as outer space, a world that would kill them only marginally slower than the cold vacuum of space would.

Miles steps sped up – he had no desire to remain here in the dark any longer than he had to. He quickly tramped down the stairs and turned a corner, moving so swiftly that he literally tripped over a prone body on the floor, his flashlight skittering away from him across the decking as he fell. Miles winced, rubbing his wrists were they had impacted on the rubber padding of the floor. He looked down towards his feet, but the flashlight was facing away from him, shining uselessly at the wall – whomever he had tripped over remained still and shrouded in darkness.

With a pained groan he crawled forward, retrieved his light (thankfully it had not shattered), and turned to see who had tripped him. Miles gasped as he recognized Norm Spellman's unconscious form lying face down on the floor, a slight trickle of blood coming from a small gash behind his left ear.

"Dr. Spellman!" he said as he laid a hand on the man's shoulder. Of course there was no response; he had not stirred even when he was tripped over, after all. Miles quickly placed a finger against the side of the scientist's throat, checking for a pulse. There was one, and it was strong and steady, much to Miles' relief. Miles gently felt along Norm's neck – it did not appear to be broken, thankfully, and he gently rolled the man over to check his breathing. Like his pulse, it was strong and steady. Whatever had happened to Norm, he was merely out cold. A fire extinguisher near Norm's lay on the floor near Norm's feet. Maybe he had tripped on it in the darkness?

Miles frowned. Norm had been in his room – Miles had seen him with his own eyes enter his living space on the cameras. Why was he out and about? Miles shined his flashlight around the opposite wall from where Norm was lying and found a flashlight resting against some pipes. The bulb was intact, but the light was dark. He reached over to it and pressed the button, and the end flared bright with a cone of illumination. Interesting…

Some sixth sense told Miles he was not alone, and he froze, the hair on his neck and arms standing on end. Miles' breath stopped in his chest and he struggled to hear, but the pounding of his own heartbeat in his ears sounded like a tribal drum, drowning out any other noise. His hand tightened around the tough metal flashlight, his only readily available weapon. Miles leapt to his feet and turned to face down the hallway, Norm's flashlight illuminating the dark space, his own held back ready to be swung like a club.

Jake Sully crouched predatorily on the floor not 15 feet away, his right arm cocked back with a wicked looking knife held easily by its blade in his hand. He was watching Miles silently, and behind him Miles could see the form of that fierce huntress who was his mate, sighting down an arrow shaft that was aimed at his chest, the top of her head brushing the ductwork in the ceiling. Other than some dilation of their pupils as the light played over their faces, neither moved or spoke. The sudden appearance of the two gigantic figures out of thin air almost undid the bare masquerade of calm that Miles was trying to maintain.

Realizing the he was pretty much dead to rights, Miles slowly lowered his raised flashlight as he willed his lungs to start breathing again. "Damn it to hell, you almost scared me to death," he finally managed with a nervous chuckle. He looked down at Norm's body and suddenly paled anew, realizing how the situation might appear. He looked back up at Jake with wide eyes, holding up his hand and stammering, "Please, wait! I…I was just checking on him. I found him like this!"

Mile's gaze flitted back and forth between the unreadable golden eyes of Jake and his mate, who remained perfectly still in their stances. The faint rise and fall of their breathing was the only movement that could be discerned. "I know," Jake said at last, his deep voice answering with quiet authority. When Jake spoke, it was like a declaration of fact that permitted no disagreement. "You're still alive, aren't you?"

Miles felt his stomach turn into a snowball within his abdomen, and he swallowed again nervously. "What…what are you two doing in here?" he asked hesitantly.

Jake's gaze was still cold and callous, his eyes never leaving Miles' face. "I'll ask you the same question, but I expect my answer first," he said, his tone flat and unreadable.

"I was on watch with Dr. Patel," Miles quickly divulged, wanting in no way to piss off the massive warrior before him. "The power just cut out. Dr. Patel is still in the control room, and Hoshiro Tanaka instructed me to meet him down at the geothermal plant. I was on my way there when I tripped over Dr. Spellman. I…I don't know what happened to him."

Jake's eyes finally lowered to the still form of his friend. "How is he?" he asked quietly. Jake still had his knife cocked back, and Neytiri still had her bow drawn, the muscles in her arms not so much as trembling from the strain of keeping her weapon ready. Miles swallowed nervously again. He remembered that it took hundreds of pounds of force to draw a Na'vi bow.

Miles was greatly relieved to be able to report, "He's breathing steady and has a strong pulse. He's just unconscious. He must have somehow tripped and hit his head…" Miles trailed off as he remembered Norm's flashlight. It had been turned off. "He's bleeding a little, but it doesn't look serious."

"I know," Jake replied. "I can smell that for myself." Miles shuddered at this. Jake's eyes went from Norm back to Mile's face, probing for any untruth he might be trying to pass, then down to the flashlight in Miles' hand. To his credit, Miles held Jake's gaze, but he still looked extremely nervous. The gears in Jake's head were churning. You're clumsy, Norm, but not that clumsy, he thought to himself. "Get to it, Kennedy. Don't keep Tanaka waiting," Jake commanded at last, causing Miles to jump into action. After setting Norm's flashlight back down on the floor, he carefully traveled passed Jake and Neytiri, hugging the wall as he went. The two Na'vi made no move to get out of his way, and Miles had the impression that they might still strike out at him without any warning, and as soon as he had passed Neytiri he fairly bolted down the stairs to find Hoshiro.

When he was gone, Neytiri spoke in Na'vi. _"Something is not right here, my Jake."_

Jake was leaning concernedly over Norm, his knife having disappeared back into his harness. _"I know, my love," _he replied. He had silently observed Miles' own sharp observation of Norm's flashlight. It was highly unlikely that the light had somehow managed to fall just right in a way that would turn off its beam. Jake turned back and looked at the fire extinguisher, examining it carefully. It appeared completely normal, not bearing any dents or marks at all. He crouched down very low, his tail waving behind him with concentration, and sniffed the end of the device, careful not to touch it. The fire extinguisher smelled cold and metallic, totally alien. But there was also a subtle scent of Norm on the device that had nothing to do with the fact that his unconscious body was lying a few feet away. He recognized another foreign scent, but he could not place it to a person. _"This was not an accident," _he told his mate as he gently scooped up Norm's small form in his arms. _"Please bring that small red cylinder with us. Grasp it by only the hose, if you can."_

Neytiri complied, holding the fire extinguisher away from herself like a stinky fish. She looked at it with suspicion, asking, _"What significance is this thing, my Jake?"_

Jake gave her a grim smile as they both proceeded up to the control room. _"Smell the end, my love," _he replied.

Neytiri obliged him, her eyes widening as she took note of the same scent that Jake did. Norm had not tripped and fallen at all. Someone had clocked him over the head with the fire extinguisher, and then they had turned off his fallen flashlight to disguise the body. Jake sighed – he had sincerely hoped this was just a simple mechanical failure, but now things were turning out to be much more complicated.

They found the control room door sealed, just a Miles said it would be. Neytiri rapped twice, the sound frightfully loud in the stillness. Jake's sharp ears discerned a frantic shuffling on the other side of the door. "Who's there?" Max's voice came through, its tone betraying the scientist's nervousness.

"It's me, Jake," he replied through the door. "Neytiri's with me. And…Norm."

The door unsealed with a muffled thump and opened inwards. "Jake! What are you guys…" Max's voice trailed off as he saw Jake's burden. The scientist froze for a beat before ushering them inside, motioning for Jake to lay Norm on an unused chart table. Max removed his lab coat, rolling it up for a pillow under Norm's head. Just as Max began to look over Norm the lights snapped back on and the computers all simultaneously whirred and beeped to life, their holographic displays flickering on to a hard boot screen. Both Jake and Neytiri hissed softly and shaded their eyes as the brilliant fluorescents illuminated, the computer having reset automatically to daytime levels.

"Sorry guys," Max replied absently, but he did not look up from his work. Squinting severely, Jake leaned down to follow his progress. "He's fine, Jake. I'll just get a blanket for him. Turn him on his side so he doesn't choke on his tongue," Max instructed as he fetched a covering for Norm to keep him warm.

Neytiri watched him work. "You are sure he is healthy, Maxpatel?" she confirmed, still very worried for Norm.

"He is alright," Max repeated patiently as he covered their friend. "Norm will wake up on his own, there's no need to force him. I'll just clean up his wound real quick and apply some liquid bandage." Max paused thoughtfully before giving Jake a pointed look. "I'm only slightly curious how this happened."

Pointing to the fire extinguisher that Neytiri had set aside, Jake replied, "Someone knocked him over the head with that."

Max shot Jake a look heavy with trepidation at this news. "So this was probably more than just a simple power outage, then."

"Has anything ever happened like this before? What systems went down, Max? The airlock didn't even work. The alarms never went off when we opened the door," Jake fired back.

With a weary sigh, Max answered, "Everything, as far as I know. Every single light, all the computers…"

"The door locks?" Jake prodded.

Max thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Shit," Jake hissed, turning away and starting to pace, his tail lashing behind him in frustration. He turned back to Max and stated, "That means that armory was essentially wide open, am I right? All of the security measures you guys enacted, the codes and biometrics, it was all useless."

Now Max got defensive. "Look, do you think I did this on purpose?"

Neytiri jumped in. "Mawey, my Jake. We cannot fully say what has happened here yet. Maxpatel is not at fault, and strife among friends will do us no good." If it had been anyone else, Jake might have snapped at them, but he could not find it in himself to reply in harsh tones to his mate.

Jake sighed. "You're right, of course. I'm sorry, Max. I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. That wasn't very bright of me."

The atmosphere quickly detoxified at this. "It's alright, Jake. No harm done," Max replied, glad that the tenseness had passed. "I'm just glad Miles and Hoshiro got everything figured out."

Jake glanced at one of the security monitors and frowned. "They're back already?"

A knock on the door was the reply, and Max quickly walked over to let the two men in. "That was quick, guys," he said with surprise.

Hoshiro gave him a strange look. "We never reached the geothermal plant, Dr. Patel. Everything came back on its own."

The puzzled silence was interrupted by a stirring from across the room. Everyone turned to find Norm sitting up on the table, rubbing the back of his head with a pained expression on his face. "What the hell is going on?" he groaned, asking aloud the question that everyone seemed to be thinking.

* * *

"So you're saying that everything cut out as soon as you tried to access the flash drive?" Jake clarified.

Norm, holding a cold compress to the back of his head, winced and nodded. "Yeah, that's right."

Norm, Max, Hoshiro, and Miles, along with Jake and Neytiri, were all still in the control room, trying to piece together what exactly had transpired in the recent past.

"And you were on your way up here when someone attacked you?" Max interjected.

With a distinctly sour look, Norm replied, "Well, that's what you all tell me. All I remember was walking down the hall, and then waking here on the table with a splitting headache."

"And now the drive, which you had in your pocket, is missing," Miles stated.

Norm's face colored, with either anger or embarrassment no one could tell. "Yes…" he gritted.

"Now we'll never know what was on there!" Miles exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. Neytiri shot him a warning look as she caught the glare that Norm gave him, and Miles quickly shut his mouth.

"But we can make some pretty educated guesses…" Jake hedged thoughtfully. "There has to be a way to salvage this," he muttered.

Hoshiro dug around in one of his pockets and withdrew a similar computer drive. He tossed the drive to Max, who caught it after only a slight fumble. "Doctor, if you could be so kind, please put that into your data pad. But please, turn of the wireless connection before you do so. I would like to show you all something." Max gave him a perplexed look, but he began to adjust the settings on the screen anyway. Hoshiro quickly interrupted. "I'm sorry, Dr. Patel, let me clarify – you must turn of the wireless using the hard switch."

"Ok…" Max said as he flipped the physical toggle on the spine of the device, then inserted Hoshiro's flash drive. The data pad beeped in acknowledgment and Max tapped the new icon that appeared on the screen. The instant he did this, the data pad died in his hand, its glass screen going blank. Max just stared at it, completely confused.

"That's what happened!" Norm exclaimed, pointing at Max. "That's all I did! My whole computer quit, and then everything else in Hell's Gate went out."

Jake turned to Hoshiro, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What the heck was that?" he asked.

Hoshiro calmly replied. "That flash drive has very sensitive information on it. Dr. Patel, if you please…?" he extended his hand and Max handed him the data tablet. Hoshiro accepted the device and tapped out a seemingly random pattern of inputs on the blank screen. After perhaps a dozen taps, the data pad turned on, its list of files on full display. Everyone gaped at this.

"How did you do that?" Max gasped.

"What Dr. Spellman did when he used an unsecure computer, completely by accident, was activate a security program when he attempted to access the files on his flash drive. That program shut down his computer, and everything else it was connected to, until someone entered its password. The power here never really went out, but all of the systems here at Hell's Gate most assuredly were not operable. This is why I had Dr. Patel remove his data pad from the wireless network. If he had not, we would have experienced another outage."

Norm took in all of this with wide eyes. "Holy shit…I could have inadvertently crashed the whole system if any of us had tried opening that drive! Even when I removed it, everything was still locked down."

"Yes, indeed. As ironic as it sounds, we are fortunate indeed that there is someone here with something to hide. That person saved all of our lives by unlocking the system," Hoshiro said.

"Could have just asked me for it," Norm griped, rubbing the bump that was forming on his head.

"But who is this person?" Neytiri asked with a frown.

"That is indeed the question of the hour," Hoshiro told her. "Right now we can guarantee only four people here are innocent. Well, perhaps five, if we allow that Dr. Spellman did not deliberately render himself unconscious." Norm harrumphed at this. "Those people are you and your mate, of course, who can account for one another's presence outside," Hoshiro motioned to Neytiri and Jake before continuing. "And Dr. Patel and Mr. Kennedy here, who can each vouch for the other here in the control room. Quite frankly, even I could be a suspect, because it is my word alone that says I was in my room when all of this occurred."

Jake nodded as he followed Hoshiro's train of thought. "I can agree with all of that," he said. "Although I doubt you would have been so crude as to clock Norm on the head with a fire extinguisher." Hoshiro smiled ever so slightly as this.

"Don't forget Kyle," Norm added quietly. "He's still stuck in a tree."

"Agreed," Hoshiro quickly amended.

"Ok, so let's address the elephant in the room," Miles said, and Neytiri silently wondered where exactly this 'elephant' actually was. "Is this person, the one who attacked Dr. Spellman, someone who has been here at Hell's Gate all along, or is it someone from the _Enterprise Star?_"

Rubbing his temples in tired concentration, Jake replied, "I am tempted to say it's one of the newcomers." He noticed Miles dejected look and added, "I'm not trying to accuse you personally, Miles. But let's look at this: the only people here who knew about the flash drive where myself, Neytiri, Norm, and Hoshiro." He gave the two humans a pointed look. "You did not tell anyone else about it, did you?"

Both men quickly shook their heads in the negative.

"Norm, did Kyle tell anyone aboard his shuttle about the drive that you know of?" Jake asked.

Shaking his head, Norm replied, "No. I know he wouldn't. He also hasn't really had a chance to. Even when he first told me about it over the radio, he took care to make sure that it was only me who knew for sure what he was hiding." Norm glanced at Hoshiro who nodded his verification. "Kyle would not have told anyone about it," Norm restated with conviction.

Jake growled. "Then it was someone who already knew of its existence, or at least knew what it meant when all the systems here crashed."

"So there's still someone here who is a potential threat," Max said with a sigh. "Are you even reasonably sure that you vetted the Sec-Ops troopers thoroughly?" he asked Hoshiro.

Hoshiro gave Max a somewhat pointed look. "They were vetted to the best of my ability, but quite frankly everyone who was aboard that ship is suspect," he said primly.

Jake rubbed his face tiredly. "We're gonna have to grill every single one of them again," he muttered.

"Might I suggest a more subtle approach?" Hoshiro said. Everyone paused, waiting for him to continue. "Quite simply, we wait."

Jake gave him an incredulous look.

Patiently, Hoshiro said, "Right now, someone loyal to the RDA, or at least loyal enough that he or she feels it best to hide themselves, risked discovery to retrieve the information on that drive. It is no secret to anyone that there was an altercation on the bridge of the _Enterprise Star, _or Kyle Fischer's involvement in that event. It is not an illogical leap to assume that Mr. Fischer would confide in his only remaining family member, who also happened to play a significant role in the banishment of the RDA from this planet. There, lady and gentlemen, is our leak, if it could be called that. This tells me that whatever was on that disk was vital enough to risk discovery while loyal RDA personnel are still almost a year away."

"All that tells me is that it's more important than ever to get that information. We still do not really know how the RDA has responded to what has happened here. I'd really like to know if they are just going to leave us alone or are preparing some kind of military option," Jake stated flatly. "They have ignored all the superluminal transmissions that we've made."

"This is true, Olo'eyktan, but I fear that the only result of a mass interrogation at this time would be confusion. The only people who know of what has transpired tonight are in here in this room…and of course, our yet unknown mystery person. I do not believe that we should tip our hand just yet, reveal what we know."

Neytiri, who had remained silent for most of the discussion, finally spoke. Her voice was strained, and she felt a sudden Jake-like urge for some kind of decisive action. "How then do we intend to catch this person, Hoshirotanaka?" she said.

Hoshiro tipped his head respectfully towards the Olo'eyktan's mate. "I will find him myself, ma'am, I promise you." He addressed Jake. "Olo'eyktan, I beg you for your patience in this matter. I will solve this matter, for the sake of both our peoples."

Jake regarded the Japanese man with a serious expression. "You don't have to do this alone. You are no more at fault than I am, for that matter."

Hoshiro's lips turned up in a faintly humorless grin. "With all do respect, Olo'eyktan, I find I work best alone. I have been a hunter of men for a long time, now. Rest assured, I will find my quarry. You will be the first to know of my success."

Jake's gold eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and he suppressed a shiver in his back but failed to keep his tail from flinching. Hoshiro's loyalty to the People and to their friends at Hell's Gate was unwavering; Jake never questioned this. But sometimes a deep, dark part of Hoshiro's character would surface, and quite frankly it creeped the hell out of him. Jake was no stranger to killing – he had done more than his fair share in both the marines and here on Pandora. But there was almost a note of…anticipation in Hoshiro's voice, as if he enjoyed the challenge. "So be it," he finally said and stood up. Neytiri joined him instantly. "I doubt we will gain any more by talking. We are all agreed to remain silent on what has happened tonight, then?" Jake phrased his words as a question, but his tone really did not leave any room for maneuvering, and all present knew it. "Neytiri and I will check the hangar and the armory on the way out. G'night, all."

Everyone murmured something similar, and Max said, "I'll walk you guys out."

As before, Jake, Neytiri, and Max met not one single person in the compound. Everyone had slept through the whole event, no one realizing just how close they had come to loosing the entire facility. Max followed his two friends into the airlock, donning an exopack as he went. They cycled atmospheres and stepped outside into the night. "Listen Jake, I just wanted to apologize again for getting snappy in there," Max said with sincerity.

Jake smiled down at Max. "You don't need to apologize. I started it, after all."

Max acknowledged this with a shrug and a grin. "Yeah, well maybe. I can't always count on you recognizing that you're an asshole sometimes, so I just thought I'd man up first."

Rather than being miffed, Jake simply bared his teeth in another smile of his own. Before any more could be said Jake's ears twitched as he registered the sound of frantically flapping wings, and Tswayon landed before the group with a thump, hissing in displeasure.

Max promptly jumped behind Neytiri. "Shit! A little warning next time?" he groused.

Neytiri patted him solicitously on the shoulder. "Mawey, Maxpatel. Both of these males are unable to resist making a grand entrance, I am afraid."

Jake chuckled. "Now Tswayon, I've told you that you can't make a snack of our friends." The ikran shook his head and bumped Jake in the chest, extending one of his neural whips. "More impatient than usual, I see," Jake murmured as he reached for his queue.

As soon as they formed tsaheylu Jake felt a barrage of irritation from the ikran. It was mostly irritation at being kept up at this odd hour of the night – Tswayon was most definitely not a fan of the dark, a time he usually reserved for his ikran version of beauty sleep.

_Tam tam, Tswayon. What do you have to tell me?_ Jake asked, rubbing his friend's neck and sending him soothing and grateful feelings.

Now Jake sensed confusion from the beast. _No Tawtute,_ he reported. _People, though._

"What is it, My Jake?" Neytiri asked when she saw Jake's look of concentration.

"He didn't see any humans, but he says he saw Na'vi," Jake said, giving his mate a perplexed look. Tswayon could see the picture that Jake had in mind, and the ikran quickly corrected him. Jake's eyes widened in surprise. "Three?" _Who? _What the hell?_  
_

Tswayon showed Jake what he had seen, and in his mind's eye Jake recognized one of the figures as Tanhi, his clan mate, and the other two as avatars. Because Tswayon was not familiar with the two avatars, Jake's picture was blurry, but he could clearly see that one of the avatars was with Tanhi, riding into Hell's Gate on two pa'li. The other had been alone, and Jake recognized the view of the avatar cabin from the air. "Tanhi went out and brought Kyle and Norm's avatar back?" Jake asked incredulously, turning towards Neytiri.

Neytiri smiled mysteriously at Jake, which frustrated him to no end. "She did not tell me of her plans, but when we found her missing tonight I had my suspicions. She is quite capable of taking care of herself. You know this."

Jake merely grunted as he turned back to the problem at hand. Why on earth would one of the scientists been in link? What business did they need to attend to at this late hour? "Max? Why was one of the scientists linked up tonight?"

Max frowned. No one linked without him knowing it. "There shouldn't have been anyone driving. It's not safe to go into link alone. I mean, it's possible, but not recommended. Not to mention there was that catastrophic…" he trailed away, and his eyes grew large behind his glasses.

Jake stared at him. "You told me that the battery backups never came on for the links, Max. How could someone be driving with no power?"

Max racked his brain for an answer, running his hands through his hair in exasperation. He snapped his fingers and exclaimed, "We brought back Site 11 a few days ago for some maintenance! One of the new scientists requested it…"

"Who, Max!" Jake demanded, leaning down to grip the scientist's shoulders.

"I don't know! I just gave my ok to the request!" Max said frantically.

"Damn it," Jake said, standing back up.

"Jake, Tanhi and Kyle are heading back to the cabin with Norm's uniltìrantokx," Neytiri reminded him urgently. "We must get there first!"

"Get Hoshiro!" Jake ordered as he and Neytiri tore off across the grounds.

* * *

Jake practically ripped the cabin door off of its hinges as tore into the building with Neytiri at his heels. Kyle and Tanhi were standing between a set of cots, her arms around his neck, his arms around her waist, and their lips about a foot apart. Both jumped in surprise and they pushed away from each other as Jake and Neytiri stormed in with their weapons drawn.

"Olo'eyktan!" Tanhi exclaimed, quite aware of how the scene might appear to her chieftain, while at the same time some small part of her brain was thinking that surely Jake's and Neytiri's response was slightly overblown.

Jake blinked away his surprise, giving both Tanhi and Kyle an incredulous look.

"Um…I can explain this," Kyle said, torn between remaining rooted on the spot and stepping protectively in front of Tanhi, his ears lowered in discomfort. Discretion proved to be the lesser part of valor, in this case, and Kyle took a single step towards Tanhi, his hand coming up to resting comfortingly on her shoulder.

"We are not angry with you, Tanhi," Neytiri said, even as she kept her bow drawn, her eyes flicking about the room for a threat.

"Both of you, please come here," Jake said sternly. "You need to get to the front of the room, right now," he said, his voice taking on a distinctly desperate edge. He had no idea who there were looking for, or even if the driver was still in link, and he frantically hoped that this would turn out to be nothing more than a really awkward situation for all of them. He could confirm with a quick glance at the avatars closest to him that they were indeed sleeping, but he still had two thirds of the room to check.

Kyle finally got the inkling that something was not right, and that the urgency in Jake's voice was not because of them, and his golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What's wrong, Jake?" he asked.

Before Jake could answer one of the seemingly lifeless avatars behind Tanhi and Kyle rose up, the blanket sliding off of it onto the floor. Quicker than anyone could respond the avatar grabbed hold of Tanhi's queue and yanked her backwards. Tanhi gave a pained yelp of surprise but then grew very quiet indeed as she felt the cold barrel of a handgun press up against her temple. The avatar released Tanhi's braid and grasped her left hand, twisting it cruelly behind her and jamming her wrist up against her back, causing an excruciating pain to shoot through her stressed shoulder joint.

Kyle swore and leapt to the side, unslinging the M60 that he still had strapped to his back and flicking off the safety. He brought the rifle up and spun to face Tanhi's attacker, all in one fluid motion, his finger hovering tight against the trigger. "Son of a bitch!" he hissed, his lips pulled back from his fangs in a rageful snarl.

"No one fucking move," the avatar hissed through clenched teeth, freezing Jake and Neytiri who had begun to split up and spread out. Jake narrowed his eyes in concentration, struggling to recognize the man that held Tanhi hostage.

Tanhi, for her part, had gotten over the shock of being jumped and the pain of having her queue yanked. Now she was pissed beyond belief. The avatar kept her from moving with the duel influences of her twisted arm and the gun to her head, but that did not stop her from speaking her mind on the matter. She snarled and spat in rage, cursing vilely in Na'vi. _"Sister, shoot him! Kill the demon! Do it now!" _she implored to Neytiri.

Neytiri pursed her lips together and remained silent, merely shaking her head as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. She did not want to risk hitting her clan sister by mistake. "Let her go!" she demanded, though she suspected it would do no good. All of their ranged weapons, be it Kyle's rifle, Neytiri's bow, or Jake's throwing knife, were currently rendered useless. They were at a stalemate.

"That means you, too, Fischer!" Dryers snapped, stopping Kyle in his tracks. He had been hoping to sneak into Dryers' blind spot to try to open up a shot that would not endanger Tanhi. Kyle growled from deep down in his chest and his tail lashed angrily back and forth behind him.

"Dryers, what the hell are you doing?" Kyle spat as he finally recognized the human in the avatar. Kyle had no idea what was transpiring, but something had clearly gone wrong here at Hell's Gate. Right now all that mattered was that Tanhi was in danger, and one way or another Kyle would see the situation through to a positive outcome.

The geologist's eyes darted nervously all around him as he desperately looked for a way out. Much to his discontentment, Jake began chuckling softly to himself, shaking his head at some private revelation. "You think this is funny, Sully?" Dryers snarled and ground the barrel of the gun tighter against Tanhi's skull. It was a normal 8mm RDA handgun and it appeared comically small in Dryers' large blue hands, but at point blank range it was still a very deadly weapon.

At Tanhi's pained hiss Jake's expression instantly grew stone cold. "Your future health hinges on you lightening up, right now," he growled menacingly.

Dryers' expression was borderline panicked, and Jake knew it would not take much to push him over the edge, and though Jake did not show it he was terrified inside that this situation would go horribly wrong and that Tanhi might be killed. "Not from where I'm standing," Dryers replied as he took another step back, dragging a furious Tanhi with him.

Jake just shook his head. "You don't get it, do you? You're completely surrounded. I know where your human body his hiding. You're up shit creek without a paddle. You have zero options."

Kyle tightened his grip on the rifle, silently debating in his own mind whether or not it would be wise to take a shot from his current position. His heart clenched at the thought of missing and hitting Tanhi by mistake. That was something he doubted he could ever forgive himself for. He was fairly trembling with rage, and that was not helping his aim at all.

The enraged avatar simply hissed at Jake in response, baring his own fangs in anger. He repositioned Tanhi to better shield himself before aiming his handgun directly at Jake's forehead.

This new problem was solved for all of them, however, when a second avatar silently sat up on the bed behind Dryers and Tanhi. Kyle's eyes shifted to track the new movement, and his jaw dropped in amazement as the new avatar scooped up a metal canteen from the floor swung it right at Dryers' head. Tanhi heard the rustle of motion behind her as well and brought her right hand up against Dryers' wrist. His gun ended up firing harmlessly into the ceiling at the same time the canteen connected with his skull, knocking him out cold.

While everyone stared at him with open astonishment, Norm simply regarded Dryers' unconscious avatar with a look of supreme satisfaction. "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" he spat.

* * *

Norm had linked to his avatar moments after Dryers had taken Tanhi hostage, having been in the control room when Max had run in and breathlessly delivered Jake's message. He very wisely chose to bide his time until the right opportunity arose, and with a single blow had ended the conflict when Dryers had backed up against the very bed that Kyle had laid his avatar down on. Norm swiftly patted down Dryers' pockets, and with a snarl of triumph withdrew a familiar looking jump drive that was barely twice as large as his avatar's thumbnail.

Jake slumped in relief, and noted with quiet amusement that Tanhi had fairly leapt into Kyle's arms as soon as she had been freed. Jake shot his mate a rueful look. "Forget to tell me something, Love?" he said.

Neytiri finally relaxed her bow and gave Jake a somewhat sheepish look. "I would have informed you sooner or later," she excused.

Kyle held Tanhi in a full bodied, comforting embrace, and for a second all that he was aware of was the feel of her warm body flush against his and her braided hair tickling the side of his neck. He opened his mouth to speak but words for the situation left him, and he settled for gently rubbing her bare shoulders. Kyle felt his own shoulders sag with relief, the tenseness from the conflict leaving his body in a single draining rush. He looked up at his cousin over Tanhi's shoulder, who was observing with a faintly amused expression on his face. "Thank you," he whispered. Norm did not respond, but solicitously dipped his head in acknowledgment.

Tanhi was gently running her hand over the back of his head, and with a little jolt of surprise Kyle realized that _she _was comforting _him. _"I am so glad that it's over," she whispered in his ear. She sighed, perfectly content to just be held.

Kyle could only shake his head and give a small huff of laughter in response. "Yeah, me too, Tanhi. Me too." Something clicked in his mind as he remembered what Jake had said, and he locked eyes with Olo'eyktan, his expression fierce. "Where is he?" Kyle growled.

A minute later all five people were tearing around the side of the hangar where the link trailer for Site 11 had been placed, and a very confounding sight greeted them upon their arrival. Dryers was kneeling on the ground outside the trailer door, his face pale and drawn with pain, clutching his right wrist. Max Patel was crouching before him working swiftly out of a trauma kit to heal some kind of wound, and it was at this point that it became clear that Dryers was missing his entire right hand. Behind him stood a very bored looking Hoshiro Tanaka who was holding the blade of his katana against the side of the RDA spy's neck. Covering the entire scene with a CARB rifle, but looking and feeling rather unnecessary, was Miles Kennedy. The officer looked a bit dazed and gave the group a terse nod. "Missed the show," he said somewhat absently.

"You missed ours," Jake replied dryly. "What happened?" he demanded as he turned to Hoshiro.

Hoshiro looked up and calmly replied. "I got my man, just as I said I would."


	14. Chapter 14

**Whew, that took a while! Definitely a struggle to resist rushing things to press, but I know that at least for me as author the effort is worth while. As in all things with life, nothing good comes easy - of course, writing is no different. Damn, this is a busy time of year! I work for both a major package delivery company AND a major retailer. So whether or not you buy your holiday gifts online or go to the store, I'm screwed. In any event, I thank you in advance for your patronage. *faints***

Chapter 14

Amber Ferris quietly munched her bite of tapirus. She was mildly irritated to note that the meat had grown quite tasteless after only a month, and she found her mouth watering with anticipation at the thought of hexapede appearing back on the menu. Oh, well, she thought as she doggedly finished off her portion. Beggars can't be choosers.

She saw Max finish making his way through the serving line and waved him over to her table, and she used her foot to shove the chair opposite from her away from the table for him. "Good morning, Max!" she greeted him cheerily.

"Morning," he mumbled as he sat down with a sigh and began to mechanically eat his breakfast.

Amber studied him closely, surprised by his cold reception. "Everything alright? You don't look too hot this morning," she said.

Max sighed again and rubbed his eyes. "Everything's fine," he replied. "I just…didn't sleep well last night. Watch duties and all." Among other things.

Amber nodded as she accepted his explanation. "Well, at least you've had your turn, right? It won't be for a few more weeks until you're up for it again, if I'm remembering correctly?"

Max snorted. "Yep, that's right – thank goodness. I believe your turn is coming up in a few days, right?" he asked.

Nodding, Amber answered, "It is. Three more days. It's pretty boring, isn't it?"

Max paused mid-chew. "Oh, yes," he said slowly, "More than you know." Eager to change the subject but trying not to be too obvious about it, Max asked, "Are you going into link again today? You should try to practice as much as you can to try and get used to your avatar."

Amber stopped eating and Max took note of how her expression darkened. "You think I should? There's some stuff I could be working on in the lab…" She spoke in a decidedly evasive tone.

It was no secret that Amber was having an incredibly difficult time getting used to avatar driving. It had progressed beyond the amusing stage of beginner's awkwardness to a much more serious problem. Try as she might, the physics of operating her new body were for one reason or another not quite clicking in Amber's brain. She could walk unassisted now, but the very act of turning in place almost causes her to fall over. Max felt an intense surge of pity for the woman. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't say that to upset you. I could tell how eager you had been to link up for the first time. I know it's been difficult, but you have to keep practicing or you'll lose the progress that you've made so far."

Amber's mood fell with frightening speed. "Maybe this kind of thing isn't meant for me, Max," she said softly. "Neytiri has been helping me, but I swear a newborn could learn to walk faster."

Max shook his head. There had been two distinct failures in the avatar program so far. It was completely unpredictable, but there were a select few people who for whatever reason could never master the art of driving an avatar body. "Amber, I know how much you can't wait to visit Hometree, to visit the Omaticaya. I admit I've never had an avatar, but trust me when I say you won't ever get the same kind of experience if you go in your human body." Max smiled, trying to lift her spirits. "Even the kids would be taller than you, for one thing."

"Do you think I can do this?" she finally asked after chewing a piece of cantaloupe.

"I think you can, if you've got the motivation and the drive," Max answered quickly. "Have you asked any of the other drivers? Maybe they could give you some tips. Amber, no one is born being good at this kind of thing. It'll just take some time."

Amber shook her head. "I've been too embarrassed to ask anyone. I was the most excited out of any us for this, and here I am, practically unable cross a room without weaving like a drunkard."

"Have you tried talking to Kyle Fischer? Let's just say he's definitely used to using an avatar body, and I doubt he'd laugh at you if you asked," Max suggested. Everything that Max had heard suggested that Kyle was quite adept at moving around in his new form, and during the few times that Max had seen him he noticed nothing that might give him cause to worry.

Amber shook her head negatively again, but looked up and asked curiously, "How is he doing? I…can't imagine what it must be like for him." She grew thoughtful. "Max, how _did_ you ever manage to actually transfer his consciousness permanently from his human body to his avatar?"

Max waved her off, looking away uncomfortably for a second. He would be the first to admit that he had little to do with Kyle's transfer. "Don't ever think that was all me, Amber. Moat helped in ways I'll never be able to know about. And truthfully, I don't want to know what all she did. I don't think my tiny mind could handle it." Amber took this in with a slow nod, but she was unable to suppress a shudder. "Kyle's doing fine, to the best of my knowledge. He's caught on quick to things. I think…I think the hardest thing for him right now will be to find how he'll fit in here. You could ask him yourself, if you wanted," he said and motioned over Amber's shoulder.

Kyle had just walked into the cafeteria with Norm, standing a good four feet taller over everyone else around him. Strangely enough, Amber thought Norm looked just as tired as Max did. Kyle must have felt their observation, because he turned around and his eyes quickly landed on Max and Amber. Max gave him a little wave, to which Kyle nodded in return. Max was relieved to see that Kyle appeared at ease with himself, the events from last night notwithstanding. Kyle was conversing easily with the people around him before He and Norm broke off to sit down at separate table. They both began to eat their breakfast alone, and Kyle began to munch on some native fruit that he had brought in with him.

"He can't eat terran food anymore, can he?" Amber asked as she observed the cousins.

Max shook his head. "No, not really. There aren't many human foods an avatar can stomach. The body chemistry is just too different." He gave Amber a pointed look. "That's another thing. You need to link up so you can feed your other half. Intravenous nourishment can only do so much, and I don't want to have to start that. Your body needs real meat and fresh fruits and vegetables."

"Fine," Amber finally relented. "I'll head to the biolab in an hour or so. I'll just catch up on some paperwork first." She finished her breakfast quickly and bade Max a quick goodbye before leaving. Finding himself alone again, Max decided to pick up his tray and walk over to where Norm and Kyle were eating. Both men gave him somewhat guarded expressions as he approached.

"You didn't tell her about Dryers, did you?" Norm asked as Max sat down with them.

"Psh, definitely not!" Max grunted. "Of course, his presence will no doubt be missed soon. It's not like we'll be able to keep it a secret for long."

"Where is he being kept at?" Kyle asked quietly.

Max replied, "He's in the brig, under guard by two of Hoshiro's most trusted people."

Kyle nodded slowly at this before asking his next question. "So how exactly did he lose his hand?" he inquired carefully.

Max pursed his lips in memory. "Let's just say you should never hold a gun on Hoshiro. If you're going to shoot him, you'd better be damn quick about it. Hoshiro merely…disarmed him, you could say." Norm and Kyle both gave him nearly identical expressions consisting of a look that said, 'seriously?' accompanied with a single raised right eyebrow. Despite the seriousness of the situation Max snorted, disguising his chuckle by burying his face in his coffee mug. "Sorry, picked the low hanging fruit on that one."

Norm finally whistled in amazement. "Point taken," he said, shaking his head in wonder. "Are Jake and Hoshiro looking over what's on the flash drive?"

"Yeah, they are," Max said. He closed his eyes and sighed, relieved that that particular burden did not have to fall on his shoulders. Norm and Kyle both gave him expectant looks, and Max could only reply, "They'll tell us what's on there as soon as soon as they're damn well ready. There will be no rushing them with this, trust me."

* * *

Kyle finally stood up straight outside, placing his hands against his lower back and stretching luxuriously. Damn, it felt good to not have to constantly slouch. Any visit inside the buildings pretty much destroyed any hope of good posture and guaranteed that he would have a stiff back.

Some of the scientists had linked up early and were playing a quick pickup match of basketball to stay fit. A few of them waved at Kyle as he walked by, and Kyle returned the greeting easily. He was slowly becoming friends with most of other scientists – the two influences of already being acquainted with Norm as well as being avatar drivers kind of forced him to move in some of the same circles. They were all kind men and women to be sure, but it was difficult for Kyle to relate to them. Their minds simply operated in a different way than Kyle's did. It was not meant to be an insult, but to Kyle these were the kinds of people who were happy reading about something, rather than just doing it. Kyle was just the opposite: right now he was just itching for something to _do. _Just hanging around, especially inside, was killing him.

Kyle let himself into the hangar, coughing into his arm as the air changed. Inside he found several pilots and mechanics going about their work on their machines, and Kyle sighed with relief. He looked around and spotted Collins at about the same time Collins spotted him, and the human pilot quickly waved him over.

"What's up, big blue and tall?" Collins asked easily.

Kyle smiled. "Kyle Fischer reporting for duty, sir! Please, give me something, _anything, _to do. I think I'm going to go stir crazy otherwise."

Collins smirked at him. "You sure you can bear to bring yourself down to our level? I mean figuratively, of course." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at his Samson. "She ain't no Valkyrie, that's for sure."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Oh, Please. You think I started way up at the top? I could take apart your tinker toy in an hour if you let me." His lips quirked ever so slightly. "Or if you pissed me off."

The chopper pilot snorted. "Gee, you know how to instill confidence in a man." Collins frowned thoughtfully, then turned and yelled over his shoulder at one of the mechanics. "Hey Kasim! When did you say you needed to overhaul the rotors?"

One of the mechanics looked up from where he had been digging though his rolling toolbox and shot back, "It would have been in about a month, but now it needs to be sooner, seeing as how you left your bird out in the rain yesterday!" Pandoran water, whether on the ground or falling from the sky, was slightly caustic. It was not enough to cause undue harm to human skin but it did accelerate the aging of mechanical components, which is one of the reasons that composite materials were used so much by the RDA. The leading edges of helicopter rotors, however, were covered in a titanium alloy for strength and added durability, and the metal required constant care and attention.

Collins humphed and turned back to Kyle. "Well, if you're going to help, we could start on that today. That's something you and I could work on, and it would free up one of the mechanics for other things." This was indeed a selling point for the limited maintenance crew – there were only four men on Pandora who really knew how to do the necessary aircraft maintenance.

"Sold," Kyle quickly responded.

A short time later Collins' Samson was positioned under a large set of chain falls that were mounted to the rafters far overhead. With Kyle's greater height and strength it took much less time than normal to disassemble the rotor assembles. The old blades would be taken off and resurfaced at the mechanics' leisure. Thanks to the stereolithography plant spare parts could be found in abundance, and Kyle and Collins would be able to swap in brand new blades right away, all in one go.

The work was therapeutic for Kyle…mostly. It served to keep his mind busy, and he always enjoyed the chance to work hard, to give his hands calluses from tough manual labor. Yet there were other things about the work that bugged him, that subtly ate away at him. There was the fact that he was both tall and strong enough to manhandle the individual blades by himself. Now, Kyle was certainly not opposed to being tall and strong, but it was…different, in a word. Kyle and Collins quickly found that the utilizing the chain fall was a waste of time. It was much quicker for Collins to sit on top of the rotor assembly and detach the blades while Kyle stood below supporting their several hundred pounds worth of weight himself, barely breaking a sweat in the process. Then there was the fact that the tools Kyle used were absolutely tiny in his large hands. The size difference did not give him much trouble, but it was noticeable nonetheless.

Collins was working in the hub of the fifth blade when he finally spoke. "Dude, what's eating you?" he asked bluntly.

Kyle stood up from where he had carefully laid one of the large blades on a padded cart. He heaved a great sigh and wiped his forehead with his hand. "Nothing, just a bit tired," he replied, dodging Collins' question.

Collins merely grunted, not yet convinced. "Here, get ready. I'm gonna start on the main bolts here," he said.

Kyle quickly positioned himself under the rotor and prepared to take its weight as Collins pounded away with the air wrench. "Got it," he grunted as the blade settled into his hands and began to carry it over to where the mechanics could resurface it later.

Collins watched Kyle work, his face thoughtful. "So you used to fly one of these birds, right?" Collins asked.

Kyle turned back towards him, a slightly perplexed expression on his face. "Well, the newer versions, yeah. Flying a tiltrotor isn't anything new to me."

"Uh, huh," Collins said. "Well, would you still want to fly one, if you had the chance?" he asked, patting the Samson he was sitting on.

Kyle's ears flicked forward but then fell back just as quickly. He was actually stung by the question though he tried his best not to show it to Collins, who was someone he now counted as a friend. "Come on," he said, waving his hand down his front. "I'm not quite sized for that anymore." Kyle tried to cover up his discomfort with a chuckle.

Collins gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm not trying to yank your chain or anything, Kyle." Collins motioned in some general direction outside. "We'll use the stereolithography plant to modify one of the Samsons for you. Hell, we could build you your own helicopter if you wanted." Collins felt quite satisfied with himself as he watched a hopeful expression bloom over Kyle's face. "You said yourself you were going nuts sitting around on your hands. Well, we've got plenty of science sorties booked. We could use another experienced pilot."

Kyle could barely bring himself to believe what Collins was saying. "Really? You could do that?" he asked, his tail perking up behind him. The chance to fly again was almost more than Kyle could wish for.

"Yeah, we could," Collins reassured him as he climbed down a ladder to the ground to grab his canteen. He took a deep swig as he walked to the cockpit, running his hands along the chopper's side thoughtfully. "It shouldn't be too much of a challenge to fit you in here. Remove the back seat, rewire some of the controls…yeah, we could make it work." He turned and looked back at Kyle. "I'll run it by some of the techies as soon as I can. It shouldn't be more than the work of more than a few days to move an airframe through the robotics. I imagine rerouting the fiber optics will take the most time. Hey, you'll have a custom made bird that only you can fly in no time!"

Kyle resisted the urge to literally jump for joy; at last it seemed that the question of what the heck he was going to do with himself here was finally answered. The thought of finally being able to fly again…it was almost too much for him to bear. Try as he might, he could not wipe the wide grin from his face, though, and he laughed and ran a hand back through his hair. "Man, I don't even know what to say to that," he said, positively beaming.

Collins just smiled and waved him off. "Well, if you were really grateful you'd hurry up and get your blue ass back over here. My baby's still in pieces," Collins griped good naturedly.

"Right," Kyle said as he walked back to the Samson, still grinning like an idiot.

* * *

The two men had finished pulling off all the rotor blades from Collins' Samson, so Kyle decided to step outside for a well earned break. As he walked towards the gardens for some lunch he noticed Tanhi walking carefully with Amber, who was in her avatar body. The sight of the beautiful Omaticayan woman never failed to bring a fond smile to Kyle's face. Kyle honestly could not place why he was so attracted to her. Wait, that sounded much worse than he had intended it to. Oh, to be sure, she possessed physical beauty in spades. Her wonderfully intricate, yet at the same time completely not overstated, native garb served to only accentuate the natural beauty and grace of her body. Kyle swallowed slightly as he noticed (again) that her top offered only the barest modesty. Kyle mentally slapped himself – you're not that shallow, are you?

Kyle had flamed out of more than a few relationships in his time. He would be the first to admit that he had never placed a high priority on character or personality in the past. Perhaps his chosen job profession had something to do with it: Kyle's life was the epitome of "the fast and the furious," so it was not really surprising that his "love relationships" were the same way. Deep inside Kyle longed to find the right woman to share life with…but try as he might, she never seemed to turn up. The biggest reality check for him was the complete lack of farewells that he had received when it became known he was shipping out to Alpha Centauri for the better part of 14 years. Kyle kept thinking that fact should not have hurt as much as it did.

Of course, having the entirety of one's family taken away from him in an instant had a somewhat sobering effect on Kyle. Truth be told, he was dead to the world in a way that scared him…but at the same time, he felt no need to pull back from that deadness. What was the point?

That is, until he met Tanhi. There was something about her that went way, _way _beyond the physical that drew him in, and damn if he could not place it. Brave, smart, funny…tenderhearted…all true. Kyle tilted his head slightly as he considered all of this, watching Tanhi gently help and coach Amber. Right now the best way for Kyle to sum it up was that Tanhi was quite simply the most _alive_ person he had met in a long, long time, and that was the last thing he ever expected to find here on Pandora, and certainly not from a Na'vi woman.

It soon became quickly apparent, though, that both women were concentrating very hard on something, and Tanhi seemed to be supporting Amber with a gentle arm around the waist. "'Morning, ladies," he greeted as he approached the pair.

Tanhi glanced up at him, and though she did not reply she offered him a smile that was both dazzling and slightly shy at the same time. Amber looked up as well, an expression of extreme focus on her face. "Good morning…Kyle…" she said tightly. "How'd you get so good at this?" she muttered.

Kyle raised his eyebrows, puzzled at Amber's curt response. He swallowed slightly and avoided Tanhi's gaze. "Er, just practice, I guess." Not a whole lot of other options, really. Kyle did not know Dr. Ferris very well, but in whatever brief interactions they had in the past she had always been very kind and polite. "Is everything alright?" he asked her sincerely.

Amber sighed. "I didn't expect this to be this difficult," she said at last. She looked up at Kyle, her eyes moist with unshed tears. "I'm just not used to being this weak is all," she said quietly.

Kyle's eyes narrowed as he took in her response. "Whoa, hey, who said you were weak? You don't have any standards you have to live up to."

With all of her might Amber clamped down on the tears that threatened to spill over her cheeks. David, you should be here with me for this, she thought silently, and her heart clenched in her chest with emotion. "Give me a minute, please," she said and gently pulled away from Tanhi's supporting arm. She had always been the one who had the most trouble with the simulators. David had been the quick one, she remembered. Everyone had always figured him to be a natural avatar driver. Of course, David Ferris was gone forever, stolen from Amber's life when a Los Angeles overpass collapsed onto his car. Amber shook her head, snorting softly to herself. Her husband was just a historical footnote now, along with 300 million other men, women and children.

Dig deep, girl, you can do this. She could almost hear his voice, that gently sarcastic tone of his that he used when she failed to notice something that was so obvious to him.

Amber turned back to face Kyle and Tanhi, feeling slightly embarrassed that her emotions had almost gotten away with her. "Thank you for your help," she said at last. "Perhaps if I ate something I might feel better. Can't think too well on an empty stomach and all that. It was an honor speaking with you, Tanhi. I look forward to spending more time with you. Eywa ngahu,"

Tanhi offered her a reassuring smile. "Some nourishment will do you well, Amberferris. Eywa ngahu." Tanhi watched as Amber made her way into the gardens; she actually did an admirable job keeping her balance. "She carries a deep sadness in her heart, Kyle," Tanhi said at last.

Kyle could only shake his head. "I…I don't know her very well," he admitted at last.

"She has lost someone she loves," Tanhi said softly. "I have seen that look before." I have worn it myself. Tanhi turned and said suddenly, "The Olo'eyktan has said that we must return to Kelutral today."

Kyle was rendered momentarily speechless at this, and he felt way more disappointed than he thought he had a right to. "Oh…" he said slowly. Mental face palm: brilliant response, Kyle, simply brilliant!

His famous (at least to Tanhi) inability to hide his emotions shined through and Tanhi reached up to gently pinch one of his drooped ears. "Little nantang ears will probably not do you any good, Kyle," she said with a smile.

Kyle felt himself blushing and he was glad it was daytime, less Tanhi should see how bright his spots were surely shining. "I just…I wish we had more time," he said at last. "To get to know each other. When will you have to leave?"

"My brothers and sisters are breaking camp now, so it will not be long. Jakesully is eager to return home. As any leader should be." Tanhi placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder, squeezing gently. "I have been meaning to ask you: I would be very interested in seeing a…" she stopped, frowning. "Bah, what is the word? Rel… Picture! A picture of your Sky Person body."

Kyle's insides seized up, and he felt suddenly stricken. Truth be told, Kyle had not seen a picture of his human self since before the transfer. Kyle struggled to remember…when was the last time he had actually seen his own face? Come to think of it, it was probably when he woke up in his bunk on the _Enterprise Star_ and had seen himself in the mirror over the washbasin, that last day aboard ship. So strange, that one snippet of his morning routine now held such great significance to him. "I… I'm sure I can find a data pad in the cabin and pull up my personal file. I think that's the best I could do. Maybe Norm has some pictures of me…" he trailed off and looked away, not feeling he could admit any of his inner turmoil to Tanhi's face.

Kyle felt Tanhi's hand cup his chin and turn his face back to her. She was staring right at him, her golden eyes perfectly calm and full of warmth and care. "I know, Kylefischer. Oel ngati kamie," she said softly.

Frowning slightly, Kyle admitted with a bit of a nervous smile, "I…I don't know what the means."

Tanhi smiled at him. "It means, 'I see you,'" she answered.

Kyle gave a small huff of nervous laughter. "Um, I see you too, Tanhi," he replied.

Skxawng, she thought to herself, but of course with no negativity. "No," she gently corrected, "It is not tse'a, to see with your eyes." She placed her other hand on his chest, over his heart. "It means I see you here, inside. I know you, Kyle." Tanhi witnessed his slightly perplexed look give way to one of faint fear and trepidation. "Normspellman told me last night," she admitted. "He told me that you are uniltìranyu no more, that you live on in a body of the People. Please, do not be angry with him, I…made him tell me of this." She looked mildly embarrassed as she admitted this fact to Kyle. "This is nothing to be ashamed of."

Still, Kyle felt a rush of embarrassment and uncertainty. He closed his eyes again as he admitted, "I guess I didn't want you to know. I'm not even sure why. It must seem mighty prideful of us humans. To think that we can cheat death and give ourselves a second chance in a body like this."

Tanhi moved her hand up and held his face again, gently rubbing his cheek with her thumb, tracing the faintly visible dots on his skin. "You did not 'cheat' in avoiding what should not have been taken from you in the first place," she told him. It did not escape Tanhi's notice when Kyle winced ever so slightly and held a hand up to his right side. "You told me when we first met that you were not a scientist. This means that you would not have had need of an _avatar,_ of a uniltìrantokx, yes?" Tanhi slurred the unfamiliar human word a bit before confirming it to herself in Na'vi.

Kyle's eyes snapped back open at this. "No," he said as he realized this himself for the first time. "I wouldn't have had an avatar made for me."

Tanhi gave a faint grin of triumph. "Then we would have never met one another," she said. "If it is painful to you to look upon the form of your past, then I will make no mention of it again."

With a shake of his head, Kyle replied, "No, it doesn't bother me –"

Tanhi silenced him with two fingers over his lips. "Yes, it does," she corrected him softly. "You do not have to conceal this." Tanhi chuckled softly. "You are terrible at hiding things. A little child could do better."

Kyle finally allowed himself a genuine chuckle. Damn, she was good. "You're right," he relented.

"Tanhi!" Neytiri called from a ways away, indicating that they would be departing soon. Tanhi waved and dipped her head respectfully before turning back towards Kyle.

"Hey, I was meaning to ask you," Kyle said suddenly, "Are you doing ok? After last night, I mean." He swallowed a bit nervously as he hoped he was not going to dredge up anything too traumatic for her. She seemed to have handled having her life threatened remarkably well, all things considered.

Tanhi chuckled softly, and she knew instantly where Kyle's concern was. His care for her wellbeing truly touched her deeply, and it confirmed that her attraction for this man had not been misplaced. Still, she simply could not resist…

Tanhi leaned forward slowly, and for a shocking second Kyle thought she might kiss him then and there. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) her lips moved past his own and she whispered into his ear instead in a smooth voice. "I am sure we will be able to find a time to say what needs to be said to one another without…interruptions." She pulled back and felt unreasonably pleased with herself at the completely stunned expression on Kyle's face. Neytiri called her name again and she stepped away, motioning her farewell before jogging away to help her clan mates.

Kyle stood rooted to the spot, starring after Tanhi's retreating form. Damn, who knew a tail could be so attractive? His eyes followed her swaying tail up to – nope, nope, close your eyes, Kyle, close your eyes. Finally free of…distractions…his mind began to replay what she had said a second time, then a third for good measure. "That's not what I meant," he said at last.

* * *

The plan to modify a Samson for Kyle was quickly approved, and work began on the machine in earnest. It was mostly Kyle and Collins who worked on the helicopter, but to a man all of the other mechanics rotated in for as much time as their busy schedules allowed. The pilot seat, as well as the right rear passenger seat, were both ripped out and discarded. Kyle, wielding a plasma cutter, proceeded to cut away the hull immediately behind the pilot's door almost as far back as the bulkhead that separated the sealed cabin from the open cargo bay. An additional, rearward hinged door would be affixed here to permit Kyle's much larger form entry to the cabin. It had been decided that they would maintain the sealed nature of the forward cockpit, but of course the air handlers would be switched off to permit native Pandoran atmosphere inside.

Now, this, this was good work, Kyle thought to himself. It was good work with a definite goal in mind. Norm had taken notice of Kyle's uptick in mood and had asked him about it. "It's just good to have something to move forward to," Kyle had replied once he had explained his project. This brought a measure of comfort to the older cousin, as Norm finally allowed himself to admit that they may not have planned the best much beyond transferring Kyle's spirit. It was with a great sigh of relief that Norm observed Kyle step up to the plate, to do his best to work with and for his colleagues at Hell's Gate.

Several days later Norm found his cousin sitting cross-legged on a bunk in the cabin, working intently on a data pad, the sun's light just starting to fade from the sky. "Don't pull a muscle," Norm quipped as he opened his locker to retrieve some things. Kyle's tail was flicking back and forth behind him in a measured pace and his face bore a look of intense concentration.

With a sigh Kyle let the data pad drop into his lap and he collapsed backwards onto the bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Ugh, weights and balances are the devil," he said.

The term did not ring any bells in Norm's mind so he stepped over to look at what Kyle had been working on. Schematics and maths that turned his brain to mush the instant he laid eyes on them were populating the screen, and Norm was more than happy to surrender the data pad back to Kyle. "And what exactly is all that?" he asked.

Kyle was still staring at the ceiling when he answered, "You can't install something as menial as a new radio into an aircraft without completely redoing all of the weight and balance measurements. So suffice it to say that the work we're doing on my Samson is giving me fits." He looked over at Norm. "Hacking airframes, moving seats and controls around, all for a pilot who's three times the normal size...it's making it difficult for me to figure out the new load parameters."

Norm nodded. "Ah, that makes sense now. I don't know enough to help you, unfortunately, but I know enough to sympathize," he said, giving his cousin a weak smile. Trudy had taught him a tiny bit about the details and care that it took to load an aircraft safely. She could rattle off the answers to any number of complex equations, and she always did the math instantly and accurately in her head.

"I should just take a break; let my mind relax for a bit. Maybe go for a run or something before bed," Kyle said absently as he continued to stare at the data pad. All his calculations were starting to run together on the screen and he blinked to clear his vision. Not a good sign, he thought absently.

"Well," Norm said as he began to organize some things into a backpack, "Maybe a short trip would be a good distraction for you?"

Kyle looked up with a curious expression. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

Norm smiled mysteriously as he continued to work. "Oh, nothing much. Jake invited us out to Hometree tomorrow, though, and he said you could come with. Not sure if that kind of thing would interest you, though. I know you're busy with your project and all. Maybe you should just stay here."

A well aimed pillow collided with the back of Norm's head and he turned back to find Kyle giving him a "don't you dare" look.

"I'll take that as a sign that you'll be joining us, then?" Norm asked with a completely level voice, the corners of his mouth barely twitching up.

"Count on it," Kyle said with determination, his features lighting up with the thought of seeing Tanhi again.

"I thought as much," Norm said softly as he finished packing for tomorrow and zipped his pack closed, setting it at the foot of his bed.

Norm was pulling off his boots and otherwise making himself suitable for rest when Kyle spoke suddenly. "What's it like there?" he asked.

Norm's voice was muffled as he spoke through his shirt, which was half way off by now. "Like where?" he said.

"At Hometree," Kyle replied. His eyes were thoughtful as he continued. "Not here. Not inside buildings or behind fences."

Norm tried to think of a suitable answer to such a seemingly simple question. "Well, in some ways the Na'vi are remarkable similar to ancient hunter-gatherer cultures from Earth. It's incredibly striking when one considers the vast differences between our two worlds. It's amazing, really, how the tribe functions as a whole. Most of the Omaticaya have distinct rolls that they play, be it hunter, healer, singer, craftsmen, etcetera, but their culture isn't stratified – no one person or duty is seen as having greater value than the next. They all work together in complete unity, each contributing to the well being of his or her clan mates."

Kyle snorted from the bed next to Norm's. "I know. I read that." Norm turned and was surprised to notice for the first time that Dr. Grace Augustine's book about the Na'vi was open on Kyle's bed. "Norm. What's it _like,"_ Kyle repeated again, his expression completely serious.

With a small sigh, Norm realized that Kyle was asking about things that no book could ever teach him. Grace had learned it, though much to her own frustration her scientific mind had never let her embrace it, or live it. A year spent with the Omaticaya had taught Norm what it was truly _like_ to live as they do. Shedding blood and sweat with another people had a way of doing that, Norm mused silently. But because of his own inner turmoil and grief, he had never been able to truly give himself over to the way that the Omaticaya lived. He hoped to, someday.

"Can you walk in there without any preconceived notions, Kyle?" he asked finally. "The Omaticaya have a phrase for us, us humans who come in thinking that we know everything." Norm snorted and shook his head to himself. "They say that 'our cup is already full,' that there is nothing more that they can teach us. Or at least they used to. I'd like to think and hope that some of us humans are learning just how much we still have to learn."

Kyle merely nodded, sensing that something deep within Norm's spirit had shifted at his question.

"I don't think I can answer that question, Kyle. I don't even know if I want to." Norm chuckled softly as he finally laid down in his bed, pulling the sheets up over himself. He stared up at the ceiling as he continued, "In any event, I'd hate to spoil the surprise." He turned to face Kyle and said, "But take my word for it. It will be like nothing you've ever seen."

Kyle merely nodded, and Norm turned away from him. With a deep breath, Norm was gone, and Kyle was alone in the cabin. By now he was used to discerning his cousin's empty sleep when his spirit had left his avatar.

An unknown amount of time passed for Kyle – he had removed his watch long ago, on purpose. Finally he picked up his data pad, saving and closing his weights and balances formulas for another day, and began to tap his way into another program. He dug through some of the RDA archives, looking for one particular press release. At last he found the article and bookmarked it for quick reference later. Then, with a deep sigh, he opened the attached picture. The photo showed Roger Oros and a second man sitting in a Valkyrie cockpit. Both men were turned in their seats to face the camera, broad grins spread across their face. No one had possible smiled bigger than Kyle on that day when he was given command of one of the _Enterprise Star's _two shuttles.

Kyle gently traced his own features on the data pad, his throat choking up with emotion. He remembered the supreme effort it took to put on a happy face that day. Not that he was not pleased with such an amazing opportunity, mind you, but the circumstances of that time generally conspired to rob Kyle of any joy that he may have otherwise felt. A few beaded strands of hair fell down around his face and Kyle absently pushed them back behind one of his pointed ears.

If he was going to show Tanhi a picture of himself when he was still human, he wanted it to be this one. Here he at least looked happy. Kyle blinked a bit as he caught his own thought process. I still am human, right?

With a concerted effort Kyle pushed all of these thoughts into a small closet inside his mind, locked the door, and pocketed the key. In the realm of the physical he shut down the data pad and set it beside his bed. He would deal with all of this in due time. Right now thoughts of helicopter load limits were giving way to curiosity and anticipation about what it would be like to visit the Omaticaya…to see Tanhi again, and as Kyle settled into his bed he experienced the uncommon sensation of falling asleep with a faint smile on his face. Tonight, Kyle's dreams would be pleasant.

* * *

They soared through the predawn light over the jungle, the blue glow of Polyphemus waging a losing war with the rising brightness of Alpha Centauri. Collins keyed his mike and spoke to the people in the back. "Hey kitties, take a look at the canopy below. You might enjoy the sight."

Kyle and Norm leaned carefully out of the Samson to see what Collins was talking about. At first Kyle could not see anything overtly extraordinary, but then he glanced behind them and gasped. Though the natural light of the forest itself was fading as dawn approached, the downdraft from the rotors stirred the trees below them back to life, and an illuminated bioluminescent trail followed in their wake for three or four hundred yards. It was like the great oceangoing ships of old, plying the seas of Earth, great clouds of luminous plankton lighting their frothy trails.

In the cockpit Collins pressed a button on the intercom that gave him a private channel with Hoshiro, who was sitting in the copilot's seat. "Hey boss do you, um, just want me to wait with the ship?" Collins knew full well why they were all flying out to Hometree. Unfortunately, Jake Sully had more serious things in mind than a mere social call.

"No, Thom, I want you to be involved with this," Hoshiro answered him. "Besides, I doubt this will be a quick visit."

Collins nodded and reset the intercom system before refocusing his attention outside.

Perhaps a half hour later after the sun had fully emerged from the horizon, Kyle, who had been lost in thought staring outside, felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He turned to find Norm, who met his eyes and nodded his head forward. Kyle looked in the indicated direction and his eyes sprang wide at the sight that greeted him. A mile away was a…gigantic…tree. Really, the size of the thing confounded Kyle's mind – it did not so much register with him as a plant, but more as a geological constant like a mountain. One simply did not think or wonder about how massive a mountain was, or how many cubic miles of rock it contained. It was simply _there._

In the same way, the tree that they were approaching was just _there._ It was easily at least a thousand feet tall, taller than all but the most outlandish skyscrapers back on Earth, and the tree towered far above the surrounding jungle. "It's not one single life form!" Norm shouted over the noise of the chopper. "It's several dozen individual trees that have grown together over several millennia, all providing the whole with mutual strength and support!"

"My God," Kyle whispered, completely enthralled with the sight before them.

Norm simply leaned back against the rear bulkhead, watching with quiet amusement as Kyle took in the newness of the experience. Part of him wished Amber could have been here…but who was he to question whom Jake and Neytiri said could visit? Neytiri had not sounded spiteful at all when she said that this was not Amber's time. Norm was surprised by Amber's reaction, or lack thereof, to the news. She had simply sighed and said, "Neytiri's right, I don't think I'm ready yet." She had much more serious things than balance problems that she needed to focus on right now.

When they were a half-mile away Collins began a spiraling descent towards a large open meadow. Kyle tapped Norm on the shoulder, gaining his attention. "We aren't flying in closer?" he asked.

Norm shook his head. "It's a sign of respect, keeping noisy human technology away. We've only landed right at Hometree once, for a medical emergency. The last time helicopters were so close to the Omaticaya's home…it was not a happy time, let's say it that way." Kyle nodded, looking contrite as Norm's explanation hit home for him.

As Collins landed Kyle automatically reached for the door gun, but Norm stopped him short. "No need," he said simply.

Norm and Kyle hopped out of the Samson, ducking to avoid the still spinning rotors. Collins quickly throttled down and Kyle affixed the helicopter's engine covers without waiting to be asked while the humans up front secured their exopacks. As a courtesy for Norm he shouldered the single avatar-sized backpack that they had brought with them. Mindful of Norm's gentle reprimand, it did not escape Kyle's notice that Hoshiro and Collins were securing the CARB rifles they had brought in the back of the cockpit. Once the men emerged they were completely unarmed, save for a standard survival knife. Hoshiro had even left his katana behind.

Hoshiro noticed Kyle's perceptive gaze and rewarded him with a small smile. "We have no need for weapons here. These woods are safe for us."

"And the knife?" Kyle asked, his hand grazing his own that was strapped to his hip.

Hoshiro's faint smile widened only slightly. "Even children are taught how to safely handle such common tools, yes?"

Kyle simply nodded as he took in the new world around them. Once the alien noise of technology had died down, the sounds of the forest made themselves known again. Animal and insect sounds abounded, combining to give off a truly alien vibe. Yet at the same time this unknown world was beautiful in its own way, rather than scary… A profusion of brightly flowering plants abounded and giant winged insects that resembled butterflies were flitting about. They way that their six wings moved in flight was almost mesmerizing. This was his second time away from Hell's Gate, but the newness of the experience was still all consuming for Kyle.

Of the five people, Max seemed to be the most uneasy. Norm noticed and patted the smaller scientist on the shoulder, but the sudden contact only seemed to scare him more. With a laugh Norm said, "Easy, Max! Nothing's going to eat you."

Max huffed, slightly embarrassed at being so jumpy.

"Come on guys, let's get hiking," Norm said, leading the way to a clearly marked path. Kyle found himself craning his neck as he took in the view of Hometree, its topmost branches visible far above them through the canopy over their heads.

"Don't they know we're here?" Kyle asked as they walked, wondering if they were supposed to have a reception committee or something.

Norm smiled to himself as his cousin asked almost verbatim the very same question he had not so long ago. "Oh, they knew we were here before we even landed, trust me. The scouts have been watching us the entire time." Norm had only managed a single glimpse of one of the scouts up in the trees, but by now he could tell the difference between animal calls and the "hunter speak" that the Omaticaya used. Up ahead they were beginning to hear the sounds of the village, and Norm said excitedly, "Shh, we're almost there!"

* * *

"Karyu!" the shout went up.

"Ayevi!" Norm responded, the joy clear in his voice as he knelt to the ground, arms open wide. As soon as they had left the forest, a veritable storm of small blue bodies washed over Norm who was promptly pushed onto his back, laughing all the way. A few English shouts of "Dog pile!" could be heard amid peels of childish laughter as at least a dozen Omaticayan children crash tackled the scientist to the ground. Kyle simply stared in open mouthed amusement while Max, Hoshiro, and Collins wisely took a step back from the playful mess, as each of the kids were easily human sized or larger. Still, Max could only shake his head and smile. Truth be told, he had never known Norm to be happier then when he was spending time with the Omaticaya, specifically the children.

A deep, booming voice cut through the hysterical laughter. _"Hey! You will have NO teacher if you smother him!"_ Jake was all smiles, though, as he walked up to the group, his massive thanator claw necklace the only indication of his status. Jake really did not like the massive ornamentation that came with being Olo'eyktan, and generally only dressed in the whole getup for special occasions. Their excitement was so great that the children became only marginally more serious at the appearance of the Olo'eyktan, though they did oblige Jake by piling off of Norm. Jake offered Norm a hand, greeting him warmly. "Oel ngati kameie, tsmukan," he said. "It's good to have you back."

Wearing a mile wide smile, Norm replied, "It's always good to be here, Jake."

A somewhat flustered looking Na'vi woman came up behind Jake. _"Children! You should be more respectful of our guests!" _she chastised. Glancing apologetically at Norm and Jake, she said, _"Forgive me, Normspellman, the younglings became very…excited when they realized you were here."_

Norm accepted Jake's arm and was swiftly pulled to his feet. Dusting himself off, Norm replied, _"There was no harm done. Would it be permissible to visit with the children later?"_

The kids jumped and squealed at this proposition, causing the child watcher to sigh and smile. _"Perhaps such a thing can be used as motivation for good behavior." _She grinned at Norm and nodded respectfully as she began herding the kids away. _"You know you do not have to ask for permission to visit with any of us."_

Kyle felt a gentle tugging on his tail and turned to check behind him. A young, human sized boy was staring up at him with curious golden eyes. "Visit later, you?" he asked in halting English.

"Um…" Kyle glanced around for some kind of backup but found that the others' attention was elsewhere. He was rather surprised that the kid cared. "Sure," he said. Why not?

The boy's face lit up at this as though it was the best news he had ever heard and Kyle could not help but feeling pleased with the young one's excitement. The child watcher caught on to the boy's absence, calling on him to follow. Casting one last shy grin over his shoulder, the young boy tore off after the departing group. Kyle could only stare after him, still completely dumbfounded.

"We have breakfast waiting for you all," Jake said, and with a nod towards Hoshiro, Max, and Collins, he added, "And we even have some fresh fruits and berries for you guys, if you wish to join us."

"We would be remiss to refuse your hospitality, Olo'eyktan," Hoshiro said.

Jake's lips twitched in a faint smile; he was long passed trying to get the fierce Japanese man to refer to him by his name. "Then follow me, 'cause the food ain't coming out here!"

Norm had to keep softly reminding Kyle to keep up with them as they walked through the base of the village and into Hometree proper. Kyle was completely absorbed in watching everything around him as the Na'vi went about their daily lives. More than a few people gave him amused smiles, and Kyle had the fleeting thought that the word 'tourist' was flashing over his head in large glowing letters. He was surprised how many of the Omaticaya went out of their way to greet him.

It was not just the chance to see something new and amazing that had Kyle's mind spinning…it was the strange sensation that told him it was _right_ to be here. The simple explanation was that suddenly Kyle did not feel out of place, his human clothing notwithstanding. At Hell's Gate he had to constantly watch to make sure he did not bash his head on something, or run some small human over, or go through the damn airlock every time he wanted to get inside. Here at Hometree he simply…fit.

They passed through the massive outer row of root columns and into a large, almost cathedral like interior gathering space. One end was open, amphitheater like, to the outside. Norm explained that this location was central to the clan, that here all major meetings, festivals, dances, and the like took place. For now there was a very casual atmosphere, and it appeared that the clan was just cleaning up from their own morning meal. Remembering that the Omaticaya were renowned for their weavings, Kyle gasped when he finally caught sight of the enormous and beautiful Mas'kit Nivi Sa'nok, or 'Mother Loom,' that had been set up in a place of honor, right in the heart of Hometree. All of the clan's finest works were woven upon this masterfully crafted device.

A cooking pot had been left on the fire from which mouth watering smells emanated. Neytiri arrived bearing a few small bowls of the aforementioned fruits and berries that were suitable for human consumption, while Jake served everyone else. Kyle resisted eating right away as he observed Norm holding off as well. Kyle figured breakfast was going to be quite good if the mysterious grain based porridge tasted half as good as it smelled. Jake led them away from the cooking fires to a spot by one of the main arches.

Jake and Neytiri both lowered themselves to the ground but did not actually sit on their rears. Norm easily did the same thing as he and Neytiri chatted about this and that. Kyle thought that the position looked exceedingly uncomfortable, but what the heck… He was quite surprised by how relaxed the pose was for him once he sat down on his heels in the same way; his tail provided all of the balance he thought he would be lacking, and the posture itself did not bother him in the least. His boots were noticeably pinching his feet, though, and Norm snickered a bit as he noticed Kyle shifting uncomfortably. "Take off your shoes," he said to Kyle, and at his words Kyle noticed that Norm had already removed his boots and socks. "Here, I'll hold your bowl for you," Norm said charitably as Kyle flopped back to remove his footwear.

Neytiri leaned against her mate as she observed Kyle. _"I remember when you had to take your foot coverings off for the first time," _she said, smiling at the memory. _"You looked as though I had asked you to walk barefoot over the cooking coals!"_

Jake snorted ruefully and shook his head. _"It was more the loss of my pants that had me most worried, my love," _he reminded her as he himself recalled that fateful night. Jake smiled to himself as he nuzzled Neytiri's hair.

Neytiri grinned and allowed one of her hands to drift down and lightly pinch the side of Jake's butt. His ears flicked back as he lurched and almost fell over. He fumbled with his bowl, only just barely avoiding spilling its contents. "Stop that!" he hissed quietly in English, blushing fiercely at Neytiri's surprise attack.

Norm glanced up curiously at the sudden outburst, and he wondered why Jake looked so embarrassed. Neytiri simply smiled innocently at him, quite pleased with herself to have the upper hand during this flirting engagement. "You should eat your breakfast, Norm, before it grows cold," she reminded him.

Everyone talked amicably as they ate, but Kyle constantly felt his attention drifting away. One thought in particular kept coming up, and it had a great deal to do with Tanhi and wherever her potential whereabouts might be. When they had finished eating one of the youths came by to politely collect their dirty dishes.

"Well, I'm afraid that I have other duties to attend to," Jake said as they rose. "Norm, I'm sure you'll want to go right over to the kids – I think they'll all revolt if you take too long, anyway. Kyle, the Tsahìk wishes to speak with you. Neytiri will show you to Moat's alcove."

As the three humans followed Jake, Neytiri motioned Kyle towards one of the spiraling structures that served as staircases for Hometree. "Come, it is not wise to keep Mother waiting," she said gently. Kyle had no idea what this might be about, but seeing as he did not really have any other options he agreed and followed Neytiri up one of the spiraling structures that served as staircases. Kyle's bare feet provided surprising traction on the slanted surface, and he was glad that he had left his shoes off. The bark was really rough in certain places, though.

Neytiri took note of some of his tender footsteps and chuckled at him. "You should go without your foot coverings more often, Kyle. You were not meant to be separated from the earth in that way."

"Yeah, well the earth shouldn't be this sharp," he grunted.

"Your skin will toughen with time," Neytiri promised. They had ascended several levels before Neytiri broke off and led him to an alcove, pushing aside the beaded coverings and ushering him inwards.

Kyle's eyes adjusted quickly to the dimness. An elderly Na'vi woman was kneeling on a mat in the center of the room, deep in meditation. The walls were covered in beautiful tapestries, and all kinds of jars and containers were neatly ordered against the wall. The room smelled faintly of incense. Kyle glanced curiously at Neytiri, who simply smiled and held two fingers over her lips.

"Please sit, child," Moat suddenly spoke, her eyes sliding open. Her gaze was still razor sharp despite her advancing age. These were eyes that missed no detail.

Kyle knelt down before Moat, frowning as he tried to remember why this woman looked familiar. "Have we met before?" he finally asked.

Moat smiled mysteriously and answered, "Yes, child, but you looked much different when I last laid eyes on you. Tell me, are you adjusting well to living in a body of the People?"

Kyle rocked back slightly, his expression growing wary. That inquiry hit way too close to home, he thought, but finally it clicked where he had seen Moat before. "You spoke with me in the infirmary," he stated, his expression becoming softer with recognition.

"Hmmm, so you remember," Moat said slowly.

"Yes…but it seems as if it was a long time ago… Another life, perhaps," Kyle replied.

Moat moved with lighting speed and in utter silence, her right hand withdrawing her small thorn knife from its hidden sheath and darting forward towards the skin of Kyle's upper arm, just below the hem of his shirt, with the speed of striking snake.

Kyle moved just as swiftly, his right hand coming up reflexively to grasp Moat's wrist with just the right amount of strength to stop her advance, her knife about a foot away from his arm.

Neytiri gasped in alarm and almost reached for her own blade – no one ever grabbed Mother like that…no one had ever reacted that swiftly before, either. Kyle was equally surprised and now quite frightened as he realized he had no doubt just broken some sort of serious cultural rule. He hastily released Moat's hand and stammered out an apology, his ears fully lowered in submission. "I…I'm sorry! I didn't mean – I…" he stuttered, holding up his hands in surrender. He glanced uncertainly back and forth between Moat and Neytiri.

The awkward moment was broken by Moat's quite chuckling. "Mawey, child, mawey. You answered exactly the question I had asked," she said, gazing at the very nervous man with newfound respect. "You would make a formidable hunter indeed with speed such as this, if you wished it."

Kyle's stammering ceased as he mentally slammed on the brakes. "Wait – what?" he asked, staring at Moat as if she had just sprouted a second head. Neytiri also turned her astonished gaze from Kyle to her mother.

Moat simply chuckled again and shook her head in that universal manner of elderly women everywhere. "You may go, Kylefischer. Unless you have any questions you would wish to ask of me?"

Kyle's mind was still trying to process what Moat had just said. Him, a hunter? I'm a freaking pilot! I shouldn't even be here, let alone in this body! "No…no, ma'am." His befuddled brain recalled the title Jake had referred to Moat by. "Thank you, Tsahìk, but perhaps it would be best if I get going."

Moat tilted her chin towards the exit. "Then you may leave, child. You may enjoy the hospitality of our home for as long as you have need."

"Thank you," Kyle said again before casting a nervous look towards Neytiri. "I'll…just wait outside." He swiftly left the alcove, the beads covering the entrance still clinking softly from his passing.

Now that they were alone Neytiri gave Moat her full attention. "Sa'nok?" she asked, letting the unspoken question hang in the air between them.

"_Yes, my daughter?"_ Moat replied levelly, clearly not as bothered by what had just transpired as Neytiri was.

Numerous questions fought for Neytiri's attention within her mind. Part of her was still shocked that Kyle was swift enough in both body and mind to stop Moat's hand the way that he had. What in the world did her mother mean by implying that Kyle could be a hunter? He was not Omaticaya! Neytiri held no animosity towards the man whatsoever…but though he lived in a body of the People, he was certainly not Na'vi!

Moat took a rare moment of pity on her daughter and answered Neytiri's questions without having to be prompted. She also demonstrated her uncanny ability to read her loved ones' minds. _"Do you doubt my words? Was not Jakesully, when you first met him, any less Na'vi then Kylefischer is now? And look at what kind of man your mate has become."_

"_I…hold no ill feelings towards Kylefischer, you know this. I am just surprised you would say such things to him," _she admitted.

Moat frowned ever so slightly. _"Tell me, daughter, as one who will be Tsahìk in my place some day. What do you See for Kylefischer?"_

Neytiri froze as Moat's new question gave her renewed perspective on the situation. Neytiri's mind quickly came to a rather startling revelation. _"He is more Na'vi now than my Jake was then," _Neytiri said slowly. Moat's faint smile confirmed that she was on the right track. _"Kylefischer is no longer a dreamwalker."_

"_Though we count the Sky People who remain as friends, would you wish to live among them?" _Moat asked. She was mildly frustrated at having to lay things out in such a way for her daughter, but even still her lips quirked up in faint amusement.

Neytiri closed her eyes as she imagined such a thing, and she shivered in silent disgust at this. She loved people like Norm dearly, and even Max, but she could not stand to live as they do. Always shut up indoors, inside cold metal walls and behind tall fences. Living that way would simply kill her spirit, Neytiri was sure of this. Her eyes flew open as she finally walked the path that Moat had pointed her towards and could instantly see what her mother was thinking. By virtue of his new body Kyle was already well on his way towards becoming one of the People. He still thought in the ways of the Sky People, though. He had not learned to See…yet. She knew that Kyle still bore internal scars from his crash, but there was also a great conflict between his body and mind, and Neytiri had been a fool to miss it.

Moat continued, _"I knew this would happen, Neytiri. I knew the very second that Maxpatel asked my permission, which he did not need, of course. By choosing life as one who looks like Na'vi, he will only find rest when he realizes that he _is _Na'vi. The path he has chosen will change him." _Moat's face grew thoughtful, and Neytiri could tell that she using all of her great wisdom and experience to reach for her next words. _"The All Mother most assuredly has a plan for him, just as she does for any of us. I cannot see what it is, though, but I am quite certain he will not be able to remain with the people of his birth, through no fault of their own or even lack of trying. It will take time for him to See this, my daughter. And the help of those closest to him."_

Neytiri smiled to herself. She knew of one person whose opinion could very well hold great weight with Kyle. _"This may already be happening, mother. You are correct in being disappointed in me for not Seeing this," _she said contritely. _  
_

Moat reached forward and lovingly caressed her daughter's cheek. _"It is your thick headedness that will keep me around for a long time. So much the better, because I would very much like to hold my grandchild before I go to be with Eywa."_

Neytiri blushed slightly at this, but smiled all the same as she rested a hand on her stomach. Someday soon, she thought. _"As you say, Mother."

* * *

_

Neytiri and Moat left the Tsahìk's alcove. Both of them would be attending the meeting with Jake – it is not pleasant business, Neytiri thought with a sigh, but it is necessary. She knew her mate would chew down any problem until nothing remained, not unlike a palulukan would chew through even thick Angtsìk bone in order to reach the marrow inside. It simply took time and effort.

Kyle was waiting outside for Neytiri to finish speaking with her mother. From this far up in the tree he could look down and observe many fascinating aspects of how the Omaticaya lived. For someone who had lived off of processed food his entire life, it was amazing indeed to watch how a hexapede carcass came in as a whole animal and was butchered down into all its useful parts – meat, hide, bones, even the organs all had some use, apparently. Nothing from the kill was wasted. What a novel concept indeed, to know that one's dinner had been alive and well hours before. Kyle found he rather appreciated knowing the source of his meals.

He had heard Moat and Neytiri speaking – damn, these ears did not miss much! Kyle had no idea what they were saying, though, as he really had no working knowledge of Na'vi. Unfortunately and much to his frustration, he knew he was still the topic of discussion because he had at least been able to discern his name being mentioned several times.

A hand rested upon his shoulder and he turned to find Neytiri standing beside him. "Do not let Mother's words bother you," she said gently.

Kyle snorted and shook his head. "Is she always so…" he almost said 'creepy.' Thankfully, his brain-mouth filter kicked in and he finished with, "Perceptive?"

Neytiri nodded, her lips faintly grinning as she caught Kyle's unsaid meaning. Her mother was the "Dragon Lady," after all. "Mother is very wise. There is not much that she does not See. But do not be afraid. I know that she cares for you."

"Why would she do that?" Kyle asked, genuinely confused.

Neytiri smiled to herself as she remembered the effort that both she and Moat and put into helping Kyle. "Because you are someone worth caring about," she answered honestly, tilting her head in momentary puzzlement.

She observed Kyle roll his eyes out of the corner of her vision, a mannerism that she knew well enough from Jake. "That's because I'm Norm's cousin, right?" Kyle stated flatly.

Neytiri was truly surprised at Kyle's words. "No…because you are someone worth caring about," she repeated. There was no other way to say it!

A long moment passed as Kyle mulled over Neytiri's words in his head. "Your home is…perhaps the most amazing thing I have ever seen," he said reverently after a while, and he was not stretching in the slightest for this compliment.

Neytiri smiled and teased him gently, "Even more than the sights you surely must have seen among the stars of the heavens?"

Kyle chuckled softly as he considered Neytiri's words before giving his answer. "Humanity has stretched down to the deepest parts of the ocean and to the highest reaches of space. It is nothing for me to think of traveling between planets, to calculate distances that you could not possibly even fathom…" Despite his words Neytiri knew from Kyle's tone that he was not slighting her intelligence. If anything, he seemed regretful. Kyle pointed down to where some of the cooks were disassembling a yerik, chatting amicably as they worked. "But that, something as simple as preparing tonight's dinner – that is completely beyond my reach."

Neytiri did not immediately respond. Her respect for Norm's cousin increased tenfold in that moment, for he had almost instantly realized the deep dichotomy between the Sky People and the Na'vi. "It is no great mystery," Neytiri finally answered. "You have but to ask, and it can be shown to you."

Kyle threw Neytiri a suspicious look, almost thinking she was teasing him. But Neytiri's expression was completely serious. Kyle could feel something in his spirit jump in response to Neytiri's words. "I think…I think I would like to learn," he said quietly. He faintly realized he was quite sure he had no idea what he was asking for, but somehow it seemed like the only answer he could give. Or should give, for that matter.

It was surreal for Neytiri, this unfolding of her mother's words before her very eyes.

"Is Tanhi here?" Kyle asked suddenly, and Neytiri had to smile.

"Perhaps…" Neytiri said. "Why would you wish to speak with her?" she asked in as innocent a tone as she could muster. She laughed softly as she observed the flush of affection come over Kyle's features. "I tease," she said, patting his shoulder. "Tanhi left very early this morning to hunt. I do not know when she will come back, but I am sure she will find you once she returns. Come, I will lead you back down to where Norm is teaching the little children. Some time around such innocence would be of benefit to your spirit, I think."

Kyle had never been a "kid-person," but then again, he had never really been given the chance. He smiled as he remembered the child who had pulled on his tail. The boy had looked so excited at the possibility of meeting someone new. "I think that would be a good idea," he agreed.


	15. Chapter 15

**Merry Christmas! Here's my present to you all, and early, too! Forgive me, it's not wrapped. I cannot even begin to tell you how relieved I am that Christmas is almost over. Sorry if I sound like a scrooge, but the holidays are way too stressful. I love Christmas, but I hate what the world has turned this time into. Wait, was I just ranting?**

**It took a while, but this is actually my longest chapter so far! I introduced a character that I think I will thoroughly enjoy working with, and this chapter might answer some questions you might be having. Of course, I'll do my best to introduce more suspense to replace any solved mysteries. **

**Oh, and I would be more than happy to shamelessly hawk for reviews by claiming that it could be your Christmas present to me. But I digress. 8-) As always, I hope you enjoy! And again, Merry Christmas!  
**

Chapter 15

Kyle followed Neytiri down the spiraling stairs of Hometree, or "Kelutral," as she called it. For the most part he was trying not to use too much of his brain to process all that Moat had said to him. "I am sure that Norm is teaching the younglings 'Ìnglìsì now," Neytiri spoke, thankfully interrupting his thoughts.

With a thoughtful frown Kyle asked, "Even after all of the terrible things that humans have done to them, they still want to learn English?"

Neytiri gave him a knowing look. "The children are not required to learn it. But nearly all who are of age choose to. And besides, a language is not evil." Neytiri grinned proudly at him. "Also, you should remember – 'Ìnglìsì is the first language of the Olo'eyktan and of the sixth Toruk Makto. It embarrasses my Jake terribly, but many of the young ones want to speak 'Ìnglìsì to be more like him."

Kyle smiled at this. "I hadn't thought of it that way," he admitted.

They left the cover of Kelutral, walking outside at the place closest to the river. Here, not far from safety of the tree was where the children generally stayed if their parents could not watch them for whatever reason. Norm sat in the shade, and before him were perhaps 15 or so young children, all sitting cross-legged and watching the scientist with rapt fascination as he taught them. Kyle stopped walking and stared with slight amazement at the still forms of the children – the only movement from the "class" was from tails subconsciously flicking back and forth as the kids absorbed knowledge like so many sponges.

"After what I saw before I did not think it possible for any of them to be still," Kyle quietly told Neytiri.

Neytiri covered her grin with her hand. "Many of these children will grow up to be fine hunters and warriors. And if they would not choose to serve the clan in that way, all will become wise to the ways of the forest, and the ability to be still and silent is essential for all Na'vi to learn. It is most challenging now to teach them to know when it is appropriate to be playful and when they must quiet themselves. Norm truly has a gift for teaching – he has never had to resort to harsh words to maintain order."

Neytiri bade him farewell as she had to attend to the undesirable but necessary task of meeting with Jake and Hoshiro, and for the first time since arriving Kyle was relatively alone. Kyle leaned against a tree, arms folded across his chest, and sighed as he watched Norm work with the kids. The breeze was blowing softly and it carried the scent of fragrant flowers to Kyle's nose. The sound of a softly babbling brook could be heard in the distance – a small stream ran by Kelutral and fed into the main river. All in all, the Omaticaya's home was an incredibly peaceful place, and Kyle continued to marvel at the way the Na'vi had built their home in such harmony with nature. Everything around Kelutral was carefully managed and maintained – it was a stewardship of the world around them rather than brutal domination and Kyle found he appreciated this approach to life.

Kyle realized with a bit a jolt that Norm was standing before him and trying to speak to him. "Sorry," he apologized, "I was lost in thought for a minute."

Norm smiled teasingly. "Unfamiliar territory for you?" he said.

Kyle rolled his eyes and waved him off. "I'm not interrupting the lesson or anything, am I?" he asked sincerely as he took note of the kids starting to drift off to play.

Norm shook his head. "No, I'm done. I don't like spending too much time talking at them, in any event. Na'vi learn so much better by doing, rather than just hearing." Kyle nodded – he was the same way. "The children know a ton of words, and most of what I try to teach them is grammar. Na'vi sentence structure is a bit different from English." Norm shook his head in amazement. "Soon they'll need a real linguist to teach them. They're picking English up faster than I can relearn it myself!"

Kyle looked thoughtful as he recalled what the children had called his cousin before tackling him to the ground. "Hey Norm, what does 'Karyu' mean?"

Norm looked distinctly embarrassed. "It means 'teacher,'" he answered softly.

Kyle's eyebrows rose at this and a warm smile spread across his face. Remembering a certain difficult talk not too long ago, he lovingly thumped his cousin in the upper arm with his fist and said, "I'd say that is something worth living for. Well done, Norm."

The two men's thoughtful reflection ended when one of the children ran up to them, and Kyle recognized him as the boy who had pulled on his tail earlier. The child looked up at Kyle and opened his mouth to speak, but then froze as if he had lost his voice. His eyes darted comically about as he deliberately formed his words in his head before speaking aloud. "My name is Kel'rey, what is your name?" He finally said, then breathed a big sigh of relief as though asking the question lifted a great weight from his young shoulders.

Kyle and Norm both raised their eyebrows, and Kyle squatted down and extended his hand. "My name's Kyle, it's good to meet you!" He grinned as the child promptly gripped and shook his hand, looking very solemn and grown up.

"Wow, very good Kel'rey! You said that perfectly!" Norm praised.

Kel'rey's chest swelled with pride and it seemed that Norm and Kyle could watch the child expand before their very eyes. "That is because I am best learner!" he promptly declared as he set his hands on his hips and looked up and Norm.

Kyle chuckled and replied, "Yes, and clearly the most modest."

Norm was simply floored at being able to watch his teaching being applied. The fleeting thought that Grace would be very proud of him crossed his mind as well.

"Hey, do you want to play Chase and Catch?" Kel'rey asked as he looked back and forth between Kyle and Norm, quite literally beginning to bounce in place from all the energy his small body contained.

"Tag," Norm translated for Kyle's benefit. "Sure, I will!"

Kyle suddenly felt a tiny bit self conscious. "Um, shouldn't we be watching the kids or something?" he asked.

Norm gave him a bit of a challenging smile. "Nah, the child watchers never left. There's plenty of supervision here if that's what you're worried about," he said and pointed to where a ways away two women were giggling and watching the exchange taking place. Norm poked Kyle in the stomach, eliciting a surprised huff. "I thought you were staying in shape?" he asked innocently.

"Fine," Kyle growled, tail beginning to wag a little faster behind him with anticipation. "Bring it. Who all is playing–"

"You it!" Kel'rey declared as he smacked Kyle on the wrist and then darted away towards the open stretch of area by the river bank, yelling to all the other kids in Na'vi that the game was afoot.

Norm began to carefully back away from Kyle as he gave him a cheeky wave. "Catch me if you can!" the scientist declared before tearing away at a speed that actually surprised Kyle.

Suddenly finding himself alone, Kyle gave a slightly frustrated huff, blowing a strand of hair away from his eyes. "Great," he muttered, but all the same a grin was beginning to spread across his face as he contemplated which person to go after first.

What followed was quite possibly the most intense game of tag Kyle had ever played in his life. Na'vi could run _fast_ when they wanted to! Both Kyle and Norm had a greater top speed owing to their longer legs, but any time Kyle tried to tag one of the kids the sneaky bugger would change course, turning on a dime and heading off in some other direction faster than Kyle could follow, giggling manically the entire way. Two full-body extension dives later and Kyle had managed to tag someone, though it had only really been a lucky swipe that brushed the tip of the kid's tail. (Tails were fair game, and Kyle's tail gave him no end of trouble as he continually forgot that it was behind him, and he never was really as far away from the "it" person as he thought he was.) The hastily created rule (mostly for Kyle and Norm's benefit) of a four count no tag-backs gave Kyle the window of escape he needed before the youngster could turn the tables and get him back.

Unbeknownst to Kyle, Tanhi had returned from a successful hunt just as the game of tag had commenced. She left her yerik carcass with the cooks before simply taking a moment to relax and watch the game. It was slightly strange, what with watching two grown men in Sky People clothes (minus shoes, of course) playing a game of Chase and Catch with the clan's children. Tanhi chuckled as she watched Kyle finally catch someone with his second dive. In this moment Tanhi thought that Kyle looked just as he did when they were in the forest that night – completely innocent and totally in awe of his surroundings.

She could not help but shake her head and smile as she observed Kyle lie down after a while in a melodramatically tired way, begging respite from the chase.

_"What has captivated your attention so?" _a male voice behind her asked. Tanhi closed her eyes and sighed. Despite the friendly tone, this was one of the last people she really wanted to be talking to right now.

* * *

Kyle collapsed onto his back and wiped the laughter induced tears from his eyes. "Hold on, hold on! I need a break!" he declared.

A few grinning children stood over him. "You tire too quickly!" a young girl laughed at him.

Kyle took a playful swipe at the kids who of course easily dodged away. "And you guys have too much energy!" he countered. He rocked back, tucking his knees up towards his chest, before unfolding his body in a quick snap. At the same time his hands, which were braced on the ground on either side of his head, pushed away from the ground. The end result was that Kyle leapt up from a position on the earth flat on his back to a crouched pose on his feet, all in the blink of an eye. His queue whipped around his neck from the quick motion to rest down the front of his body. The kids were appropriately impressed and cheered at the athletic display.

Kyle grinned as be bowed. Norm rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling broadly. "It's a workout, isn't it?" he chuckled as he rested his hands on his knees.

Kyle nodded his head in agreement as he brushed the dust and stray leaves from his body. He was only now just beginning to catch his breath. Kyle had always thought of himself as more of a distance runner – all of the starting and stopping of the tag game quickly wore him down. "We'll play again sometime soon, I promise," he said to the children. "What are they going to do next?" he asked Norm.

Norm pointed to where a few ornately dressed Na'vi were waiting as they watched the game. "Some of the weavers will be working with the children," he explained between pants. "They're actually thankful we tired the children out, if only for a short time. If you can't tell, the kids have no shortage of energy!" Kyle definitely agreed, and he was also pleased to note that while Norm had certainly held his own during the game, he was able to catch his breath much faster than his older cousin.

Kyle nodded as he looked around them. He caught sight of Tanhi talking with another person along the path towards Kelutral and he grinned broadly with affection. He cocked his head slightly, however, when he realized that she did not seem to be enjoying her conversation with the man. Kyle's slight confusion gave way to outright displeasure as be observed Tanhi shrug away from the man's touch on her arm. There was nothing mean spirited about the young Na'vi's gesture, but Tanhi's reaction to it did not go unnoticed by Kyle, and before he could stop it a low growl formed in his chest. He quickly choked back on the sound, though, before anyone could notice.

"See you guys around," Kyle said in an impressively easy tone as he bade farewell to Norm and the others and began to walk towards Tanhi. Kyle winced slightly as he recalled the places he had seen a reaction like Tanhi's. Now he was rather ashamed at some of the bars and clubs he had visited, but in any event he had seen that womanly signal plenty of times before. It was the sign of a woman who did not enjoy the attention she was receiving. Of course, Kyle had never been the instigator of such a gesture – he had the common sense to stop his advances well before it got to that point.

Kyle came up behind the young man who was speaking with Tanhi and rested his hand on his shoulder in a gentle but unmistakable manner. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" he said in a level voice. Kyle felt distinctly pleased when he saw relief flash across Tanhi's features at his appearance.

The man pulled away from Kyle's touch and glanced with surprised eyes between him and Tanhi. He, too, recognized the gratitude in Tanhi's eyes and frowned. "You hope in vain, Sky Person. My words with Tanhi do not concern you," he said brusquely in heavily accented English.

Kyle grinned, though it was not entirely friendly. "Perhaps they don't, but I cannot help but wonder if the lady wishes to speak with you now. It doesn't look like she's enjoying your conversation."

The man's frown turned into an outright scowl, and Kyle had to admit that he presented a fierce figure, what with his mohawk styled hair and glowering expression. "And how are you empowered to make this determination, ketuwong?" he spat. The Na'vi word was of course lost on Kyle, but it did not take a rocket scientist (though Kyle was one, in a way) to realize this was not a term of endearment.

"Rai'uk, please," Tanhi said as she gently took hold of the man's wrist as the hand below slowly clenched into a fist. She could tell from way that both males' ears were lowered that neither of them appeared ready to back down. Tanhi felt a strange mixture of apprehension, flattery, and relief with only a slight smidge of irritation on top to balance things out.

Rai'uk glanced over Kyle, clearly not impressed with what he saw. "Should you not go back to playing in the dirt with the other younglings?" he said, his lips pulling back ever so slightly from his fangs in what could either be a smile or a sneer.

Kyle was rather displeased but ultimately not too surprised that Rai'uk was receiving his intervention in a less than graceful manner. Kyle was not so clueless as to realize he had little say in events here, but the fact that this particular incident concerned Tanhi caused him to momentarily discard his cultural sensitivity. He would probably never be invited back if he started a fight with one of the Omaticaya, and over a woman no less! And it was barely even noon, Kyle realized with a humorless internal chuckle.

A second young Omaticayan man suddenly appeared behind Tanhi. Maybe materialized would be a better word, as his approach had gone completely unnoticed by both Kyle and Rai'uk, as well as Tanhi. The man gently rested a hand on her upper back, and she started slightly at the sudden touch. Once she turned and caught sight of who was beside her she noticeably relaxed, though.

This new person scowled at both Kyle and Rai'uk, who were both taken aback by his sudden appearance, before he addressed the latter in Na'vi. He was not physically any bigger than Kyle or Rai'uk, but somehow his presence demanded an authority that belied his young age. What followed was an exchange between the three Na'vi that Kyle stood no chance of understanding, and he fought against the urge to roll his eyes with irritation. Whatever was said, though, resulted in Rai'uk storming away in a huff, tail lashing angrily behind him, and Kyle breathed a small sigh of relief.

The tension in the air noticeable lessened upon Rai'uk's departure. Now Kyle was left to ponder who this new person was, who was still regarding Kyle in a less than friendly manner. Though he was definitely no expert on determining Na'vi age, the man looked to be around the same age as Tanhi, or perhaps slightly younger. His hair was also cut in the mohawk style that many of the men seemed to favor. Kyle wondered if this was more a move of necessity for him, however; an impressive scar adorned the right side of his head between his pointed ear and his hair. The skin was a paler blue than normal and devoid of the striping that normally adorned Na'vi skin. Now Kyle realized that his right ear was scarred as well, as it did not move with quite the same freedom as its left counterpart. Kyle wondered where such an injury could come from – he knew what an old burn wound looked like.

Still glaring at Kyle, he asked Tanhi a question, again speaking in Na'vi so that Kyle could not follow. Kyle was quite confused, to say the least, by the interpersonal dynamics around him; Tanhi clearly did not enjoy being around Rai'uk – that was blatantly obvious enough for even Kyle to pick up on. This new person though did not seem to bother her at all, and Kyle felt a pang of jealousy course through his body as he watched Tanhi put an arm around the young hunter's shoulder as she answered his inquiry. Her eyes were downcast, not meeting Kyle's gaze or looking towards the Na'vi beside her.

The man finally spoke to Kyle in English, his voice smooth but laced with menace. "You would do well to avoid making an enemy of Rai'uk," he warned. "Or me," he added with dark finality.

Kyle did not know what to make of that. He raised his right eyebrow and replied tightly, "I'll take it under advisement." Whatever was going on, Kyle refused to back down from it, and he did not flinch away from the man's piercing gaze.

With a snort of amusement (or disdain, Kyle really could not tell) the man gently disengaged Tanhi's arm from his shoulder. He whispered something in her ear before gently kissing the side of her head. With one final dark look towards Kyle he turned back towards Kelutral, ghosting down the path without a sound.

Kyle's mind spun as he fought to process all that had just occurred and it was only the public setting that prevented him from storming after the other man and laying into him. This time he made no effort to stop the deep growl in his throat, an expression of anger as much as jealousy. Kyle struggled to not jump to conclusions, but he had to admit that was mighty difficult after what he had just seen. Tanhi finally looked up and met his eyes, heaving a great sigh of relief as she did so. "Thank you," she finally said as she wrapped her arms around herself as though cold.

Kyle felt the urge to step forward and hold her himself, but he still could not bring himself to move closer to her. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he asked, "Thank you? For what exactly? I'm not really sure what role I played in all that." Not anymore, at least.

Tanhi's eyes widened as she turned to look behind her, back towards Kelutral. "That was…not as it all appeared to be," she said slowly. She stepped forward and gently gripped both of Kyle's shoulders. "Please believe me when I tell you this is so."

He could not bring himself to outright call Tanhi a liar. After all, was it not unnatural for the Na'vi to lie? Still, Kyle glanced away and swallowed back the lump that was forming in his throat.

Kyle felt a cool touch on his cheek – Tanhi's hand gently bringing him back to face her. "I asked the Olo'eyktan to allow you to come here," she admitted softly. "You may inquire of this to him yourself, if you do not believe me. Why would I do this if I did not wish to spend time with you?"

Kyle reflexively looked into Tanhi's eyes as she admitted this. She calmly met his suspicious gaze without wavering, and despite himself Kyle sighed and relented. "I won't do that. I believe you." He thought about saying more but simply shook his head. Don't mess this up any more, he thought. He felt distinctly cheated upon, but at the same time had to ask himself: what claim did he have on Tanhi to warrant such a feeling? The honest answer was none at all.

Tanhi's hands fell down from Kyle's shoulders to grip his hands. She looked genuinely contrite as she admitted, "I have not told you everything about me. I understand your feelings, especially after seeing…what you just saw. Do not mind Tsaro, though – he is a friend." So that was the scarred bastard's name.

Kyle's eyebrows went up at this. "He looked like more than that," he countered softly. There was no denying the fierce sense of protectiveness that Tsaro had displayed. He had _kissed _her, after all!

A look of faint sorrow passed behind Tanhi's beautiful golden eyes and Kyle barely caught it before it vanished. She looked at him with renewed confidence that very well could have been forced and offered him a small smile. "He is a friend," she repeated.

Kyle sighed; it appeared that Tanhi would not say anything more on the matter, so in an effort to be chivalrous he refrained from pushing the issue. "Alright," he said. Kyle suddenly perked up as his adrenaline from the confrontation wore off and he remembered something. "Hey, do you have a minute? I wanted to show you something."

Tanhi tilted head ever so slightly and smiled, this time genuinely. "Of course, Kyle. What is it?"

There was something about that simple motion that Tanhi had a habit of doing that never failed to send tingles of affection down Kyle's spine, all the way to the tip of his tail, and for a split second he actually forgot what he was about to say. A quick mental shake brought him back to reality and all he could think was dang, boy, you've got it bad! Perhaps his defensive feelings concerning Tanhi were warranted, after all. "You said you were curious what my human – my Sky Person – body looks…looked like. I brought a data pad. I can show you, if you want."

Tanhi was actually impressed. She had been fully prepared to drop that idea entirely after seeing Kyle's reaction several days ago. Even now he fumbled his verb tense a little, and though the topic was still clearly uncomfortable for him the offer he extended was honest. "It will not bother you too much?" she asked.

Kyle shook his head. "No, it's okay. I shouldn't avoid that topic forever." He could tell he was not convincing her so he gently grasped her shoulders and restated, "It's fine, honest! Come on, I'll show you. The data pad is in Norm's backpack."

The pair walked back towards Kelutral and Kyle found Norm's pack along with their shoes by where they had eaten breakfast. After both of them sat down Kyle dug the data pad out of its pocket and turned on the device. He opened up the press release he had saved the night before and enlarged the attached picture for Tanhi. Feeling like a bumbling junior high student, he handed her the data pad with a mumbled, "Um, here you go…"

Tanhi accepted the data pad with something akin to reverence, feeling very honored indeed that Kyle felt comfortable showing her his picture. Kyle clarified that he was the man on the left, but Tanhi already knew that. She could easily see the similarities in facial structure between the man before her and the human in the picture. Both Kyles possessed the same angular but not unattractive features; however the human Kyle's hair was so short that Tanhi snickered a bit with laughter as she answered to herself one of her longest standing questions about Kyle thus far.

"What?" Kyle asked, looking slightly wounded. That was certainly not the kind of reaction he had been expecting.

"Your hair is too short!" she told him with a smile. "Now I see why you were so clueless about your braids when I first saw you."

Kyle's eyes widened in surprise and he could only sputter at this, all his words jumbling up before they could come out properly. Tanhi finally threw her head back and laughed hard enough that she almost fell over, and after a moment Kyle could not help but join her. "Yeah, my hair has really never been any longer than this," he finally admitted, holding his finger a fraction of an inch away from his thumb.

Tanhi laid a comforting hand on his wrist as she reassured him through her finally fading laughter, "Do not worry; I do not think you are bad looking." She looked again at his picture, and Kyle was momentarily surprised when her fingers moved across the screen in such a way as to enlarge the photo. Tanhi's expression grew thoughtful as she looked at Kyle's human eyes. They were an intensely dark, piercing brown.

"What is it?" Kyle asked again.

Tanhi looked back up at Kyle. While brown eyes on a Na'vi would have been strange indeed, she found herself fascinated by Kyle's human eyes. Na'vi eyes were all generally shades of gold (green eyes were rare, thought no unheard of). In any event, there was certainly none of the wide variation in Na'vi eyes that can found in human irises. "Nothing," she answered softly as she brought a hand up go gently trace the side of his face. Kyle eyes drifted closed and he sighed at the contact. Though Kyle's irises were bright gold now, Tanhi could tell they retained his uniquely human shape, and his gaze was no less intense in this body than it had been in his former one.

How was it that he could be so at ease around this woman? Kyle found this question blitzing through his mind as he sighed and subconsciously leaned into the gentle caress of her hand against his face. An entirely new thought bloomed up in his mind – that he had a chance to completely start his life over on a new world, with new people, in an entirely different body, without any of his prior mistakes, failures…or pains to hold him back. Until now Kyle had been struggling to hold onto his humanity, and in this moment he wondered for the first time what might happen if he discarded it entirely.

"You should stay here," Tanhi said softly, almost to herself.

Kyle's eyes flew back open with a start. What was he thinking? Despite the biological clothes he was wearing, he was still very much the alien to Tanhi. All his prior musings left him in a rush. "I don't know if I can do that," Kyle replied softly.

Now Tanhi jumped ever so slightly. I had not meant to speak that aloud, she thought to herself. With a forceful shove of all her roiling internal feelings, she said in a strong voice, "Then we will find a way to visit with each other."

Kyle smiled at this. A brand new Samson would go a long way to solving that issue, he thought to himself. "I think that can be arranged," Kyle said. With a deep breath and the whispered prayer that it was not too bold a move, he scooted over until he was sitting beside Tanhi and gently put his arm around her shoulder. Tanhi did not seem to mind at all, as Kyle felt her relax almost instantly, and she rested her head on his shoulder with a sigh. Her body radiated a comfortable warmth everywhere her skin touched his. With a rueful chuckle Kyle told her, "You know, you really aren't helping me simplify my life at all."

Tanhi looked at him and smiled shyly before blowing on his ear, causing it to twitch a bit. "Oh? Should I leave?" she said teasingly and made to get up.

"Nah, I enjoy the challenge," Kyle admitted with a laugh as he tightened his arm just enough to indicate that he really would like for Tanhi to stay.

"It's not just you, apparently," Tanhi said with a smile and a knowing glance down between them.

"What are you talking about?" Kyle asked, confused, before he followed Tanhi's gaze. Kyle practically turned purple when he realized that, unbeknownst to him, his tail had somehow ended up wrapped gently around Tanhi's waist. When the heck had that happened?

* * *

Tanhi was alone now, walking down a path through the forest. She had left Kyle (momentarily, of course) to speak with Normspellman and Jakesully about whatever loud, boisterous things males seemed to enjoy talking about. Evening was just beginning to approach and there was something she wanted to do before the night meal.

The first tree appeared on her right, and the young sapling was only about chest height. Its pink fronds waved gently in the soft breeze, and it was not yet dark enough for the tree to show its own internal light. This grove of trees was still very young, probably no more than a few thousand years old. All the more fitting that this grove of Utral Aymokriyä was so small – it would take a great many years before the grove became as splendorous as the one that had been by the Omaticaya's first home. In the same way the Omaticaya still had much growing to do themselves as they recovered from the Time of Great Sorrow.

As she grew closer to the large central tree the saplings around her gradually grew taller. The young willow-like trees grew up from the roots of the parent tree, and in time this would be a truly impressive grouping of sacred trees.

Tanhi grasped her queue, bringing it around to the front of her body as she knelt before the tree. She paused momentarily before bonding with the fronds, wondering again at Eywa's providence that the All Mother would lead the Omaticaya to a home such as this. Utral Aymokriyä only grew near the large trees that many Na'vi clans called home, though not every Kelutral possessed such a grove. The Omaticaya were blessed indeed to have such a wonderful new pace to live.

Tanhi held her queue up to the tree and allowed the neural tendrils to gently wrap around the pink fronds. Though she knew what to expect, Tanhi still shuddered slightly at the sudden feeling of being aware of infinity, of the countless voices of the ancestors, of the old and not so old Na'vi who had gone to be with Eywa before her.

She always felt like she was cheating a bit when she did this, but right now she desperate needed some perspective on the situation she found herself in. And…some permission as well. And anyway, there was no such thing as hearing the voice of your loved ones one time too many, right? _My Yawne? My Sa'nu? Please, are you there?_

Tanhi closed her eyes and waited, daring to hope that she might receive an answer. An indeterminate amount of time passed before, wonder of wonders, she felt their two familiar presences well up before her, and the love she felt from them both brought tears to her eyes.

_I always said you were cute when you were mad, but sorrow does not become you, _a male voice said, and Tanhi smiled despite herself at his ever playful tone.

_Can you really hold it against me?_ Tanhi countered, her emotions split in the strangest way between amusement and longing for what could never be.

A female voice chuckled at the two of them. _Oh, my __'itetsyìp. Speak your mind, daughter, you know you cannot linger forever here._ Her mother's gentle warning could not mask the love in her voice.

With a sigh Tanhi opened up her mind before the two presences before her, introducing the both of them to this new man named Kyle Fischer. _I do not know what to do. I…I fear I may be falling in love with him. But he is not even Omaticaya! He is a Sky Person! People like him have…ARG! _Tanhi let herself devolve into a rageful mess as the pent up furry at having all that she loved and cherished yanked away from her broke free in a physical and emotional roar. _ I do not even know if I should feel this way. I do not wish to…_ She trailed of and tried not to think of all the ways she could finish that sentence. Of course, the bond of tsaheylu did not usually allow for things to remain hidden, especially before two souls who knew her so very well as these did.

The rush of affirmation and affection almost broke Tanhi's spirit, this time with joy, and she would have been driven to her knees if she had not already been kneeling. The emotional ups and downs of speaking with those who had gone before, especially these two, were always difficult for Tanhi to manage. _Come, Tanhi, you do yourself, and him, a disservice if you lump this man in with the rest of the Sky People. You know as well as I do that not all are the same – you need only to look to the sixth Toruk Makto, and your Olo'eyktan, to know this. Do you think I would hold it against you if this man became what I can no longer be, or gave you what I no longer can? _the male voice said. _It would hurt me more to know that you would choose to go through life alone out of loyalty to the dead. You do not need my permission, but you have it of course._ Blunt, as always. But that was one of the reasons Tanhi had fallen in love with him. He hid nothing from her, even in death.

Tanhi's mother laughed, her voice more beautiful than any musical instrument that Tanhi had ever heard. _And the other half of your struggle is of course Sempu, _she rightly declared, and Tanhi was relieved that her mother had picked up on that particular anxiety. Tanhi's mother took on a haughty tone as only a mated woman could in regards to her man and said, _Do not fear what he thinks, _I _will deal with him._ For a moment Tanhi almost pitied her father for the brow beating he knew he would be in for. Of course, the more intense her parents' fights had been, the more intense their affirmations of love for one another were when they were finished.

The other voice laughed as well at this. _I will of course add my blessing to that of your mother's. If this Kylefischer is your intended, you need only keep him alive until your sempul is convinced of the rightness of your choice._ Tanhi smiled despite herself at this warning, for it was probably no exaggeration.

Tanhi felt unreasonably surprised at all that she was hearing. _Neither of you are…upset with me?_

All of a sudden Tanhi's skin tingled with sensation as though a heated breeze had blown over her body. She could almost physically feel someone before her and someone behind her, holding her, and she screwed her eyes closed as she struggled to memorize every last iota of the sensation. Her mother lovingly squeezed her shoulders, gently caressed her daughter's face. _How could I be upset with my beautiful daughter choosing life? _she said simply. _Your beautiful spirit would have it no other way._

_And how could I be upset with my Yawne choosing to love…and to be loved as only she deserves? _the other said. For a moment she felt his sadness as he nuzzled his nose into her hair, his arms holding her lovingly around her waist. _I miss you terribly, Yawne..._ he said, and Tanhi could even feel his tears on her shoulders. _Even now the All Mother has not given my questions of 'Why?' a satisfactory answer. But I have faith, Tanhi. As should you. Our mating was not to be – to say otherwise would be to doubt Eywa, for she knows best, yes? Do not be afraid of love in this life. I know I will not fear for you in this way._

Tanhi shuddered as she allowed an ungraceful, ugly sob to rack her body. It was not fair! But she would not fight him on this.

_I must go now, Yawne, _he whispered in her ear. _Take to heart our words. You do not have to accept or agree with them immediately, but do not discount the wisdom in them. Above all, do not be afraid. I love you, Tanhi._

_ I love you, my 'ite,_ her mother echoed, and like smoke born on the breeze, they were both gone.

Tanhi's queue disconnected of its own volition and she allowed herself to collapse to the ground before the tree, its flowing branches just now beginning to glow softly pink as dusk fell. She curled into a ball and cried softly to herself. Tanhi knew she had to get back – they would be eating the evening meal soon, but for now all she could do was sob the emotion out. Eywa, it hurt so much! She wished someone could hold her right now during this. Ironically enough her mind went back to when Kyle had placed his arm around her shoulder, and she found she greatly missed that feeling. Her cries began to still as she considered that maybe, just maybe the words of her former betrothed were indeed right.

Unbeknownst to Tanhi, someone had indeed been watching her the entire time, and his heart ached to run to her, to hold her as he knew she surely must need. It could never be, he thought sadly to himself. While he did not know for sure what Tanhi had been doing while linked to the tree, he was no fool and could put forth a pretty decent guess. He also would definitely never ask Tanhi what had just transpired in this moment, for that would mean admitting that he had been spying on her. Of course, if his guess about who was on the other end of the conversation was correct, he would not worry about her much longer. He knew the advice would be sound, and in Tanhi's best interest. That was all that mattered to him.

* * *

Much of the clan had already gathered in Kelutral for the evening meal when Tanhi arrived back home. Though much of her composure had been regained, Tanhi still struggled to ensure that she wore a straight face when she entered into the meal circle. Her eyes immediately went to where Jake and Neytiri usually sat, correctly guessing that the Norm would be sitting near them. Hoshiro, Max, and Collins had flown back to Hell's Gate before dusk had fallen – a kunsìp would be back tomorrow to pick up Norm and his cousin. Kyle was nowhere to be seen, however.

"Hey, have you been crying? What's wrong?" Kyle's sudden appearance before her caused Tanhi to jump slightly. She must have been really distracted, Kyle thought. It is difficult indeed to sneak up on a Na'vi.

"I am alright," Tanhi says as she gave Kyle a steady look, hoping she appeared brave. Kyle's gold eyes narrowed with concern as he gauged her response, and Tanhi strongly suspected he was not fooled.

Still, he nodded. "Alright. I was waiting until you got back. Would you, um…would you want to sit by me? Norm is saving two spots for us."

Tanhi smiled easily now, touched by the invitation and amused at his nervousness. "I would be honored," she replied, and she successfully restrained a chuckle as his bioluminescent spots blazed brighter for a moment.

Kyle felt a distinctly firm hand land on his shoulder and he felt an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu as a deep voice inquired, "Are you well, my 'ite?" The question was clearly for Tanhi, but Kyle had no doubt that the tone was for him. He turned to see quite possibly one of the fiercest Na'vi he had ever laid eyes on. He bulged with coiled muscle and his eyes smoldered like two ingots of freshly smelted gold. The man gave Kyle a warning look that seemed to be universal among parents of any species.

Tanhi gave her father a disarming daughter's smile as she took Kyle's hand in her own in an overt demonstration of her fondness for him. "Of course, Sempul. Have you met Kylefischer? He is cousin to Normspellman."

The man's expression lightened, but only just barely, and for once Kyle did not mind being cast in Norm's shadow. He had the distinct suspicion that the reference Tanhi dropped was very much for his benefit during this moment. "I have not," he said as he gave Kyle a smile that was more predatory than friendly. "Normspellman is a good man. I trust his family is no different?" The man gave Kyle's shoulder a squeeze that might have appeared friendly to anyone observing, but his fingers discreetly dug into a pressure point in Kyle's shoulder that quickly brought tears to his eyes.

Just before Kyle felt that his knees would buckle from the pain the man's grip relented, and Kyle coughed to mask his relieved gasp. "Er, of course," he said. He was quite sure it would have been suicide to answer any other way.

"Tanhi! Kylefischer! How good it is to see you all here!" Both of them turned to see Moat approaching, a welcoming smile gracing her elderly face. Moat turned to Tanhi's father and said amicably, "Mal'ek! I trust you have been welcoming to the guests of the Olo'eyktan?" Despite Kyle's reservations concerning Moat he was grateful that even she seemed to be running interference for him right now.

"Oel ngati kameie, Tsahìk," Mal'ek said respectfully, motioning with his hand. He gave Kyle an incredibly firm thump on the back and a smile that seemed to be mostly fangs. "A friend of the Olo'eyktan is of course a friend of mine."

Thankfully he remembered that shaking hands was not a Na'vi greeting (Mal'ek would have probably used it as a convenient excuse to crush Kyle's fingers, anyway) so Kyle simply inclined his head respectfully and said, "It is an honor to meet you, sir."

Mal'ek dipped his head ever so slightly in return.

Tanhi gently squeezed Kyle's hand. "Go and sit. I will join you quickly." Kyle opened his mouth to disagree, but Tanhi gently pushed him away. "I wish to speak with my sempul," she clarified. Oh. One of _those_ conversations.

"Come, Kylefischer," Moat said as she gently took hold of Kyle's arm, guiding him away. "I am sure that Mal'ek will not keep Tanhi long." She gave the powerful warrior a glance over her shoulder that conveyed just how sure of her statement she was.

Unaware of Moat's look, Kyle gave Tanhi a friendly wave before following the Tsahìk away, and Tanhi smiled at him in return.

Mal'ek watched Moat and Kyle draw away. When he was sure they were both out of earshot he turned to his daughter and hissed, _"I do NOT approve of the way he was looking at you! He is not Omaticaya! More than that, he is a Sky Person!_ Mal'ek was fairly livid with barely contained rage as he said this._ I do not know what upsets me more – his behavior towards you or your irreverence in the way you responded."_ Tanhi's reference to Normspellman was well played, as right now it was only Mal'ek's respect towards the scientist that prevented him from outright gouging Kyle's eyes out…or doing something worse. Mal'ek was about as protective of his daughter as a palulukan was of her cubs – except that you were more likely to survive crossing the palulukan, rather than Mal'ek.

Well, everything was proceeding just as she knew it would, Tanhi thought with a sigh. She tilted her head at him and gave him a frigid look in response. Oh, she looks so much like her mother when she gets this way, Mal'ek cannot help but think. _"Thank you, Sempu, for your opinion."_

Mal'ek blinked. That was it? He had been bracing himself for a titanic struggle with his daughter, but so far she seemed to be taking his intervention remarkably well, all things considered. _"So…you will be declining his invitation to eat with him tonight, then?"_

_ "No."_

Damn.

After a pregnant pause where neither father nor daughter spoke, Mal'ek finally sighed and closed his eyes. _"Why are you doing this, 'itetsyìp? Please tell me that today is not the first day you have set eyes on him!" _Let's start at square one, then we can find where your insanity lies.

_"No, I have spent time with him before at the Sky People's base. And I wish to spend further time with him because he is a kind man who treats me as I deserve, not as he think I want to be treated. Kyle is someone I wish to know better," _Tanhi said.

_"'Know better?' To what end?" _Mal'ek asked in exasperation. _"You are not actually considering…?" _His daughter's look confirmed his fears. At this point the mental balance in Mal'ek's mind between keeping Kylefischer alive and going through the uncomfortable process of explaining to Normspellman that Mal'ek had killed his cousin tipped decidedly against Kyle's favor. _"So THIS is why you stayed so long at their home!" _

Tanhi saw the faintly murderous glint in Mal'ek's eyes and decided now was absolutely the time to play dirty. Well, maybe not dirty, but it was time to pull out all the stops. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her father, drawing him into a loving embrace. She had to stretch up on her toes to be able to whisper into his ear, "Oel ngati kameie, Sempu. _I know you act this way because you love me."_

Mal'ek sighed again and hugged his daughter just as fiercely as he closed his eyes against a wave of emotion. _"You are all I have left," _he admitted to her softly.

_"You know they are never truly gone," _Tanhi countered gently. She began to rub her father's back when she felt the muscles there tighten like steel bands. _"I have already spoken of Kyle with sa'nu…and with…" _Damn it all, she still could not bear to mention his name. She sniffed back against further tears. _"I have their approval," _she admitted.

Mal'ek snorted slightly as he kissed the top of Tanhi's head. _"You have sought approval out of turn, then," _he reminded her softly, but his reprimand held no real force.

Tanhi smiled into his neck as she said, _"Sa'nu says you should take any issues you may have up with her."_

Her father growled in exasperation. _"You never fight fair," _he said.

Tanhi's grin only widened as she breathed in her father's comforting scent. _"How else could I overcome the clan's strongest warrior?" _she said. _"Please promise that you will at least give Kyle a chance," _she asked.

Mal'ek knew he was outgunned once his mate had been brought into the equation, and after a moment he relented. _"I could never guarantee Kylefischer's health should he do something to harm you, my 'ite. You know this,"_ he warned.

Tanhi released her father from her embrace and reached up to lovingly pinch his ear. _"Thank you," _she told him.

_"It is fortunate that my best friend was once a Sky Person," _Mal'ek admitted. _"I do not think I could give Kylefischer the chance that you ask for, otherwise." _Mal'ek's large hand came up and lovingly cupped Tanhi's face. _"I will trust you in this matter, little one."_

Tanhi's hand came up to her face to hold her father's. _"That is all that I ask, Sempu."_

With another soul emptying sigh Mal'ek turned back to face the meal circle. Leaf plates were already beginning to be passed around. _"Hurry now, before I bring the Tsahìk's wrath down on my head as well," _he gently chastised as he carefully pushed Tanhi away. She bowed slightly in thanks before melting gracefully into the growing crowd that ringed the fire pit. As much as he hated to admit it, Mal'ek could find nothing to concern him in the way that Kylefischer warmly greeted his daughter's arrival.

Some kind of sixth sense caused Neytiri to look up from where she had been handing Jake a cut of roasted yerik. Her eyes locked with Mal'ek and she gave him a reassuring smile. Without breaking eye contact she whispered something in Jake's ear, and the Olo'eyktan immediately glanced over at Kyle and Tanhi, then back at Mal'ek. His lips quirked up in silent amusement, but his eyebrows were also raised in knowing question. It would take only one look from Mal'ek to have Jake break up what was rapidly blooming between Tanhi and Kyle.

Mal'ek shook his head ever so slightly. They had his permission, at least for now.

Jake pointed down at his food leaf and waved Mal'ek over. _Dinner's getting cold. _Again, Mal'ek shook his head and politely bowed away. He walked away from the meal circle, head bowed in thought, as the sounds of the dinner feast gradually faded behind him. The massive warrior leaned wearily against the trunk of Kelutral as he looked out over Pandora's glowing forests. His stomach rumbled slightly, reminding him that he needed to attend to its needs at some point.

Mal'ek ignored it as his gaze turned in the direction of Utral Aymokriyä. Some things were more important than food this night.

* * *

Kyle greeted Tanhi warmly as she lowered herself to the ground beside him. She seemed to be in a good enough mood so he asked in a slightly serious, slightly joking tone, "Are all the men in your life batshit crazy?"

Tanhi frowned at the unfamiliar euphemism. "How crazy is batshit?" she asked innocently, having never heard the term before.

Kyle snorted with barely contained laughter. "Never mind," he said. His eyes widened as Norm, who was sitting to his left, passed him a leaf platter that was heaped high with all sorts of delicious smelling foods. He was about to reach for a particularly tasty looking slice of meat when he was simultaneously chastised from both sides. "Oh, no you don't!" Norm told him. "Na'vi never serve themselves. It's up to the person sitting beside you to choose what you eat and drink."

"Fortunately for you, I have an idea of what pleases your stomach," Tanhi giggled as she took note of the somewhat desperate look that crossed Kyle's face upon hearing of this custom, and she gladly gave him a healthy serving of yerik and roasted vegetables. When it was Tanhi's turn, Kyle cheerfully returned the favor of serving her dinner.

A smattering of children's laughter drew Kyle's attention back to the left. A finely crafted wooden tray was making its way around the circle as well, and it held numerous bowls of some unknown drink. Some of the younger kids were passing the adults bowls, while behind them some of the older children held fresh trays in reserve. Norm's ears and tail noticeably perked up as he caught sight of this. "What is it?" Kyle asked, wondering what could cause such a reaction in his cousin.

Jake looked up after one of the children had given him a bowl, a wide grin adorning his face. "It's pretty much beer," he said. "Just go easy for your first time."

Norm, however, had no such compunction about 'going easy.' His server seemed to realize this and the young boy laughed as he handed Norm two bowls. Kyle recognized Kel'rey as the child offered him one of the bowls next. "Thanks, kiddo!" Kyle said sincerely. The nickname elicited peals of laughter from the boy.

"Don't drink too much before Chase and Catch," Kel'rey warned. "You be too easy to tag!"

Kyle blinked twice as he digested the warning before a smile formed across his face as he contemplated the humor of trying to play tag while drunk. He leaned over and asked Norm, "Is dinner here always this big a deal?"

Norm finished a healthy swig from one of his bowls before answering. "This is pretty normal. Having you and me here makes it a bit of a special occasion. You should be here for the feast after the talioang hunt, though. Now that's a party!"

Kyle took an experimental sip from his bowl. As soon as the fiery liquid touched his tongue his ears and tail shot bolt upright. "Whoa!" he coughed. "Holy crap!" Everyone around him laughed at his reaction, and more than a few boisterous cries went up as he eagerly took another deep drink. He had no intention of getting drunk, though – if anything, he wanted to avoid making an ass of himself on his first visit to the Omaticaya. Even still, the fermented drink in his stomach radiated a comforting warmth and it was all he could do to not toss back the entire bowl in one go.

The next couple of hours reminded Kyle of his first dinner at Hell's Gate. The Omaticaya were kind and welcoming, and Kyle had so many new and strange names thrown at him he finally gave up trying to remember them all. Jake and Neytiri were kind hosts indeed, patiently answering all of the numerous questions that Kyle kept thinking of. It also brought great comfort to Kyle to observe how his cousin interacted with everyone. Norm clearly was at ease here and there were very few people he did not know. If Norm was noticeably happier in his avatar, he was downright joyful around the Omaticaya.

Ironically, it did not escape Norm's notice either how well Kyle was doing. At the very least a strong friendship was growing between Tanhi and Kyle. Judging by the body language and furtive glances that the two often shared, Norm would not be surprised if it developed into something a little deeper than mere friendship. Despite the tiniest pang of jealousy, Norm could not be happier for Kyle.

* * *

Several days later, back at Hell's Gate, Kyle was sitting in the pilot's seat of his almost finished Samson. All of Kyle's anticipation had been building up to this point. Collins rested against the open copilot door, smiling ever so slightly as he observed Kyle settle into the chair, looking for all the world like a 16 year old who had just received his first car. Kyle's rear was practically on the floor, and he did not so much sit in a chair as rest on strategically placed padding. A sculpted backboard had been installed, though, and it included a thoughtful gap at Kyle's lower back for his tail.

"What do you think so far?" Collins asked.

Kyle grasped the newly installed cyclic control between his legs with his right hand and allowed his left to fall onto the collective stick. His feet pushed on the rudder pedals that had remained unchanged for the most part. The throttle levers on the ceiling had been moved a tiny ways back so that Kyle would not have to lean so far forward to reach them. The control panel was unchanged so that a human could still operate the aircraft from the copilot seat, but nearly all of the switches had been changed out so that Kyle's larger fingers could operate them. "So far so good," he reported. He grinned widely at Collins and said, "Dude, I think we nailed it on the first try. When will she fly?"

Collins grinned right back. "If you're comfortable with where everything is, Kasim will finalize the fiber optics. Give him an hour and then we'll be able to take her up." Collins laughed a bit. "I'm not sure if Aerospatiale would approve of our hack job, but then again I don't think we'll be inspected anytime soon."

The wonderful thing about fiber optic controls was that they were pretty much plug and play. While Kasim fiddled with the controls in the cockpit Kyle started his preflight check outside, Collins following a bit behind to catch anything that Kyle missed. Collins was impressed, though: for a man who had spent the last six years in space, Kyle still remembered his way around a tiltrotor remarkably well, even a relative antique like an SA-2 Samson. The fact that Kyle had practically memorized the flight manual certainly helped as well.

Finally, Kasim gave his approval that the chopper was ready for flight. Kyle simply gaped at it, this ticket to his freedom, barely able to believe that he was about to fly again. He was so excited, in fact, that he barely took note of the tiny tingle of trepidation that was beginning to germinate in the back of his mind.

Collins slung himself into the copilot seat and after slamming his door began to buckle himself in. "Go ahead and fire her up. I'll be watching for anything you miss, but really I'm not too worried. You've gotten back up to speed pretty well."

Kyle felt quite pleased with himself as he glanced over his checklist. "Well, to say I've been looking forward to today would be a bit of an understatement. I can't wait to get off my ass and start working again."

"Yeah, I bet," Collins replied absently as he observed Kyle powering up the Samson's electrical system.

"Green across the board," Kyle spoke, his voice suddenly taking on a bored tone as though reporting the weather. He could feel his brain sliding over into the mindset of pilot in command once again as his professionalism took over. It felt _so_ good to be back. "Fuel valve in. Master on. Circuits good. Fuel, transmission, clutch light good. Prefiring." Kyle ran smoothly through the rest of the checklist, and after waiting for the engine ready light Kyle pressed the starter and listened as the turbines began to shudder and spool up. "Ignition," he smiled and looked over to Collins for confirmation, who nodded.

The steady vibration of the engines was starting to get on Kyle's nerves for some reason, even though he could tell everything was running normally as he scanned his instruments. The noise grated on him, and he absently wondered if had something to do with his new ears. A slight muscle tremor caused his right hand to clench up and he shook the offending limb out to relax it.

Pushing down a growing sense of foreboding, Kyle keyed his mic and called Hell's Gate air control. "HG tower, Samson 26, ready for northbound departure."

"Samson 26, HG tower. Northbound departure approved, wind is five knots from 2-7-0," came the clipped response.

"A good day for flying," Collins said absently as he twisted in his seat to look back at Kyle. "Hey, are you too hot? Wanna turn on a fan?" Collins asked. Beads of sweat were forming on Kyle's forehead and temples.

Kyle did not respond, and Collins' experienced eye noticed Kyle scan the instrument panel for at least a fourth time. "Thom, are you sure things are running right?" Kyle finally asked as he stared fixedly at the gauges.

Collins looked at the panel. All of the engine displays read normally. "They're fine, dude," he said as he looked back at Kyle. Collins had spent enough time around avatars and Na'vi to know when someone was getting uncomfortable, and the way that Kyle's ears were beginning to fold back did not escape his notice.

Kyle shook his head and blinked a few times as if to clear his mind. "Right. Just checking. Alright, let's do this." Kyle throttled up and began to raise the collective, but the Samson refused to move.

"Clutch, Fischer. Engage the clutch," Collins reminded him. That should have been obvious, he thought to himself.

"Right," Kyle repeated as he engaged the appropriate switch. The drive train thumped loudly and jolted in protest as it engaged at a much higher speed than was comfortable, and again Collins shook his head as he hid a wince. That was a newbie mistake. "It's been a while," Kyle muttered to himself.

Collins merely grunted in response. Kyle's confidence and professionalism seemed to be vanishing and Collins suddenly felt like he was flying with a rookie again.

Again Kyle pulled up on the collective and this time the Samson rose unsteadily into the air. A particularly nasty wobble caused Collins to almost grab his own controls, but Kyle was able to recover before he had to intervene.

Kyle, for his part, was trying to figure out why this had all of a sudden become a terrifying experience for him. This was not the slight hesitancy that came with flying an unfamiliar aircraft that he was feeling – this was trepidation due to the act of flying itself. The tickle one gets in the stomach from ascending through the air profoundly disturbed Kyle rather than comforting him as it usually did. Kyle swore softly as Collins reminded him to adjust for the wind drift. He had not even noticed.

"Go ahead and head north towards the river – will take a quick swing around the base to shake things out," Collins instructed.

"Right," Kyle muttered and began his turn, which was quite sloppy and untrimmed. It was a struggle for him to focus on the simple task of maintaining a steady altitude. A tickle of pain in Kyle's side was the final sign that signaled he might totally loose it in a few moments. "Collins, take the controls," he gritted, sensing an impending panic attack.

"What?" Collins said as he turned back to face Kyle, not sure that he had heard correctly. The pilot's face was drawn in a silent snarl and Collins noticed that both of his hands were clasped tightly around the controls. The muscles in Kyle's arms were all clenched up and stood out in sharp relief beneath his blue striped skin.

"I said take the controls!" Kyle snapped, speaking in a much harsher tone than he had intended to.

"I have the controls," Collins quickly deadpanned as he faced forward, his expression carefully neutral behind his exopack.

"You have the controls," Kyle said with a sigh as he closed his eyes and drew his booted feet away from the rudder pedals. The tickle in his side grew into a lancing pain and Kyle hissed and hunched forward in his seat, only to find that his flight harness restricted his movements. Even though Kyle knew it was completely irrational he could not clamp down on a growing sense of claustrophobia and he began to frantically work at the buckles that kept him in his seat. All of a sudden he just wanted _out. _The fact that they were almost 800 feet above the ground did not even enter his mind.

Collins took note of the flurry of movement to his right. Kyle was really starting to freak out and the last thing that Collins wanted was for a 10 foot tall former avatar to have a mental breakdown midflight in the cockpit. At least he had the sense to keep his feet away from the pedals, but Collins had no doubt that Kyle would overpower him if he leaned the wrong way against any of the controls. Collins keyed his mic and told Hell's Gate that he needed to set down on the river bank to check over some things. The flight controller casually acknowledged, none the wiser to what was going on.

As Collins nosed downwards Kyle yelped in fear, bracing his left hand against the ceiling. "Fuck, watch it, Collins!" he yelled, his eyes screwed shut in terror. The metal ceiling panel began to dimple upwards from pressure that Kyle was exerting on it.

The Samson thumped onto the ground a little harder than Collins would have liked, but at least it had been a quick decent. As soon as they landed Kyle yanked on the door handle, almost snapping the latch in his haste to exit. He threw open the doors and tumbled ungracefully out of the cockpit, staggering a few steps away before he threw up the contents of his breakfast onto the ground.

Collins was out of his seat in an instant and ran around the nose of the chopper to where Kyle was hunched over. Kyle heard his approach and turned away, waving his hand. "Don't come any closer, Collins. Give me a minute," Kyle gasped. He started to vomit again and fortunately remembered to hold his queue away before he soiled it.

Kyle staggered away from the mess he had made on the ground and sank to his knees with a pained groan as he clutched his side, muttering incoherently to himself. Collins shifted uncomfortably on his feet and idly scratched at the seal of his exopack, feeling distinctly useless.

The Samson's rotors had long since stopped spinning by the time Kyle regained his composure and stood back up on shaky legs. "I'm sorry," he breathed, not meeting Collins' eyes.

"What happened?" the human asked. "Did you have a flash back?"

Kyle nodded as he stared out over the river. "Yeah. Towards the end… It's like I wasn't even here anymore. I knew I was flying the chopper, but all I could see was empty space. I was in the shuttle again." Kyle finally looked at Collins with haunted eyes. "I couldn't _see,_" he repeated.

Collins nodded. He had heard of plenty of pilots in his time who took a nasty fall, and for whatever reason the never flew again. Unlike Kyle, some of them had never been able to even step foot inside of an aircraft ever again. "Do you… Do you want to try again?"

Kyle quickly nodded even though he looked stricken by the idea. "Yes. But let's do it tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, then," Collins agreed.

"Can you…not tell anyone that I freaked out?" Kyle asked after a second in a small voice.

Collins smiled faintly. "Mum's the word, I promise."

* * *

Kyle and Collins did try to go out flying the next day, and Kyle struggled and failed to fight back another panic attack moments after takeoff. They tried a second time, and a third time, all with the same results. Every time Kyle tried piloting the helicopter a panic attack ensued within five minutes. It was the most demoralizing thing for Kyle; most people never had the chance to experience their own mental undoing, but Kyle was aware of it every step of the way, like an Alzheimer's patient who knew that his mind was rotting out.

Something about the Valkyrie crash had shattered something in Kyle's mind, and despite his best efforts it looked like he would never be able to fly again. Quite frankly, that fact broke Kyle's heart.

Collins never said a word, but the frequent short flights and Kyle's rapidly degenerating demeanor signaled that there was indeed a problem. While Collins would have been quite happy working with Kyle until they were both old men, after their fourth try Kyle called it off. Strangely enough, he said he was most embarrassed by the fact that it appeared that the work everyone put into making his Samson would be wasted. "It's not like we have a shortage of them or anything," Collins had said. "We'll keep it around for as long as you need."

Norm found out that there was a problem when Janelle confessed that Kyle had been asking her for pain and sleep medications. Pain relievers she had, but seeing as how avatars never really slept… Kyle was on his own for that one.

Norm, in his avatar, entered the cabin one evening to find Kyle sitting on his bed, reading something on a data pad. Norm did a double take when he noticed a decent sized gash over Kyle's right eye that had been stitched up. Throwing away any subtle pretenses Norm crouched by his cousin's bedside and examined the wound with concern.

"Hey, hey, it's fine!" Kyle complained, leaning away from his cousin. "Janelle already took care of it."

"What'd you do?" Norm pressed, his lips tight with worry. The wound would leave a definite scar behind.

Kyle shrugged. "Didn't duck in time for an airlock is all," he explained.

"Geesh, looks like you walloped yourself pretty good," Norm muttered as he sat back.

"Norm, do you know what you want to be when you grow up?" Kyle asks in a blank tone. Norm finally notices the way that Kyle's tail lies completely limp behind him, displaying no emotion whatsoever. His ears flick subtly back and forth, not following any external sounds but simply twitching spasmodically to Kyle's own random thoughts. Kyle kept avoiding Norm's gaze, and the visible whites of his eyes were bloodshot.

Norm just shook his head and responding with his own question. "Janelle told me you've been looking for sleep meds. Why?"

The ears stopped moving and folded back as Kyle realized from Norm's tone that he had been pegged. "Can't sleep. Why else would I ask for sleep meds?" Kyle looked thoughtful for a second. "Maybe I could swipe some human medication from the infirmary when Mirhadi isn't looking."

Norm literally hissed, causing Kyle to flinch. "You'll do no such thing!" he snarled at him. Kyle physically recoiled as though struck, and Norm sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that," he said.

"It's fine," Kyle said in that strangely bland tone as he stood up. "I'm going to run through the obstacle course before bed. See you later."

"Wait," Norm implored. "I've already seen you run through the course twice today. You're trying to exhaust yourself, aren't you?"

Kyle did not answer; his silence was enough of a reply for Norm.

Norm dug through his backpack and withdrew a thermos which he handed out to Kyle, who accepted it with a curious look. "It's a special tea," Norm explained. "The Na'vi drink it in the evening sometimes, if they want to fall asleep quickly. I…figured you could use some."

Kyle's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Thank you," he said softly. He unscrewed the cap and took an experimental sniff from the steam that escaped. It certainly did not smell like comfort food, but at this point Kyle decided he could try almost anything. He found he slept marginally better if he drove himself to the point of dropping from exhaustion. The nightmares sometimes were a little less intense… But either way, the bad dreams had become a nightly occurrence ever since he had started trying to fly again. It was just a matter of when, not if, they manifested themselves.

As Kyle took a deep drink of tea (it tasted a lot like Echinacea, Kyle decided), Norm said, "I hope this wasn't too forward of me, but I called Jake at Hometree today. I asked him if he would mind if you spent some time with the clan. He said you could stay as long as you wanted. Or needed. Or…whatever."

Kyle snorted. "Did you tell him how I was doing?" he inquired in a dark tone.

Norm sighed. "He asked about you. I told him the truth." When Kyle shook his head Norm fired back, "Should I have lied to my best friend? To your friend? To the Olo'eyktan? He did save your life, after all."

Kyle processed this as he drank his tea, his limbs already beginning to fell leaden, his mind comfortingly fuzzy as the brew took effect.

"What about Tanhi? Wouldn't you like to see her again?" Norm asked, his voice soft as he mentioned her name. "Don't even try to deny that there's something going on between you two." This was said without any hint of teasing in his voice.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Why would she want to be with me, Norm? I'm an alien. Hell, _I_ don't even know what I am anymore." Bitterness boiled off of Kyle like heat waves from warm pavement.

After an uncomfortable silence Norm spoke. "Oel ngati kameie, Kylefischer," he said. Kyle quickly glanced up, because for a second Norm sounded just like a Na'vi. "I see you, cousin, and it has nothing to do with whether or not you can fly. You've always been a workaholic. You aren't defined by what you do, but by who you are. That hasn't changed, Kyle. As far as Tanhi is concerned…you insult her by discrediting yourself." Norm watched as his cousin mulled this over. "Jake was curious, though, about the terms of your visit, should you decide to go."

Kyle cocked his head in curiosity.

Norm continued. "Would you just like to stay for a few days? Get away from Hell's Gate for a bit and all that? Or would you like something a little more…permanent?" Norm schooled his features, not wanting to sway Kyle one way or the other. He knew that Kyle living at Hell's Gate would be like trying to cage a tiger – he simply was not meant to exist this way. Neytiri had also confided in Norm what she and Moat sensed for him, and Norm knew better than to question the Tsahìk. Norm dreaded this question, but somehow he always knew it would come to this. Kyle's inability to fly anymore was just the final straw.

"You're not really talking about a short trip, are you?" Kyle asked slowly. He began to feel the same sensation of hopefulness mixed with trepidation as he had when he had been presented with the choice of living on in an avatar. It was something akin to the sense of impending doom one gets when he is being swept towards a waterfall.

Norm looked away and swallowed. "No," he whispered.

Kyle closed his eyes as he thought about this choice. "If I choose to stay with the Omaticaya," he asked after a while, "What would I be? I mean, what kind of role would I play? I know enough about the Na'vi to know that they don't enable freeloaders."

Despite himself, Norm smiled. Kyle was correct, of course. "You would be taronyu. Hunter. All Omaticaya must know how to provide for the clan. It is the only way. At least at first."

Kyle thought long and hard on this. He finished off his tea in silence; neither he nor Norm spoke. Kyle could definitely feel the effects of whatever it was that he had been drinking, and he felt blessedly ready for sleep at this point. "How soon?" he asked softly.

"As soon as you want," Norm responded.

Now Kyle heaved a sigh. "Tomorrow, then."

Norm blinked, surprised. That was quick! "Are you sure? You can take some time to think about it, Kyle. You don't have to rush anything, no one's pressuring you."

Kyle swayed drunkenly on his feet and had to steady himself against a support beam. Whoa, I really need to lie down, he thought as he practically staggered back to his bed. Kyle looked at Norm with deadened eyes which had nothing to do with the tea he had been drinking. "Is there anything else for me here, cousin?"

Norm had no answer for this.

**I apologize if it seems like this chapter ended a little dark. Well, it is a rather sobering time for Kyle, isn't it? Rest assured, I do have a master plan out there that we're working towards. Just gotta set the ground work. Hang in there!**


	16. Chapter 16

**What's this, you ask? So soon? Well, give me some more vacation and I bet I could write faster!**

Chapter 16

He left early the next morning, just as he had told Norm that he wished to. No fanfare, no preamble. Kyle left Hell's Gate with quite literally nothing more than the clothes on his back.

Kyle shaded his face, squinting against the wind as the Samson took off, his braid waving behind him from the downdraft. Collins gave Kyle a quick salute before returning his attention to guiding his craft safely up above the tree line. That was the extent of their farewell – no words had been exchanged on the way out. Of course, the fact that Kyle had chosen to ride in the back, alone, had a great deal to do with this as well.

Still, he returned the salute and felt relieved when Collins nodded in response. The pilot banked the chopper away and Kyle lost sight of him through the canopy; the aircraft's sound faded rapidly at its departure. Silence and solitude descended all too quickly back upon the meadow. A few stingbats flitted around the edge of the clearing, feasting greedily on the Centipede plants that grew there. What was their long name? Oh, yeah – Scolopendra virens…or something. Kyle had no idea why he remembered that, but that's what Norm called it. He said they were poisonous and that one should stay away from them. Still, they were pretty. Like most things here, Kyle supposed, and he smiled wanly at the memory of Norm launching off into geek speak at the slightest provocation.

Kyle closed his eyes as he remembered saying goodbye to his cousin. Norm had risen early that morning but had not gone into link, choosing to bid farewell to his cousin in his human form. Kyle appreciated it, even if their departing hug had been a bit awkward. He had maintained his composure admirably, Kyle thought, and Norm had not retreated back to Hell's Gate until Kyle's chopper had departed from sight. Norm remained outside for quite a while afterwards, actually.

Kyle turned towards the path that led towards Hometree…Kelutral. Norm had said that he was to wait here – someone would meet him to walk with him back to the village. Kyle waited patiently in the clearing, trying to extend his senses out into the world around him. He heard the sound of the breeze blowing through the trees, of insects buzzing in the growing warmth of the day, of the stingbats trilling contentedly. Kyle's sensitive nose detected a riot of scents – the Centipede plants smelled of rotting fruit, but at the same time all of the other flowers in the area smelled, strangely enough, both sweet and sour.

A tall Na'vi slipped into the clearing and Kyle subconsciously straightened at his appearance. It was Jake, he realized. The Olo'eyktan examined Kyle with a critical eye, and Kyle got the impression that the chieftain's evaluation had commenced even before Jake had revealed himself.

"Did the tea work?" Jake asked suddenly, speaking for the first time.

Kyle was slightly taken aback by the question. "Yes…yes, it did. Was that your idea?"

Jake merely nodded, his lips turning up in a faint grin. "Norm tells me that you're in this for the long haul. That you wish to become a member of the clan." Jake's tone was amicable enough, but his words were blunt and to the point, and Kyle detected an undercurrent of hardness.

Kyle shifted nervously on his feet, a world of doubts welling up within him. Shit, when you put it like that…

Jake detected Kyle's discomfort instantly and snorted. "This is all or nothing, Kyle. If I don't think you're in on this, I'll call Collins back in a heartbeat." It was only then that Kyle noticed Jake was wearing a throat radio, the human device almost hidden underneath the simple choker necklace he wore. The earpiece was subtly disguised by the ornamentation in his hair.

That would be fantastically embarrassing, Kyle thought bitterly. Kyle's mental process spilled out in a rush as he rightly banked on the idea that honesty would be the best policy, even if some of it might not be what he thought Jake would want to hear. "Jake…I can't say that this was my first choice." He swallowed nervously as one of Jake's eyebrows rose. "But right now, it looks like my only choice. There isn't any life for me there, back at Hell's Gate." Shit, I'm whining, Kyle thought to himself as he closed his eyes and recentered his thoughts. "Please, I'm asking for a chance to start over. I'll try my damndest to be the best at everything you throw at me." Maybe I could learn to love this.

The tiniest of grins flitted across Jake's face. "The best, eh?" he grunted.

Kyle licked his lips nervously even as he nodded without hesitation.

"Walk with me," Jake commanded after a moment as he pivoted smoothly and began to stride down the path towards Kelutral. Kyle had to jog his first few steps to catch up, and he was vaguely conscious of his own thundering footsteps in contrast to Jake's silent ones.

The two men walked in silence for a spell until Jake spoke again. "You need to leave everything you've ever known, or even thought you've known, behind. Do you understand me, Kyle?" Jake caught the hasty nod out of the corner of his eye. Good. "You were a man before. Now you are nothing more than a boy in a man's body. You're going to have to grow up again. So prepare to unlearn, because we're going to start from the ground up."

Kyle winced as he took this news in. Still, his steps beside the chieftain never wavered. "You're saying I need to forget everything that's ever happened to me?" he asked, trying to clarify. "Forget about being human?" That was truly Kyle's greatest fear. It always had been, ever since he had been 'reborn,' so to speak.

"But you aren't human anymore, Kyle. You know that, right?" Jake finally looked at Kyle, at the undisguised anguish on his face. This was something Jake had known since his own rebirth. Once you left behind the dual life, you simply were not human any more. You couldn't be. That being said… Jake placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder as they both stopped and he turned to face the only other person in existence who was like him. So alike, but so different, too. "That being said, you will never stop being Kyle Fischer. I'll never ask you to change that, and I don't want you to change that. Do you understand the difference?"

This was really beginning to sound like an echo, Kyle thought. His gaze was pain filled as he admitted. "No, Jake, I don't understand the difference. Everyone keeps telling me that, and I don't fucking get it."

Despite the raw admission Jake gave Kyle a warm smile, his first truly compassionate glance yet today and gently squeezed his shoulder. "You'll learn in time, then."

They walked on without speaking any further. Kelutral was just becoming visible up ahead through the trees, and it was just as impressive now as the first time that Kyle saw it. Was this coming home? Maybe. Not yet, but perhaps in time it could be.

"Stay close," Jake said as they walked together through the base of the village, heading towards where the tradesmen and –women worked. Kyle noticed Kel'rey walking with a couple who must have been his parents. The boy stopped and stared, surprised, before he quickly waved a greeting. Kyle forced a smile as he waved in response.

Kyle stared all around him as they walked. In one area men and women were making weapons, fashioning the razor sharp heads of spears and arrows or crafting the precisely weighted shafts that would bear them. Jake walked passed them, but he responded to each and every greeting that he received. "Where are we going?" Kyle asked curiously.

He could not see Jake's smile, of course, seeing as how Jake was in front of him. "First things first, Kyle. The easiest, or should I say, quickest thing to change is your appearance."

"What…oh," Kyle trailed off and spoke no more, which Jake gave him credit for. The set of his ears, however, clearly showed he was not anticipating what was coming.

They were in an area where men and women were working with hides. Great racks of skins were hung out in various stages of tanning. Some Kyle recognized as yerik, but many others came from animals he had never seen before. An older man came up to them, his elderly face creased just like the leather he spent his time with, and he greeted Jake respectfully in Na'vi. The two men exchanged quick words and at the end Jake motioned towards Kyle and spoke his name.

"Kaltxì, Kylefischer, Oeru syaw fko Lompo," the elderly man said with a welcoming smile.

"Means 'hello,'" Jake quickly whispered. "'My name is Lompo.'"

The man frowned as he thought for a moment before saying, "'Ìnglìsì, no say…sorry," and made a negating motion with his hand.

Kyle's eyebrows rose, but he knew he really should not have been surprised. Not all of the Omaticaya would be English speakers, after all. "No, it's alright! You shouldn't have to…" he trailed off, but the man had already disappeared back among his work. Kyle gave Jake a suspicious glance. Jake had watched the limited exchange and was smirking ever so slightly. It would seem the teaching had already begun.

Before Kyle had a chance to confirm this, Lompo reappeared bearing a small bundle of leather and strapping which he handed towards Kyle. Kyle accepted the bundle, struggling mightily to hide the discomfort he was beginning to feel. "How do I say 'thank you?'" Kyle asked of Jake.

Jake's eyes were twinkling with undisguised mischief now. He nodded in appreciation as he said softly for Kyle, "Irayo."

Kyle turned back to the craftsmen and said, "Irayo, Lompo."

The old man grinned, thumped Kyle on the upper arm with a strength that belied his age, and rattled off something in Na'vi that Kyle stood no chance of deciphering. Before Kyle had a chance to respond Lompo was back amongst his work, flitting here and there as he carefully supervised all of the younger Na'vi under his tutelage.

Jake chuckled deep in his throat and graciously translated before Kyle had to ask. "He said your accent sucks, but he does appreciate the effort. Come on, let's get you changed," he said and led him into Kelutral. "And I am pleased indeed that you caught on quick to your first lesson." Kyle simply nodded and followed, tail quite literally almost between his legs.

Jake found a small storage alcove, which he kindly checked to make sure was indeed empty before he sent Kyle inside. He turned to back to Kyle to find him unfolding the loincloth, his brow drawn in confusion; his tanhi were beginning to grow brighter as though hooked to a hidden dimmer switch. "It's part of the deal, Kyle," Jake said.

Kyle was still regarding his new clothing with a somewhat incredulous look. "Naked I came into this world, and naked I will leave it," he said softly. "Or at least in a loincloth." He gave Jake an inscrutable look. "Even if it takes me all fricken day, I will NOT be asking for any help."

Now Jake laughed, the beads in his hair clinking as he shook his head. "You should be glad! Neytiri almost made me change right in front of her to make sure I did it right. Don't worry, they're not as complicated as they seem. Now get in there!" he said and shooed Kyle into the alcove, drawing the covering closed behind him. Jake stood with his back to the entrance and his arms folded across his chest, still chuckling softly to himself.

* * *

Kyle reappeared perhaps five minutes later or so. Neytiri was outside talking with Jake when he emerged from the alcove with his avatar clothes neatly folded, boots swinging below by their laces. Kyle looked decidedly uncomfortable and he had to keep reminding himself to not keep checking behind him – yes, you really are that uncovered, an internal voice kept saying. Two things were glaringly apparent to Kyle: One, a loincloth was very light, and to someone who had worn pants his entire life, the lack of weight was extremely disconcerting. Two, while all of Kyle's 'decency' was covered (thank God), he was experiencing the gentle caresses of the breeze on areas of the body he never thought possible – most of the sensations were generally centered around his rear.

As soon as Neytiri caught sight of Kyle she could not help but snigger just a little. "Neytiri!" Jake scolded. "You'll give the man a complex!"

Kyle successfully restrained himself from trying to cover his front with his hands; rather he occupied his hands be wringing the pile of his former clothing. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he grumbled. His ears were flat back and his tail had actually wrapped forlornly around his left leg, the tuft at the end hiding behind his calf, as though the appendage itself was shy.

Neytiri smiled and stepped forward, placing her hands on his shoulders. She gently flicked one of his ears as she said, "I am sorry, but your expression got the best of me. Do not be afraid, Kyle," she said sincerely. "You have no reason to be ashamed."

"Do you think I can do this?" Kyle quietly asked her.

A number of responses, some humorous, some serious, but all sincere, crossed her mind. Neytiri sensed the depth of Kyle's question, though, and gently squeezed his shoulders before releasing him. She looked into the confident eyes of her mate before she said simply, "Yes, I do."

Jake relieved Kyle of his folded clothing and shoes. He regarded Kyle's knife thoughtfully for a moment before handing it back. "Keep it," he said. "At the very least you can have it until you get the chance to make your own. It's a fine tool, anyway."

"I did not let you keep your weapon," Neytiri reminded him with a sly grin. "Have you grown soft?"

"I'm not you," Jake retorted with a roll of the eyes. "Keep it," he insisted.

Kyle accepted the blade with a nod. It was ceramic and self sharpening, made from the same material as an AMP suit knife. It was one of the few man made things that would not rust or dissolve away in Pandoran atmosphere. "Thank you." Kyle's eyes suddenly widened as he remembered something. "Wait! Right pants pocket," he said.

Jake patted down the garment and found a small lump, which he dug out. It was the tiny box that contained Kyle's pilot pins. "Best not forget these," he said gently as he handed them back.

With a relieved sigh Kyle received the pins and placed the minuscule box in a pouch on the side of the knife sheath. In all honesty he was not sure why he still wanted them. He would never fly again, what was the point? They're mine, he reminded himself fiercely. That was reason enough. Kyle took a deep breath and asked, "Well? What's next?"

* * *

Tanhi returned to Kelutral in the late afternoon, her carry net full of all kinds of healing herbs and plants. So, so many times she wished she had taken the path of taronyu, at the very least so she could have been an ikran makto. She smiled wryly to herself. It is unlikely an ikran would honor such motivation.

She had almost gained the safety of the healers' alcoves when she was intercepted by a veritable storm of feminine energy. _"Tanhi! Have you heard?" _a young woman asked eagerly as she came up beside the healer, bouncing with excitement.

Tanhi smiled and rolled her eyes. _"I have heard many things, Sorewn. I am sure some overlap at least partially with what you have heard."_ Tanhi gave her friend a quick hug. _"I suppose you had better tell me soon before you explode like a Rumut and I lose one of my dearest friends!"_

Sorewn laughed. _"The Olo'eyktan has allowed a new dreamwalker to live with us!" _the woman fairly gushed.

Tanhi stopped at this news, her ears flicking with subtle interest. _"Really?" _she said casually as she motioned for her friend to follow her. She had best safely stow away the fruits of her labor. _"Do tell."_

"_Indeed! It is strange. Despite having too small of eyes and one too many fingers and toes, he is not unattractive," _Sorewn said wistfully. _"I wonder why he would choose to live here. Not that I am opposed, of course!"_

Tanhi laughed at this, even as her mind spun with the possibilities of just who the dreamwalker might be. _"And you would vie for his attentions before you even knew him?" _she asked. _"Would you scare him away so soon?"_

Sorewn paused for a moment as she considered Tanhi's words. _"Well…" _she began, struggling for traction. _"He is someone new, after all. It is only natural to want to get to know a potential new member of the tribe, a new clan brother. Am I right, sister?"_

"_I would certainly never begrudge you that,"_ Tanhi admitted with a smile as she and Sorewn arrived at the healers' alcoves. _"Would you help me sort these?"_

"_Of course, sister," _Sorewn quickly agreed. _"It was odd, though. When I saw him, his eyes were sad. His gaze was so intense, but it was so heavily burdened. Why would that be?"_

Tanhi paused in her sorting. Indeed, why would that be? _"I am sure he has his reasons. Perhaps you will just have to ask him, if you are bold enough. Where did you say he was?"_

Sorewn cast her friend a sideways look and a smirk. _"I did not say. You tease me about being eager?" _Tanhi smiled shyly as she resumed her work, recognizing that she had been caught. _"Neytiri led him out into the forest for a run. It seems that the limits of all must be tested."_

"_And if this dreamwalker is who I think he is, I have no doubt he would rise to Neytiri's challenge, even on the first day," _Tanhi said with a mysterious smile that did not go unnoticed by Sorewn. Could it be? Did Kyle really choose to go through the trials, to become one of the People?

"_There is something you are not telling me here, sister," _Sorewn said, hands on her hips, an exaggerated accusatory look on her face. _"This would not have anything to do with the man that you ate dinner with when the Tawtute visited us several days ago, would it?"_

Tanhi laughed at Sorewn's frustration. _"That is all I will say for now, for talk will not put any of these medicines away! I will lay all of the blame for my lateness at your feet if Loak catches us!"_

With a roll of the eyes Sorewn replied, _"Of course, Tanhi. I love you too much to have you go through the trauma of Loak's anger. I am sure all of our questions will be answered at the evening meal, yes?"_

With a friendly chuckle, Tanhi agreed. Sorewn really was a hopeless romantic, but she was one of Tanhi's closest friends, and she loved her all the more despite her many idiosyncrasies.

* * *

Tsaro ran the rough, file-like rock over his knife in smooth, steady motions. The repetitive action comforted him for some reason, and he often used the maintenance of his hunting gear as a method of relaxation, a crutch he had been leaning on much as of late. This was his second knife, after all. The first one he had filed away into oblivion. But of course, the knife with the shortest shelf life among all the Omaticaya could never have been accused of being dull, or its owner unprepared.

The side of his head was feeling itchy again and he rubbed at the thickened skin of his scalp with an irritated hiss. Perhaps Tanhi has some more of that plant paste, he thought hopefully. Otherwise, the only other thing that he found that relieved the skin irritation was mud from the river, ironically enough. Tsaro's dignity was still of enough importance to him that he did not want to walk around looking like the looser of a mud fight with the younglings.

"_Take care that you do not turn your blade into something only suitable for picking your teeth with after the meal," _a deep male voice warned.

Tsaro snapped out of his daze, realizing with a start that the Olo'eyktan was standing over him with a slight smirk on his face. The young hunter in training hastily made to jump to his feet from where he had been sitting against a wall, but Jake quite literally held him down by the shoulders.

"_You know you do not need to snap to attention every time I walk by," _Jake said with a smile and a shake of his head. He crouched down so his face was level with Tsaro's, his head cocked curiously to the side. _"What bothers you so, brother? I know when you are worrying, even though you try to hide it."_

With a sigh Tsaro let his head thump back against the wood he was leaning against. _"Nothing more than the concern I have for the wellbeing of another," _he said, somewhat evasively.

Jake turned to follow his gaze over to where Tanhi and Sorewn were talking and laughing with some other young women. The chieftain frowned as he remembered some particulars about Tanhi…and about Tsaro. He winced before he could catch himself.

Tsaro noticed, his ears drooping quickly. _"Forgive me, Olo'eyktan, I…I meant no disrespect!"_ he hastily stuttered. He started to rise again but then halted when he realized that Jake was still crouching.

Jake simply shook his head. _"There is nothing to forgive, Tsaro," _he said quietly. Jake reached into a small carry net that was attached around his waist and withdrew a little clay jar, the top sealed with twine. _"I noticed you were scratching again. I brought you some Paywll paste,"_ Jake said in a constricted voice, trying to change the subject.

Tsaro accepted the small jar with wide eyes. _"Thank you, Olo'eyktan," _Tsaro managed, completely floored that Toruk Makto had even noticed him at all.

"_You are welcome, young one," _Jake said. _"When you and your ikran have chosen one another, I look forward to flying with you."_

Tsaro's expression lit up at this idea. _"The honor would be mine, Toruk Makto," _he said in a tone that bordered on the reverent.

Jake declined to comment; he was still not used to the way that some people…alright, most people, placed him on a pedestal. With a silent motion of farewell, Jake left the young hunter where he found him, but at least better off.

Tsaro thumbed the edge of his knife, pleased with sharpness of the blade. Eywa knows he had spent enough time working at it – the Olo'eyktan was right, he really had better stop before he turned his knife into a toothpick.

As he sheathed his weapon Tsaro quietly observed Tanhi. He contemplated the idea of walking over to talk with her, but he discarded it rather quickly. Numerous reasons crossed his mind for this, but he settled on the most convenient one of not wanting to interrupt her female company. In any event, the female talk would probably rot his mind, he thought with a snort.

He rose silently and began to move away, heading towards the internal spiral of Kelutral. He deftly unsealed the jar of ointment that Jake had given him, and once he gained the relative privacy of the spiral began to apply some of the goopy paste to the side of his head, rubbing it in thoroughly so it would not be so obvious. The too tight skin relaxed almost instantly and Tsaro shivered with delight, his tail curling behind him. He simultaneously despised his dependency on the medicine for relief while at the same time he reveled in the reprieve from the discomfort that it brought him.

Almost without conscious thought he found himself at the healers' alcove, intending to return the unused ointment. He entered, softly clearing his throat to announce his presence even though he did not expect anyone to be there. Tanhi was upstairs, of course, and Loak or any of the other healers had no reason to be here this late in the day, but of course Tsaro still had no desire to surprise the always grumpy chief healer.

The broad shouldered Na'vi that was already inside the alcove was definitely not Loak – Tsaro did not recognize him at all…that is, until Tsaro took notice of his five digits on each limb, of the subtly different musculature, and of the decidedly Tawtute knife slung on his hip, and he hissed in warning. "What are you doing here, Uniltìranyu?" he growled.

Kyle spun and tried to hide his surprise at being snuck up on. He was still slightly out of breath from his run, and his beat up feet were really distracting him. His eyes narrowed once he recognized Tsaro. "What's it to you?" he practically sneered in response. Of all the people to run into…well, maybe Rai'uk would have been worse.

Tsaro took note of Kyle's lack of Tawtute garments and chuckled despite himself. "So you think you can try to be Omaticaya now, do you?"

Kyle's jaw clenched and he fought back the urge to slug the other man in the nose. He could not think of a response and looked away as he clenched his fists. "Something like that," he muttered darkly, mostly to himself.

Tsaro snorted and stepped over to the shelving on the far wall, forcing Kyle to step aside lest they bump shoulders. Kyle hissed in irritation, but then inhaled sharply as he took note of where Tsaro had placed the jar.

"Is that the…the Paywll ointment?" he asked. His enunciation was atrocious, but Tsaro still understood him.

"Yes, it is," Tsaro answered curtly.

Kyle sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "That's what Neytiri said I should put on my feet. I couldn't find it before," he griped.

Tsaro glanced down at the dreamwalker's ugly feet with their extra useless toe. There were more than a few cuts and abrasions on them; he could plainly see why Kyle was walking gingerly. "Younglings should not be running so hard through the forest. They could get hurt," he commented dryly as he turned to leave.

"I suppose you were just born great," Kyle spat out before he could stop himself.

Tsaro froze in the alcove entrance. No, I had a good teacher, he answered silently. He turned back to face Kyle and pointed to some fibrous wraps that were folded neatly on some shelves. "Bind your feet after you apply the Paywll ointment. It will soften the discomfort from the rest of the walking you must do this day. Your feet will be healed by tomorrow if you do this." Kyle's ears flicked forward in surprise, and Tsaro sneered in response, revealing his canines. "You will be useless if you do not learn. We do not need another mouth to feed with no means of giving back."

Before Kyle could even formulate a response the young man had disappeared out the door. Seemingly not to be outdone, Kyle felt a single jolt of pain wriggle through his right side like some kind of parasitic worm. It had come and gone before he could do so much as gasp. "Bitch," he muttered, and whether or not it was at Tsaro or at the damn stubborn pain in his side he could not tell.

* * *

The entire day had passed and Tanhi still had not seen Kyle. It was evening and she was just about ready to swallow her pride and ask Jake or Neytiri if they had seen him when she caught sight of the object of her search speaking with Moat outside of the meal chamber. She almost did not recognize him, and with a subtle quickening of the breath she realized it was because she had never seen him wearing so little before.

Tanhi blinked a few times to clear her head – Kyle looked no different than any of her clan brothers now, so why would the sight of him dressed this way catch her so off guard? With the exception of the first few minutes of meeting him, he had always fully covered himself in the odd clothes that the Sky People insisted on wearing. Now that he was properly dressed as one of the People, she could fully appreciate how…fit he was.

Moat noticed her over Kyle's shoulder and touched her own forehead with her hand before motioning downwards. With a motherly smile she motioned Tanhi closer. Kyle turned to face her as well, his eyes flaring with recognition.

"I see you, Tsahìk," Tanhi said to Moat. She glanced between them and asked sincerely, "I am not interrupting, am I?"

Moat nodded at Kyle and patted him on the arm. "You are not, child," she said to Tanhi. "I have said what I have needed to, and there are other matters that require my attention."

If there was one thing he had caught on to quickly it was the high status indeed that Moat held within the clan. Only Jake could overrule her, but the odds of that happening were slim indeed. "Thank you for your words, Tsahìk Moat," he said graciously. "I…will do my best to meditate on them," he added hesitantly. He was not very good at meditating, but it appeared that would be one of the many things he would be learning about in the near future.

Tanhi frowned as she took note of the gash over his right eye and reflexively reached out to examine it. Her experienced gaze noticed some swelling… Kyle gently caught her wrist and deflected her hand away. "Hey, no touching," he said softly as he let go of her hand.

"It's a habit," she admitted. One of Kyle's eyebrows rose and despite his dour mood he smirked ever so slightly at her words. Tanhi blushed and clarified, "I am a healer, after all. You should let me look at it before you bed down for the night."

"Perhaps," Kyle relented, the twinkle of friendly mischief momentarily overcoming the weariness of his expression.

Though he was meeting her eyes his gaze was tired, and not from the long day, Tanhi surmised. "You have chosen to stay here after all. Why did you not find me right away?" she asked as she brought her hands up to hold his now bare shoulders. Kyle intercepted her reach, still not quite wishing to be touched right now, and somewhat unintentionally his palms ended up flush with hers. Tanhi's four digits nested perfectly into the gaps between his, and Kyle watched with fascination as his larger, five fingered hands closed gently over Tanhi's.

"Wow," he whispered, the simple gesture somehow mesmerizing him.

It was not exactly what she had intended, but Tanhi smiled all the same at his reaction. "What troubles you, Kyle? Do not say it is nothing, or that it is only your sore feet."

Kyle sighed and closed his eyes, bowing his head as he tried to collect his thoughts. His already addled mind froze as he felt a touch on his forehead; his eyelids slid open to find that Tanhi's face was _right there,_ her forehead resting against his. All of a sudden he was incredibly conscious of the fact that they were quite literally sharing the same breaths, and to be brutally honest Kyle had to admit that Tanhi smelled…fantastic. So much for not touching.

"You can tell me," Tanhi whispered. Kyle's tail twitched with the excitement his conscious mind was trying to squelch.

"I did not seek you out right away because Neytiri had me running until my legs fell off," Kyle began with a nervous chuckle. Tanhi gave an amused snort, the gentle puff from her exhale ghosting across his lips; Kyle tried his damndest to not focus on that particular sensation. "And because I was ashamed," he admitted.

Tanhi leaned forward ever so slightly, applying gentle pressure against Kyle's forehead while being careful to roll slightly away from his wounded brow. She was relieved when he did not withdraw from her. "Why would you be ashamed?" she asked. "What do you have to be afraid of?"

Kyle tenderly squeezed Tanhi's hands. I don't deserve this, he thought forlornly. I don't deserve her affections. "I am here because I have nowhere else to go. I can't…there's nothing for me to do at Hell's Gate. I don't really…fit in anymore," he finished lamely. "There's no one for me to be."

What rocked Kyle the hardest was the cold fact that when he thought about it, he had decided to live with the Omaticaya not because he loved Tanhi, but because he could not remain with the people of his birth any longer. I'm a selfish bastard, he self accused.

Tanhi frowned, trying to figure out what Kyle was saying. "You…fit in here, though," she said.

Now Kyle snorted. "I don't even speak the language," he countered.

"Not yet. I will teach you," Tanhi said. She could sense Kyle's body tense; she could feel it through his hands and through where their foreheads touched. "You have what it takes, Kyle. You have what it takes to be a strong hunter. I do not know why Eywa has granted you this second chance, but I know this: She is good, and I am glad that she did. I am glad that I know you, Kyle."

Any further reflection was interrupted by someone shouting, "Kylefischer!" It took Kyle a second to recognize Tsaro's voice, and he growled in irritation. Kyle and Tanhi pulled apart, sighing at the same time.

Tsaro wore a faintly satisfied expression on his face and Tanhi shot him a dirty look, which he of course ignored. "We were speaking, brother," Tanhi said with an emphasis on her last word, and Kyle got the impression that the familial reference was not being used in a positive sense this time.

Tsaro bowed in a rather unconvincing demonstration of contriteness. "Of course, but the clan is about to eat, and I would hate for both of you to go hungry. Kylefischer has worked hard today, and I am sure he is starved."

Kyle contemplated throttling Tsaro right then and there, but Tanhi firmly squeezed his hand.

Ignoring Kyle's venomous look, Tsaro plowed on. "It would be an honor for you to sit with the rest of us hunters, Kylefischer. Many of us are eager to know our new hunt brother more."

Beside Kyle, Tanhi sighed a second time. "He is probably right. These are you clan mates, Kyle. Your hunt brothers and hunt sisters. You should not be a mystery to them."

Fan-fricking-tastic, Kyle thought silently. "Fine," he growled darkly. He turned to Tsaro and said in a voice laced with sarcasm, "Lead the way, _brother."_

"Tsaro!" Tanhi called after the two men, and both of them turned back to facer her. Tanhi gave Tsaro a look that threatened bodily harm as she said in Na'vi, _"Take care of him."_

Without acknowledging her any further Tsaro turned away, leading Kyle to where the other young hunters and huntresses were seated. Many of the young adults cast furtive glances his way as he and Tsaro sat down, (crouched, more like it, in that peculiar way that Na'vi rested without actually sitting) and he had no doubt that he was the topic of many a whispered conversation. Rai'uk was several places away and looked about as happy to have Kyle there as Kyle was to be there. Across the meal circle Kyle could see Tanhi sitting by Mal'ek, and when she noticed his gaze she gave him a reassuring smile.

Maybe I can eat fast and then split, Kyle thought. As if reading his mind, Tsaro made an overt effort to pass the serving leaf away from Kyle, ensuring that it reached him last. One of the younger huntresses was sitting next to him and gave him an apologetic look as she portioned off his meal.

"Thank you," he whispered. Crap, what was the word? "Irayo…I mean."

"Nìprrte'," she murmured. To Kyle's surprise she leaned closer and said in English, "Tsaro should have served you. I know he invited you here." She spoke just loud enough for Tsaro to catch her words. His ears flattened back but he otherwise studiously ignored her. "I am Kyuna. You are Kylefischer?"

"Yeah, but you can just call me 'Kyle,'" he answered, relieved that at least this first conversation seemed to be off to a good start. "The full name is a mouthful to say all run together like that."

"Mouthful…" Kyuna repeated, swirling the word around on her tongue, her expression perplexed.

Kyle chuckled softly. "Sorry. It just means it's too much to say," he explained.

Kyuna nodded. "Tawtute need to speak plainly," she muttered with a shake of her head.

Dinner proceeded onwards pretty darn well, in Kyle's opinion. Tsaro blessedly ignored him, and Kyle made a concerted effort to at least get the names right of those seated closest to him. Na'vi had some pretty funky pronunciations, Kyle quickly determined. For the most part he was accepted, his curious human mannerisms taken in stride. Kyle decided he might as well embrace his ignorance of the language, and once it was determined that Kyle was well aware of how, well, stupid he sounded, and that he had no problem laughing at himself, the teasing directed his way became a little less harsh and a little more playful.

Norm would probably have smacked him upside the head for phrasing it this way, but the Na'vi really did have personalities, once you got to know them! It became quickly obvious that the lack of technological advancement was in no way due to a shortage of intelligence. This first meal with the hunters swept away the pieces of this falsehood that Tanhi had shattered long ago.

It was Kyuna who asked the dreaded question towards the end of the meal: "Why are you here?" The inquiry was blunt, but the tone was genuinely curious.

Kyle rolled his eyes. I really should come up with a canned response to this question, he thought to himself. "I'm here to…to start a new life, I guess," Kyle answered with a crooked smile.

A male voice harrumphed from somewhere behind him; Kyle turned his head to find Rai'uk giving him an openly skeptical look. "He will probably tell all that he sees here to the Tawtute back at his home. False body, false spirit," Rai'uk said with finality, as though that settled the matter. "He should not be trusted. Watch what you tell him, sister."

"Bah!" another male said. "Rai'uk does not trust his own sa'nok!" This proclamation was met with near universal snickers from those within earshot. Rai'uk's tanhi lit up and he grumbled something in Na'vi. The male who had spoken tilted his chin in Kyle's direction. "Is it true what they say of you, Uniltìranyu? That you are of one spirit and one body? Like the Olo'eyktan?"

Kyle swallowed nervously and he felt like a spot light was illuminating him from the heavens – now everyone who had heard the question was staring at him. Even Tsaro had quietly stopped eating, his ears attentive to Kyle's response. Whispered comments in Na'vi were quickly hushed as the group awaited Kyle's answer.

Feeling like he was pronouncing his own death sentence, Kyle closed his eyes and nodded. "It's true."

The general uproar upon this revelation caused even other groups around the fire to pause their conversation and stare curiously. Kyle, for his part, screwed his eyes tightly shut and groaned, wishing he could at the very least toss a paper bag over his head. Or something. Let the rumor mill begin, he thought dryly.

Tsaro merely popped another piece of teylu into his mouth, relishing the taste as he slowly chewed. Interesting. Very interesting, he silently mused. The curious questions directed at Kyle came to a screeching halt. Kyle risked a glance around him; many of the Na'vi were regarding him with something akin to awe – a few, Rai'uk included, wore expressions that were closer to disgust.

At first Kyle thought he would get some reprieve from the pending onslaught of potentially awkward questions. Tsaro, bless his heart, promptly shot that hope down. He leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, "As I have never seen you before, I would guess that you are one of the new Tawtute who have recently invaded our home. Tell me, _Kyle_, is my guess correct?" Tsaro spat out Kyle's first name like it was a cuss word.

Kyle took a drink from his bowl which he strongly wished could have contained something that was fermented. He nodded, hoping that his silence would discourage the hunter from pressing any further.

No such luck. "So tell me, _Kyle,_ what is that you…ftia?" Tsaro asked, his words sibilant.

Kyle squirmed uncomfortably. "I don't know that word, Tsaro," he muttered bluntly.

Tsaro's grasp of English was something that Kyle never really doubted, irritating though he was, but his next tirade genuinely shocked him. "Study. Learn of. What did you do? Who are _you? _I know the Sky People well enough to know that you do _nothing_ without some motive that serves you."

Kyle finally lost it and he slammed his bowl to the ground, sloshing out most of its contents. He rounded on Tsaro, his ears pinned back with aggression. "What am I? I am _nothing! _I am here because I have _nothing! _My _Sky Person_ life was stolen from me! I'm a pilot who can't fly anymore. I have no hidden agenda, Tsaro, no secret motives. I don't even know what tomorrow holds for me!" Kyle at least had the presence of mind to keep his voice down, but there were still plenty of other people who heard him light off. Of course, the fact that he was physically wound tighter than a spring was difficult to not notice.

"Tsaro…" Kyuna warned, _"You push him too hard, brother."_

Kyle's tail was lashing subconsciously and he inadvertently thwacked poor Kyuna across the back. With an irritated growl he reached back and grabbed his own tail, pinning the squirming limb to the ground. "Sorry," he muttered, head lowered. It would have been humorous if he had not been so clearly upset.

Tsaro would not be deterred, however. He cocked his head curiously as he processed Kyle's words. "A pilot," he repeated, his normally excellent English diction stumbling over the not-often used word. He snorted, "Why can you no longer fly? Your ikran will not appreciate this." If Eywa even has one picked out for the skxawng, that is.

Kyle's fists clenched, his knuckles whitening and a few of his finger joints popped softly. The fleeting thought that he really, really needed to talk about whatever the hell this ikran thing was to Jake crossed his mind. "I crashed," he gritted out before he could stop himself, his tail slithering out of his grip to loop dejectedly around his feet.

Tsaro's eyes widened ever so slightly as he connected various dots in his mind. Word would have spread quickly of any accident that might befall the chosen Tawtute, and only one thing in the recent past fit with Kyle's words. "The tawsìp in the jungle," he breathed, genuinely surprised.

Kyle did not answer, but Tsaro caught the haunted flicker that crossed his face. "Fuck!" Kyle hissed quietly and he suddenly winced and reached up to hold his side.

Tsaro frowned at the pained look on Kyle's face. "Are you injured?" he asked softly.

With great force of will Kyle pushed the phantom pain back. Not now, you bastard, he thought silently. Just give me a few minutes, and then you can do whatever the hell you want. "It's nothing, Tsaro," he growled. "Your concern is touching, though." Though he did not meet any of their eyes Kyle could tell that Kyuna and a few others were quietly observing him. Kyle blushed fiercely as he struggled to bring his emotions back in check. He should not have let Tsaro provoke him like that.

Kyuna started to reach out towards him but then stopped herself. "Should you see one of the healers?" she asked softly.

Rai'uk barked out a harsh laugh. "I am sure Tanhi would see him," he muttered.

Kyle felt strangely relieved when one of the other males verbally pounced on Rai'uk, telling him off sharply in Na'vi. Kyuna just shook her head. "Pay him no heed. He speaks before he thinks."

Surprisingly, Tsaro grumbled beside him, "And he shoots before he aims, too."

Kyle was relieved that he had eaten his fill, for at this point in the evening any trace of an appetite had fled him. He rose unsteadily to his feet and nodded towards Kyuna. "Thank you for your kindness this evening," he said stiffly.

She gave Kyle a friendly smile in response. "Niprrte'," she replied, using the unfamiliar word for a second time that night. She noticed Kyle's faintly confused expression and clarified, "Sky People say…'you are welcome.' I look forward to training with you tomorrow."

A few others gave their farewells as Kyle left, and Tsaro noticed that despite Kyle's denial of discomfort, there was a distinctive hitch in his step that Tsaro could tell had nothing to do with his recovering feet. Someone thumped him on the back of the head and Tsaro hissed as he turned to see who it was. "Pxtxawng," Kyuna muttered as she shook her head.

* * *

Tanhi noticed from across the meal circle as Kyle rose and began to leave, and he did not look happy. She rubbed Mal'ek's shoulder as she rose. _"Goodnight, Father," _she said hastily. I am going to cut off your tail, Tsaro, she growled to herself.

Mal'ek grunted in response, knowing full well where his daughter was heading. He merely shook his head; if anything that had transpired was of major concern, he would find out soon enough. Otherwise the drama of youth was of no interest to him.

Tanhi caught up to Kyle just as he reached Kelutral's inner spiral. She frowned as she noticed the way he was limping and holding his side. "Kyle! Did someone strike you?" She knew in her heart of hearts that it was an outlandish question, but it was still a possibility that she feared. Violence within the clan was blessedly rare, but Kyle was new enough that perhaps someone may have lashed out at him…and if it was Tsaro, Tanhi mentally slated a bit more of his anatomy to get the ax.

Kyle turned to face her, quickly shaking his head. "No, no, nothing like that. I'm fine; I just need to go to bed." Kyle began to ascend the spiral to where the hammocks were slung in Kelutral's upper branches. Dinner had been more than fine; actually, if it had not been for Tsaro's damn meddling he would have considered it a pleasant experience. Now Kyle was trapped recalling that which he sincerely hoped to forget with every fiber of his being.

Tanhi firmly gripped his hand and began to lead him down the stairs away from the hammocks. "No. If you are hurt, it must be attended to," she said firmly in a tone that declared disagreement was futile. Despite everything that was going on Kyle had to smile. This is going to be worse than dating an EMT, he thought dryly to himself. As Tanhi led him to the healer alcoves his eyes widened as he realized what he had just said in his mind. Dating?

A few firm taps on a couple of bladder lanterns provided ample illumination within the alcove. Tanhi turned to where Kyle was standing somewhat sheepishly in the middle of the room, his left arm still held across his body, his hand clasped firmly to his side. He had not changed this position since Tanhi had caught up to him after dinner.

Kneeling on the floor beside him, Tanhi gently took hold of Kyle's wrist and pulled his hand off of his side, holding his arm away, her lips pursed in concentration. "What has happened here?" she asked quietly.

Kyle sighed and shook his head. "You aren't going to find anything," he predicted darkly.

True to his words, Tanhi could find nothing obvious marring his smooth cyan skin. She brought her hand up to touch him but then stopped short as she looked up, her expression curious as she sought his permission. "May I…?" she inquired.

Kyle did not look down at her – his eyes were resolutely set forward, his gaze firm. He swallowed and nodded stiffly.

With a deep breath Tanhi reached forward and gently touched his side, all of a sudden very conscious of how intimate a position they were in. She gently traced the pattern of darker stripes on his flank. Above her, Kyle's eyes drifted shut.

Any romantic leanings were quickly doused for the both of them when Tanhi's fingers brushed over a section of skin between Kyle's ribs and his hip. "Son of a…," he hissed as his eyes flew back open with a start, and the hand that Tanhi had been holding away clenched into a fist. She could feel something firm beneath the skin and she frowned.

"I am sorry," she whispered. Without giving him any warning (which was by design) she set her fingers back down on the tender spot. Kyle gritted his teeth and growled, but he did not say anything more. His tail curled tightly with agitation, and below the skin she could discern an incredibly tight knot of muscle that shivered as Tanhi touched it. All of the tissue felt almost solidified, as though a small stone had somehow been inserted there.

Tanhi had no idea what could cause such a knot, and certainly not in one's side. She looked at Kyle, her golden eyes soft with sympathy, the question plain on her face.

Kyle looked away from her as he admitted. "That is where I was shot. In my human body. The, ah, the bullet stayed in there. I was told it was too dangerous to remove. It shattered one of my ribs, and bone and bullet fragments began to drift into other internal organs." Kyle snorted and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure belly-flopping my Valkyrie into a river before slamming it into a tree didn't help me much. I got pretty cut up internally, apparently. I guess I ultimately bled to death from the inside out."

Tanhi's eyes grew wide with shock as Kyle reported this. He talked about it without emotion as though he was speaking about any number of things other than his own death. She knew of the injuries that the Tawtute's terrible weapons could inflict – her first lessons as a healer had been in treating wounds that no Na'vi should ever have to bear, and she would not wish such an experience on even her worst enemy.

"Even though this body is fine, it still hurts every now and then, for some reason," he continued. "I guess the mind doesn't let things like that go. It's been getting worse, actually. Ever since I tried to fly again. Stubborn fricker won't go away, won't let me forget about what happened." Kyle's breath hitched as another wave of discomfort struck. Tanhi let him pull his hand out of her grasp, and he resumed tenderly rubbing his side.

Tanhi had no idea what to say to this revelation. Ever since she had known him, Kyle had been living with this pain? She rose and turned away from him, trying to think of something. "I do not know what I can do," she said at last. "Your body is alright, as you say. This wound is in your mind, in your spirit, and I cannot heal that." Her fists clenched at her side and she grimaced to herself. It was not the conclusion she wanted to arrive at; it was an insult to her profession…and to her relationship with Kyle.

"I'll…get used to it. Eventually," Kyle said in a flat, emotionless tone. Tanhi snorted; that was no way to live.

An idea suddenly struck her, and she felt foolish for not thinking of it quicker. She stepped over to some shelves and pulled out a medium sized basket. From the basket she withdrew several cloth rolls, each dyed a different color, and Tanhi finally selected a one that was a light blue. Kyle watched her curiously as she unrolled the cloth; within were several thick, and no doubt quite sharp, thorns that were about the length of a Na'vi's hand. Kyle's eyebrows went up and he said, "Whoa there, don't be sticking me with anything." Not that big, anyway.

Tanhi smiled and shook her head as she selected one of the thorns. "Baby," she said. She held the cruel looking spine up for him to see. "This comes from the Smaoe plant. The venom is strong enough to paralyze small animals when it is fresh. If something particularly…painful must be done to heal someone, we may stick him with this, so that the area may go numb, without feeling. The thorns have been heated over the fire for specific counts of time – this detoxifies them so that they are safer." She motioned towards the blue cloth. "These are the mildest," she explained. Tanhi looked at Kyle with sad eyes. "Your injury is in your mind, where it is…difficult to reach. But this may mask the pain."

Kyle gave the massive thorn a dubious stare. "How long will it last? And, um, how big a 'stick' are you talking about with something like that?"

Tanhi chuckled softly. "The numbness can last from a half to a whole day. And do not worry – I do not intend to stab you with it."

"Ok…I guess. We can give it a try," Kyle relented at last.

Tanhi crouched down beside him again, and she told him to keep his right arm up and out of the way. Kyle looked on as she gently stroked his side, locating the knot again. "Do not watch me," she gently commanded. "Look forward. Tell me; was your run with Neytiri good?"

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Yes, it went fine. She said she was really impressed. She said I'm in much better shape now than Jake was when he first joined the clan."

The thought made Tanhi giggle. "I am sure. What words in the People's language have you learned already today?"

Kyle frowned as he tried to pick through his brain. He had not had any really official language teaching yet. It was mostly what little Jake had taught him, and what he had learned over dinner. "Well, 'irayo' means 'thank you.' And 'niprrte'' means – son of a bitch, damnit to hell!" Kyle let loose with a most unbecoming outburst as Tanhi none too gently pricked his side with that big assed thorn. He glanced down and gave her an accusatory look.

Tanhi met his gaze, blinking innocently. "You are welcome," she finished, struggling to keep a grin off of her face.

"I bet you enjoyed that," Kyle groused, even as he snorted a bit at Tanhi's excellent timing. Kyle looked up towards the ceiling and blew out a long, relieved exhale. "How long until it works?" he asked.

Tanhi chuckled. "It is working now, Kyle," she said.

He glanced down in surprise to find Tanhi stroking his side in small circles. It was the oddest thing, watching her touch him and yet having no sense of feeling about the matter at all. "Weird," he breathed as he ran his hand up from his hip to his ribs. Between the two points was a completely numb spot that was about a foot in diameter. Kyle poked at it, but the only sense of touch his brain registered came from his finger. And lo and behold, the pain in his side had completely disappeared.

"Better?" Tanhi asked, quite amused with Kyle's reaction. The set of his shoulders, the tightness in his neck, all things that Tanhi had noticed before were gone now. She knew he was better, but she asked him anyway.

Kyle gently probed his side where Tanhi had found the knot. There was some residual tenseness that he felt decrease as he rubbed it out. The false pain, once it had been cut off from his mind, had completely faded. Kyle sighed with relief – though not always intense, the ache had been constant, and he only now noticed this fact in the pain's absence. "Much better," he said. "Thank you. Thank you very much, Tanhi."

Tanhi nodded as she stood back up. She reached forward and gently…lovingly, actually, ran her finger down the bridge of Kyle's nose. "You mean 'irayo,' do you not?" she murmured softly.

Moving with a speed that caught Tanhi off guard, Kyle took hold of her hand in his own before she could draw away. With his other hand he gently spread open her palm, rubbing her skin in soft circles with his thumbs. Kyle's golden eyes never left hers as he gently kissed her palm.

"Irayo," he whispered.


	17. Chapter 17

**Well, this did not go down nearly as I had planned it. First off, my laptop got a major virus on New Year's Eve. Stupid fricker. Thankfully my dad saved it and nothing was lost. Seeing as how this is like the fifth time my computer has almost died from a virus or what not, I decided enough is enough and I went out and bought a MackBook Pro. I could start gushing about how wonderful it is, but I digress. So if there are some typos or odd formatting I apologize in advance (especially to you, BigBlueJake), as I am still trying to learn a new word processing program. For example, when you export a document from Mac form into a Word Document, (fanfiction does not like Mac files, apparently) and then upload it, none of the original italics are transferred. Yes, I proofread, but I've been staring at this damn chapter for over a week damnit! *pant, pant* Ok, I feel better now. :-)**

**This chapter definitely surprised me. Kyle did something I didn't think he'd do for quite a while, and it took a bit of time to get that scene sorted out. Next, a bit of a disclaimer: Jake did something I wasn't really planning on, either. I warn you, there's some pretty serious "unpleasantness" coming up. Nothing graphic, but I definitely won't shy away from the material. Amaya, perhaps you can sympathize with me because I swear no one is behaving like I thought they would.**

Chapter 17

Kyle hauled himself out of his hammock and stretched luxuriously once he had gained the safety of the nearest branch. His side was merely tight with early morning stiffness; Kyle was much relieved to discover that he was still pain free, even though the numb spot was shrinking.

Early morning sunlight was just beginning to filter through the branches of Kelutral; Kyle had woken once the first few rays of light had fallen across his face. All his life Kyle had eschewed alarm clocks; even aboard the _Enterprise Star,_ where natural light was somewhat difficult to come across, Kyle had set his closet sized cabin's sun lamps to gradually illuminate in accordance with sunrise on earth.

It was somewhat amusing to him to note that he seemed to have awoken midpack among the Omaticaya – in any event, Kyle could never be accused of sleeping in, at least today. Neytiri was just emerging from the Tsahìk's alcove as Kyle passed by, and she smiled in greeting and motioned with her hand as she said, "Oel ngati kameie, Kyle. You are up early this day."

Kyle smiled somewhat shyly before tilting his head upwards. "The sun is already beginning to shine," he said simply, as though that explained it all.

Neytiri's eyes twinkled merrily. "This is a good way to live," she told him.

Frowning slightly, Kyle repeated, "Oel ngati kameie… What does that mean again?" It was a greeting, this he remembered, but it was not something his human mind would have thought to use.

"I see you," Neytiri clarified for him. She took note of the slight flush that came over Kyle's cheeks and chuckled softly. "Kaltxì means 'hello,' and may be used generally. Oel ngati kameie, on the other hand, is generally used by close friends and family. Perhaps…you would prefer it that only one particular woman may greet you this way?"

Kyle's ears rocked back and forth uncertainly as he struggled to come up with a response. "Um…well…"

Neytiri laughed lightly at his sudden embarrassment. "I tease," she said, then grew more serious. "Tanhi cares for you greatly. You know this to be true, do you not?" Kyle very quickly nodded. Neytiri cocked her head slightly as she asked, "And do you care for her?"

The future Tsahìk's tone was gentle, but Kyle could easily see the underlying meaning in Neytiri's inquiry. Kyle sighed as he remembered the prior evening. "I do," he said softly. "I…I care for her very much. I think she's the most fascinating woman I've ever met." Kyle shook his head in wonder as he said, "Actually, I –"

Neytiri quickly held up her hand. "Shh, shh, you need not say any more," she smiled at him. "I have heard all that I need to…for now. It is enough for me to know that you desire what is best for her." Changing the subject, Neytiri asked, "Will you be training with the new hunters this morning?"

Kyle nodded. "Yes, after breakfast, Jake said. Um, he didn't really specify a time, though…"

Neytiri chuckled a bit as she remembered how long it took Jake to adapt to life without clocks or watches. "You should arrive when you are ready to learn," she said simply.

Kyle shifted a bit on his feet. "Ok, but I don't want to be late… Especially not on the first day or anything like that."

If Neytiri actually had eyebrows, one would have been slightly raised right now in a very passable imitation of one of her mate's mannerisms. "Well, if you want to learn, you would not be late, would you? And if you had no desire to be there, you would not show up at all. It is the way of things," she said with a shrug.

Rightly sensing he would get no more on the topic from Neytiri, Kyle relented with a nod and a, "Yes, ma'am." Perhaps he could ask Jake about the whole time thing later. Neytiri's explanation actually made sense though, when he thought about it.

Breakfast was a simple affair of fresh fruits and berries. Kyle was just finishing the last of his meal when he felt a pair of arms encircle his waist and a warm, feminine body lean against his back. Tanhi gently nuzzled her nose against his head just behind his left ear and inhaled his scent softly. "Good morning," she whispered.

Kyle smiled as he rubbed her arms where they circled his front. "Good morning," he repeated. "Happy to see me?" he chuckled, somewhat surprised…and a little flattered by her warm greeting.

Tanhi gently squeezed his waist before releasing him as he turned to face her. "Yes, I am," she replied and smiled like it was the most foolish question she had ever heard. Her nose crinkled in that particular way that Kyle thought was the cutest thing he had ever seen. "Why would I not be glad to see you? Are you doing well?" she asked, her eyes flickering down to his side.

Kyle tenderly grasped her shoulders, his thumbs rubbing gently over her collar bone. "I haven't slept that well since… I haven't slept that well in a very long time, let's just say. There isn't any discomfort at all."

Over Kyle's shoulder Tanhi could see Sorewn literally gaping at her. Tanhi could not resist giving her best friend a sly smile, and she felt no small amount of satisfaction as she observed Sorewn roll her eyes and shake her head. Tanhi knew she would be in for a grilling from her friend at the soonest possible opportunity.

Tanhi gently traced her finger down the bridge of Kyle's nose, her eyes twinkling as though daring him to repeat his actions from the night before. "I know you will soon be busy. Etrìpa syayv. I wish you luck with whatever task you put yourself to this day."

Kyle chuckled softly. "Well with a send off like that, I don't know how I could fail." His ears drooped ever so slightly and a faintly sheepish look came over his face. "Do you happen to know exactly _where_ they are gathering for the hunters' training? It would seem someone neglected to tell me."

Tanhi rolled her eyes. "The far side of Kelutral, opposite from the river. Near where the pa'li graze. My father, Jakesully, or Peyral will be there to instruct."

Kyle nodded as he looked in the general direction Tanhi had indicated and sighed without conscious thought as he considered what was to come. "Time to unlearn," he muttered quietly to himself.

About 20 minutes later (or 22 minutes 38 seconds, if Kyle had been keeping precise time) he found himself fidgeting at the edge of the training field, feeling vastly unprepared. Kyle had indeed gotten there first, just as Tanhi suspected he would. Tsaro arrived next, followed shortly thereafter by Rai'uk and Kyuna. The three young hunter-in-training were all bearing bows, something Kyle was distinctly lacking. He had only his knife which, along with the loincloth he was wearing and his pins, were perhaps the only physical things in this world he could possibly call his.

Kyle supposed that in a perfect situation Jake would be the one instructing today. Not that he expected, or hoped for, any sympathy from the chieftain, but at least he could relate to him a little better than most of the Omaticaya. Peyral was an unknown, but Kyle was willing to gamble that even she might be more pleasant to work with than the scowling figure of Mal'ek who had suddenly appeared in their midst. How the giant bastard moved so stealthily was beyond Kyle. Even Tsaro, who was quite stealthy himself, seemed surprised by his sudden appearance. The warrior spoke to each of the other three people in turn in quiet Na'vi, and of course Kyle was unable to translate anything that was said other than one or two words.

Finally Mal'ek turned his fierce gaze on Kyle. "You have no bow," he stated flatly.

Kyle squelched a sarcastic response. "I have not yet received one," he replied aloud in what he hoped was a humble sounding tone. Not that I'd even know what to do with it if I had one, he thought dryly. Rai'uk sniggered and Kyuna quickly shushed him.

Mal'ek grunted noncommittally. "You will not touch a weapon crafted by the People's hands until I allow it. You are still a child; you do not yet See." Kyle supposed he should not have felt as stung by Mal'ek's words as he did. Mal'ek turned away and barked several quick orders to Rai'uk and Kyuna, who quickly sprinted off to accomplish whatever assignment had been tasked to them. He turned to Tsaro next, who had not said a word yet the entire morning, and a knowing look passed between them. "Tsaro. Take Kylefischer out into the forest. Do not return until he has learned something of value."

Kyle stiffened as he tried to hide his displeasure with the arrangement and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to remain silent. He did risk a glance at Tsaro out of the corner of his eye; the young hunter did not seem bothered or surprised by Mal'ek's command.

"Kyle," a new voice said, and Kyle turned quickly to find Jake standing behind him. How long had he been watching? "Do not let your pride keep you from Seeing. If you pay close enough attention, you may find that you will learn much more than simply what it takes to be an effective hunter." Jake gave him a knowing look. "This is why you are here after all, if I'm not mistaken."

Jake's tone was edged with firm authority. "Yes, sir," Kyle replied almost automatically, his ears lowering ever so slightly. The Olo'eyktan was not one to be trifled with.

"Good. Mal'ek and I have business to attend to at Hell's Gate; Neytiri and Moat will be in charge in our absence. I of course look forward to hearing about what you have learned when you return," Jake continued. Again, not a question, but a statement. A declaration.

Without having anything more to say, Jake and Mal'ek began to walk back to Kelutral, leaving Kyle and Tsaro staring at one another with rather dubious expressions. After a moment of awkward silence Tsaro asked, "Are you ready, Uniltìranyu?"

"I'd rather run with scissors," Kyle replied dryly.

Tsaro frowned at the unfamiliar comparison, then shook his head. "It would seem that Uniltìranyu is no longer a fitting name for you," he mused thoughtfully.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "My given name should do just fine."

Tsaro snorted. "Alright, _Kyle,"_ Tsaro said with a faint sneer as he motioned towards the awaiting jungle. "Follow close, remain silent, and learn quickly."

* * *

Several minutes later Jake and Mal'ek had reached the uppermost branches of Kelutral and were adjusting the saddles on their ikrans, making sure that their straps were comfortable and ready for the flight to the human base. The two men were just about ready to mount up when a distinct chirping noise piqued Jake's senses, and an instant later a vivid green and yellow ikran burst through the foliage overhead to land on the branch beside Jake and Mal'ek. The two men shared a look and Jake heaved a long suffering sigh. He, of course, knew who this particular ikran's hunter was. Or huntress, to be precise.

_"Neytiri, my love, I have asked you not come,"_ Jake said as his mate approached.

Neytiri gave Jake a pointed look. _"And I have told you, my Jake, that I will not be persuaded away from accompanying you. This business concerns both of us."_

_"Do you not trust me to handle this appropriately?"_ Jake asked in exasperation. He and Neytiri really had discussed this at least a thousand times. Why was it still an issue?

Neytiri stopped her fussing with her mount's saddle and shot Jake a withering stare. _"And do _you_ not trust _me_ in this matter? Is the safety of the People something that should be of no concern to the mate of the Olo'eyktan, and the future Tsahìk? Or is this business that is beyond my ability to comprehend?"_

Jake's eyes widened at the accusation. "What? No! I -" Jake slipped into English by mistake; he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, trying to straighten out his thoughts. Turning to Mal'ek, who had been doing his best to make himself invisible, his said, _"Please go now. I will not be far behind."_

As the gust of wind from Mal'ek's departure abated, Jake dismounted from Tswayon and approached his mate, his gaze pleading. _"You know I trust you with my life, with everything, Neytiri. Trust is not the issue. It is just that it could be very...unpleasant, this talk with the evil Tawtute. I...I do not want you to have to witness this."_

Neytiri sighed and shook her head. She really was not as mad as she let on, but that did not make her any less insistent on going with Jake. She did not think that Jake doubted her in the slightest...she just wished that his human chivalry would not blind him so often. _"I have faced unpleasantness before, and I will do it again, Love," _she said simply as she wrapped her arms around her mate in a loving embrace.

Jake allowed his forehead to rest against Neytiri's with a sigh of his own. _"I should have known you would be difficult,"_ he sighed. It was a lost cause, now; Neytiri would be going with them no matter what. She had one of those looks that said that nothing in Pandora could stop her, not even him.

Neytiri smiled and kissed him softly on the lips. _"Yes, you should have, skxawng," _she said gently. She could tell her gentle teasing had not relaxed Jake as she had intended. She could still feel that he was very nervous indeed. _"My Jake, what is the matter? Why do you not wish me to be with you in this?"_

That was the crux of the issue, and as crazy a thought as it was, the idea that Jake did not want her to be with him was one of the few things that might possibly bother her more than a threat to the safety of her People. Jake shuddered as he admitted, _"I do not know what I may have to do to get the information that I seek. I do not want you to see me as someone who is...cruel."_

Neytiri mulled this over in her mind. Jake had used the physical sense word for 'see,' so he was not concerned about Neytiri's intimate perception of him. It was true, her Jake was a warrior - he had been as a Sky Person, he certainly was one now as Olo'eyktan and Toruk Makto - but she had never seen him act cruel before. What was he saying? Neytiri cupped his face with her hands, threaded her fingers through his hair as she asked, "_I do not understand, Jake. You have never been mean spirited. I have never Seen this, I have never sensed this, I have never known this. It is not you."_

Jake shook his head. Through the bond of tsaheylu both Jake and Neytiri had completely Seen the other. It was the most terrifying...and exhilirating experience, to have one's heart and soul stripped naked before your life mate, before the one you love. The good, the bad, the ugly; Jake and Neytiri had seen it all in the other, and it had not changed things one bit between them. Well, not changed things for the worst, certainly. Their love for one another only increased every time the two of them bonded. Even still, there were a few privacies they had maintained - Jake more so than Neytiri. "There are things in me...I have asked you not to look at," he reminded her softly, choosing to speak in English on purpose this time.

Neytiri pursed her lips in displeasure, but she nodded all the same. Some of Jake's human life, especially some particular aspects of his service in the marines, had remained unknown to her at his request. It was a locked box in his mind that he had willingly handed her the key to, but as his mate he had asked her to never open it. _"As you wish," _she whispered against his lips. _"Nothing could change my love for you,"_ she reminded him, her voice still soft and caring yet at the same time laced through with a firmness that brokered no doubt.

_"Thank you, Neytiri," _Jake murmured as he breathed a sigh of relief.

The flight to Hell's Gate was uneventful. Tswayon tempered his usually exuberant self when he felt Jake's tenseness through the bond. _What wrong?_ the ikran asked.

Jake smiled and rubbed Tswayon's leathery neck. _Nothing, friend. Just gotta do something I am not looking forward to._

Tswayon accepted Jake's cryptic response with a mental shrug as they flew on. Deciding that something had to be done about his hunter's current state of mind, Tswayon decided to allow all of the satisfaction he gained from flying filter up to Jake. Jake, of course, caught on rather quickly to the uptick in positive feelings from the ikran and he could not help but smile. Sneaky bastard, Jake could not help but think in a small, private corner of his brain as he allowed himself to relax, at least a little.

* * *

After sending their mounts away to roost or hunt, whatever pleased them, Jake and Neytiri made their way through the gardens outside of the avatar cabin at Hell's Gate. They were heading for a more secluded section of the base that was still contained within the perimeter fence. Up ahead Jake caught sight of Mal'ek and Norm, who was in his avatar, and he gently gripped Neytiri's upper arm, speaking quietly into her ear. _"No matter what happens, please do not interfere or disagree with me in front of the prisoner,"_ he said in a low voice.

Neytiri gave him a strange look as she nodded in agreement. _"I trust you,"_ she said simply as her arm came up to gently caress his shoulders from behind.

Mal'ek, Norm, and Hoshiro were already there waiting for them and all were wearing firm, serious expressions. The passive form of Dryers' avatar was propped up against a tree, its wrists secured behind its back with plasticuffs. Neytiri noticed a metal frame, almost like a bed but with a slight incline, tucked away almost out of sight behind the tree, and she puzzled over what it might be for.

"Are you ready, Olo'eyktan?" Hoshiro asked, and Jake sighed and nodded in agreement. Hoshiro touched his throat mic. "Plug him in," he commanded softly.

In the link room, Max started up the link process for a very unhappy Dr. Dryers while Miles and Collins 'supervised,' each bearing a sidearm. Additional guards had been posted outside of the biolab, ready to storm in at a moment's notice if required.

Outside, everyone watched and waited for Dryer's avatar to wake. A subtle change in breathing and a slight furrowing of the brow were the signs that Dyers was not longer inside Hell's Gate, but out here with them. Dryers' eyes fluttered open and quickly took in the small group standing before him. It was strange to see a Na'vi's golden eyes filled with such undisguised malice.

"Stand," Jake commanded sharply. Neytiri observed her mate out of the corner of her eye, suddenly feeling chilled. The energy radiating from his body was no longer warm and caring, it was cold and hard. It was like steel, like the metal that the Sky People used to construct their world.

Dryers made no move to rise and merely let his head rest back against the tree behind him as he gave Jake a cold, calculating look. Jake took two quick steps forward and fisted his hand in Dryers' shirtfront, and in a smooth, one armed motion yanked the avatar bodily to his feet before shoving him roughly back agains the tree. Dryers took it all in stride, chuckling softly to himself.

"Is this the vrrtep that threatened my 'ite?" Mal'ek growled.

Jake nodded once and took a step back, giving the warrior room. _"Do not injure his nose, brother,"_ Jake quietly instructed.

Mal'ek sprang forward, one fist pounding Dryers across the face while at the same time his second fist slammed into his ribs, and the force of the first blow easily split Dryers' lip and almost knocked out a tooth. The traitorous scientist sank back the ground with a groan, wheezing as he struggled to reinflate his lungs; he wondered if his ribs had actually cracked.

"So this is how it's going to be, isn't it?" Dryers gasped as he shot Jake a hate filled glare. "Not very befitting for the noble savage."

Jake snorted, his lips pulling back in a faint snarl. "You had that coming no matter what. Now, if you prove helpful, I am sure that your further existence will continue on in relative comfort." Jake crouched down so he was at eye level with the still wheezing Dryers. "If you are less than helpful, I will choose to make things...uncomfortable for you."

Dryers rolled his eyes. "Ooh, are you trying to scare me?" he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "Fuck off. You have no idea what's coming. You think you could just take this all away from the most powerful company in the world, that there would be no repercussions for your little revolt?"

Jake, still crouching, merely shrugged as though conceding the point. "Dryers, you have no idea what I am capable of doing to you. And should you happen to be holding onto the hope that at the end of the day I will have to return home, I would like to take this moment to remind you that I'm not the one who cut off your hand." Hoshiro smiled an evil smile at this and nodded in Dryers' direction. "You will answer to me now, out here, or I'll let him handle you later, inside. Your choice."

"The jump drive contained several landing coordinates around Pandora. It would seem that the RDA has already been planning to retake this world, as you have already confirmed," Hoshiro said in a smooth voice. "We know the where. You will tell us the what, and the when."

Dryer pulled back and hawked a well aimed wad of bloody phlegm at Hoshiro, splattering his exopack. "Go screw a sturmbeest, Samurai Jack," Dryers snarled, his ears flattened in rage. Hoshiro did not flinch in the slightest and simply withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket, wetted it with water from his canteen, and cleaned off his faceplate as best as he could.

An uncomfortable silence descended on the small clearing. Dryers glanced at each of the five people before him, trying to gauge their reaction. Much to his dismay he could not read anything from their faces - at the very least they seemed distinctly unbothered by how things were going so far. Jake broke the silence as he spoke to Norm without looking at him. "Norm, please go and get what we talked about before. Mal'ek will help you carry it."

Norm's posture visibly stiffened as he glanced uncertainly at his friend. "Jake, is that really necessary right now..." he hedged. So soon? Surely Jake didn't expect Dryers to just roll over and spill his guts. Norm shuddered - Jake was going to take this all the way to the top and Norm had no desire to be around here when the shit hit the fan.

Jake finally turned and looked at the scientist, and Norm shrank away from Jake's fierce, almost murderous glare. "Norm. Go." Jake repeated, his tone causing the scientist to jump into action as though he had been physically threatened. Jake looked at Mal'ek and jerked his head in the direction that Norm had taken, the nonverbal command clear.

Neytiri almost, almost asked Jake what he was talking about, but she remembered his request from before. _No matter what happens, please do not interfere or disagree with me in front of the prisoner. _The muscles in Jake's jaw twitched slightly beneath the skin as he clenched his teeth together and his tail was lashing behind him in agitation. She could see the corded muscles in his shoulders in back, and Neytiri could tell from the deliberate measure of his breathing that he was working up to something. He looked ready to pounce. Jake's eyes flickered oh so quickly in her direction, but he did not address her, at least at first.

_"This is your last chance to please go, my Love,"_ he whispered in Na'vi.

Neytiri looked at Jake, surprised that he had spoken. He was not meeting her eyes, though. _"I will stay and see this through with you," _she said firmly. Jake's only acknowledgement of her words was a blink that took a moment longer than it should have. Please still love me when this is over, Jake silently begged.

Norm and Mal'ek reappeared bearing a large earthen jar between them that was sloshing with some unknown contents. The vessel was big enough to hide a human in, and Norm also had a towel draped over one shoulder. Dryers turned as he heard their approach, his expression darkening as his mind struggled to think of what Jake might have planned.

With the speed of a striking serpent Jake leapt forward and took hold of Dryers' queue, yanking him to his feet. The avatar's eyes sprang wide at the sudden pain and he opened his mouth to scream. Before any sound could emerge Jake drove his knee deep into Dryers' stomach, driving the breath from his body and leaving him gasping and gurgling as tears began to form from the dual pains inflicted upon him.

Neytiri looked on in shocked amazement as her mate dragged the weakly struggling man by his braid over to the bed thing that she had seen before. The contraption had previously been hidden from Dryers' line of sight and his struggles redouble as soon as he noticed it. Jake paused and dropped Dryers to the ground before spinning and slamming his fist squarely into his stomach below his sternum, the blow simultaneously keeping the man from putting up too much of a fight as well as keeping him from making too much noise. A savage kick to the ribs spun Dryers onto his belly, and with a practiced flick of the wrist Jake removed the plasticuffs. Before Neytiri could even think to question the wisdom or purpose for removing the prisoner's restraints Jake had heaved Dryers up off of the ground and slammed him back first onto the inclined table with his head positioned lower than his feet.

Now Neytiri could see that there were cloth straps on the table which Jake and Hoshiro quickly fastened across Dryer's chest, waist, and ankles. His wrists were also restrained. All in all less than five seconds had passed since Jake had jumped into action, and Neytiri got the sinking suspicion that her mate had done this type of thing before. Mal'ek and Norm deposited the large jar near the head of the table that Dryers had been restrained upon. She could smell it now - it contained nothing more sinister than fresh water.

Norm's eyes briefly locked with Neytiri's, and while Neytiri could see the same discomfort in Norm's gaze that she felt as to how things were unfolding, she could also see understanding. Norm knew what was coming, whereas Neytiri did not. "Jake, I'm going to step away for a bit," Norm said softly as he handed the chieftain the towel he had been carrying.

Jake acknowledged Norm with a nod._ "You may go, brother. I am sorry. This is the only way."_

Norm nodded stiffly before heading back towards the avatar cabin.

Dryers was finally beginning to recover enough to begin to struggle and he fought mightily against the straps that kept him pinned to the table. Jake's fierce, terrifying face appeared upside down in his field of view and Dryers' eyes went wide, his expression pleading. "No! Wait -"

Jake interrupted, gripping the avatar's jaw in his hand as he in leaned close and hissed, "You are the worst of humanity, you know that? I. Hate. You. And everything you stand for. You _will_ tell me what I need to know." Jake suddenly stopped, his eyes widening as a thought crossed his mind. He chuckled darkly, and the sound of his laughter chilled Dryers to the core. And not just Dryers: Neytiri was frozen in shock, as she had never seen Jake act like this. Even Mal'ek, who certainly held no sympathy for Dryers, was quietly surprised at the Olo'eyktan's actions. He had never known his friend to act in this manner either, even during the Time of Great Sorrow. Quite frankly, it chilled Mal'ek to the core to see Jake behave in this way.

Jake tilted Dryers' head left and right as though examining some strange scientific specimen. "I just thought of something," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I really don't care if you die out here, _vrrtep,"_ he hissed. "You're an avatar. I could actually kill you twice, if I wanted to."

This was too much - Neytiri took a step towards her mate but found her way suddenly blocked by the towering form of Mal'ek. His ears were lowered submissively even as he gently gripped her shoulders, holding her in place. _"Step aside, brother,"_ Neytiri commanded.

Mal'ek swallowed nervously. _"I cannot do that, sister,"_ he replied.

Dryers paled, only now fully understanding just how screwed he really was. The view of Jake's snarling face, golden eyes narrowed in anger, was the last thing he saw before the towel was draped over his head, shutting out his sight.

* * *

For the first while, more than several hours it seemed to him, Kyle and Tsaro walked through the forest while the more experienced hunter simply pointed things out. The names of plants and various animals, as well as their useful functions to the People, where listed out almost faster than Kyle could remember. Recalling Jake's words, Kyle made a concerted effort to clamp down on the irritation he felt towards the young man and focus instead on the wealth of knowledge before him.

Kyle absently wondered if Tsaro possessed anything resembling a plan concerning their destination. It seemed to him that they were wandering aimlessly through the forest despite Kyle's best efforts to keep track of direction and distance from Kelutral. They had been trekking for many hours now, and the last few had been spent paralleling a gently flowing river. This provided Kyle with all kinds of glimpses of potential prey animals, but Tsaro dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "If you cannot even catch the right plants to eat I will not waste my time teaching you about the animals," he had said.

Kyle's first inkling that Tsaro had an actual point to their journey came when an unnatural glimmer caught Kyle's eye. Tsaro's voice interrupted Kyle's concentration: "Skxawng! I was speaking! The Pxorna'. What use is it to us again?" The quizzing never, _ever_ stopped with Tsaro.

"Huh? Oh, um...the seeds taste good, or so you say," Kyle replied absently. "And the sap is good for the skin, like the Paywll plant..." Kyle was not really paying attention as he answered; he was starring fixedly at something shiny and reflective that was imbedded in a tree trunk several dozen feet off of the ground.

Tsaro blinked, surprised at the accurate response. "Very good," he begrudgingly complimented. He noticed Kyle's intense gaze and tried to follow his line of sight. "What are you staring at?" he asked gruffly.

Kyle did not reply. He trotted over to the tree in question and nimbly scampered upwards, making effective use of the vines that were looped haphazardly around the trunk. He had to admit it was much easier to climb when one was barefoot as apposed to wearing boots. Whatever had caught the sunlight was metallic and about the size of his hand. Kyle grasped the object and wiggled it free from the wood with a grunt before dropping back to the ground.

Tsaro sauntered over, trying to not look as curious as he felt about the strange chunk of metal that Kyle was holding. "What is that?" he asked at last.

"I'm not sure," Kyle said slowly, frowning as he turned the thing over in his hand. He examined it from all sides but still could not identify it. "Whatever it is, it's junk," Kyle said at last as he tossed the piece of scrap away into the brush with a shrug. The afterthought did register in Kyle's mind that the Na'vi did not work with metal; that piece had to have come from something manmade.

Tsaro realized this fact too, but he did not speak it aloud. "Come, we still have further to travel," Tsaro said as the two men began to walk.

Tsaro had been in the lead all day, which was fine by Kyle. The more experienced Na'vi knew what to look for in terms of signs of danger, and Kyle had no desire to meet up with a pack of viperwolves or, heaven forbid, another thanator. So when Tsaro held up his fist and froze Kyle instantly crouched low to the ground, is muscles tensing in in a fight-or-flight response.

"Kyle. Tell me what this is," Tsaro demanded after a moment, much to Kyle's surprise. Kyle slowly rose and crept up beside Tsaro, trying to move as quietly as possible. He pushed aside some fern boughs and large leaves, and he gasped once he caught sight of what lay before them.

The object was huge, easily larger than a Samson or Scorpion chopper. It had clearly come to a violent end here as evidenced by the path it had blasted through the forest foliage and from the way it was half embedded in the ground like some lawn dart from the gods. A low buzzing sensation began to form in the back of his skull and Kyle felt his hands start to shake as he recognized the battered heap of scrap metal as one of the forward VTOL jets from a Valkyrie shuttle.

Kyle hissed softly in recognition and mentally braced himself for a flash back, phantom pain, or both. He was greatly relieved when neither materialized, but all the same he slowly crept backwards and released the ferns he had been holding, allowing the plants the gently shift back to their former positions. "Where are we?" he asked after he felt he had regained his composure.

Tsaro was staring intently at him. "We are near Pxekilvan," he answered simply.

Kyle's eyes widened as he translated the word in his mind. "Three Rivers?" he asked in a shaky voice. Kyle felt like he should be furious at Tsaro for leading him right to the crash site, but right now all he cared about was catching his breath again.

Tsaro nodded. "You know where we are, then," he stated.

Temporarily forgoing any sense of ego, Kyle plopped back onto the ground and leaned back against a fallen tree with a sigh. "Why have you brought me here?" Kyle asked as he clenched his hands in an effort to stop them from shaking. He tried to put some malice into his voice but found he could not muster the energy to sound angry.

Tsaro looked around them, the muscles in his jaw twitching ever so slightly. He fidgeted, shifting his bow from one shoulder to the other. "I sought permission to teach you today," he admitted, earning an incredulous look from Kyle in response. "I need to know what kind of man you are, Kylefischer." With an internal sigh, Tsaro resigned himself to sharing his own secrets first.

That statement earned Kyle's full attention, and his ears lowered slightly to reflect his darkening mood. "What's with you? Why are you trying to make my life miserable? Why do you even care?" All of the questions came out in a rush.

Surprisingly Tsaro did not fire back with the caustic remark that Kyle was expecting. Instead he crouched down and removed his water skin from his belt which he then offered out to Kyle. With narrowed eyes Kyle shook his head, and Tsaro shrugged and took a drink himself before speaking. "How well do you know Tanhi? Your eyes are always on her, and I know that you...care for her." It seemed difficult for Tsaro to admit this last fact. "With her, do you...kame, or is it only tse'a?"

Kyle blinked, trying to discern the nuances of the two different words that Tsaro used. "Well...I know that she is training to be a healer," he said at last, still not totally grasping the line of Tsaro's inquiry.

Tsaro snorted and rolled his eyes. "How like a Sky Person," he muttered. "You define people by what they do, not who they are."

The comment stung Kyle, for he could sense the unfortunate truth behind Tsaro's harsh words. "And are you going to enlighten me, wise one?" Kyle snarled back. "Do I need to justify my relationship with her to you?"

Tsaro hissed at him. "Do not speak about that which you have no knowledge of!" Tsaro stood back up and began to pace back and forth, his tail twisting and curling behind him, a visual cue to the conflicted thoughts flying back and forth in his mind. "Do you know that Tanhi was betrothed to another before you?" Tsaro said suddenly as he halted his pacing and turned and gave Kyle a penetrating stare.

Kyle opened his mouth but no words came forth as his mental process ground to a screeching halt. He struggled to work out the two glaring aspects of Tsaro's statement: One, was Tanhi actually considered his _betrothed?_ And he hers? Two, Tanhi had actually been _engaged_ to someone else before? Or whatever the heck the Na'vi version of engaged was supposed to be. And why the _hell_ was Tsaro telling him all of this? These were two very serious developments that needed resolution _right now._ "I...we're...hold on a minute," Kyle sputtered as he rubbed his temples. "Tanhi and I are betrothed? When did that happen?" Kyle's voice had pitched up slightly without him meaning it to.

Tsaro gave him an incredulous look before launching off into some unknowable tirade in Na'vi. "You See nothing!" he finally managed in English before lapsing back into Na'vi again. Finally he remembered that Kyle had no idea what he was saying. Slowly and deliberately, as though speaking to a child, Tsaro said, "Are you so blind that you do not notice the way that _she_ looks at _you?_ She has rejected all other suitors until you came along. How you managed to catch her eye will be forever beyond my knowledge, but somehow you have. Is this not why you are taking the hunter trials in the first place? You instantly jumped to her rescue when Rai'uk was seeking her affections. What else could this mean except that you seek her as your mate?"

Kyle's eyes narrowed. Busted. "I distinctly remember you being there as well," he growled, his fists clenching at his sides as he rose back to his feet.

Tsaro quickly rose, too, and Kyle noticed the young hunter's hand brush across the hilt of his knife. "Do not think you are the only one who cares for her, Kylefischer," Tsaro replied in a low, dangerous voice. Suddenly Tsaro deflated, and he suddenly looked much older than he was. Tsaro struggled to maintain his English as be battled his own emotions. "Tanhi was betrothed to my tsmukan - my brother."

All of the breath left Kyle's lungs in a rush as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place for him. "What did you say?" he finally managed.

Tsaro shook his head and Kyle actually thought he saw the glimmer of unshed tears in his eyes. Tsaro quickly looked away and rubbed at this face before he continued speaking. "I love her, Kyle," Tsaro admitted in a soft voice, and he spoke with a tenderness and vulnerability that Kyle had never heard before from the fierce young man. "I could never be my tsmukan to her, but I love her. I would give my life for her if it would bring her happiness." But I do not make her countenance light up the way you do, he thought. "I could not bear it if I allowed you to hurt her, and Eywa help you if you wound her intentionally."

Now this was logic that Kyle could find no fault in. And no, Tanhi had most certainly _not_ mentioned anything like this to him. Come to think of it, Kyle realized he knew next to nothing about her. None of this changed the genuine attraction he felt for Tanhi, but in a classic Kyle snafu he had failed to truly seek to understand her. In truth no other woman had ever really been worth spending the emotional currency on, but it would be a crime to lump Tanhi in with the rest of the women that Kyle had shared his life with.

The depth of love and affection that Tanhi had bestowed upon Kyle had caught him completely off guard. The thought of Tanhi as his wife...or mate...was a complete surprise to him, and this revelation caused Kyle to feel like a complete idiot. Perhaps the most appropriate word would be 'skxawng.' Kyle was mentally kicking himself, for it had never even crossed his mind that this was something that Tanhi desired. To be honest, that level of commitment scared Kyle. With a frown and quick shake of his head Kyle dismissed that minor objection - damned if he would let something like that get in the way of what he had with Tanhi.

"Tsaro...what happened? To your brother, I mean?" Kyle asked after a spell. He simply had to know.

It took a while for Tsaro to respond, and Kyle almost wondered if he would get an answer at all. Finally Tsaro replied, "He was killed. It was during the Time of Great Sorrow." Conflicting emotions drifted across Tsaro's face. "He had just completed Iknimaya. He and his ikran were killed by a kunsìp, shot by the Tawtute who sought to destroy Vitrayä Ramunong. He died a warrior, as a defender of the People." Tsaro finally looked over at Kyle to see what his response to this was.

"I don't even...I'm sorry, Tsaro. I'm so sorry," Kyle whispered, his head and ears lowered. "I didn't know." Kyle was intimately familiar with the pain of loosing family.

Tsaro swallowed back his own emotion, leery that he had already revealed too much of his own inner turmoil. "Do not be sorry. You did not kill him," he managed to choke out as he fought to reestablish a cool and collected exterior.

Neither man spoke for several minutes. Kyle cleared his throat after a minute and admitted, "I...I never had a brother. Or a sister." He winced as this train of thought dredged up some distinctly horrible memories. His mother had miscarried every child but him. "My parents are gone, though. They died...before they should have. All of my family is gone. The only person I have left is Norm, my cousin."

Tsaro glanced sharply at Kyle. The anguish was clear on the former dreamwalker's face. "Then you have my sympathy as well, Kyle," Tsaro replied. "Perhaps our pain is not so different."

Kyle suddenly saw Tsaro and his motivations in an entirely new light. The shock of being plunged into the Na'vi way of life after living in an emotional dead spot for six terrible years...or longer, if Kyle was brutally honest, was almost too much to bear. He was not so stupid as to not be able to imagine what it must be like for Tsaro to watch himself step into the role that his brother once held. But the chance to start over...oh, the sweetness of that thought rolled over Kyle as if they were breakers on the seashore.

"Oel ngati kameie...Tsaro," Kyle said in a hoarse voice, his eyes closed as he struggled to pronounce the strange words as best as he could. The sounds were foreign to him, but the meaning had suddenly become much clearer.

Kyle felt a calloused hand come to rest on his shoulder and he opened his eyes to find Tsaro staring at him intently. "I may yet call you Tsmukan," he said softly. Tsaro gently squeezed Kyle's shoulder before he let his hand drop away. "Do you think you can find our way back to Kelutral? All Na'vi must know where they are within the forest and how to find their way home. Not just the hunters."

Kyle thought for a moment. "I can try," he said at last. He sighed and looked over his shoulder, back to where a chunk of his shuttle was just out of sight through the foliage. "Do we need to go back now? Perhaps...perhaps there are some things I should try to face."

Tsaro was mildly surprised at this. "There is still plenty of day left. But you do not have to revisit that which causes you pain." He vividly remembered Kyle's reactions to his prodding during yesterday's dinner. "I should not have provoked you to anger last night. I...apologize."

"I accept," Kyle replied readily. "I have no desire to revisit any of the mistakes of the past. On both our parts."

Tsaro nodded in agreement.

Kyle checked the sunlight filtering down through the canopy Tsaro was correct, there was still plenty of daylight left. Pushing back his anxiety, Kyle said after a deep breath, "Let's do this."

* * *

They followed the river. It was easiest to navigate along the bank, and it provided a familiar reference point for their destination that could not be more than a half a mile ahead. All too soon they emerged at the marshy area where the river changed its course. Kyle could see the massive divot carved into the ground, and the trees along the clearing's edge still bore splatters of mud high up against their trunks. Even after two months of weathering in Pandora's intense climate the signs of the crash landing where still apparent upon the land. Kyle knelt down and grasped a white thermal tile that was partially buried in the earth. The tile cracked in half as he lifted it. A few paces away Tsaro had retrieved another piece of tile, and Kyle finally noticed that the ground was almost covered with them.

Kyle looked to his left, shading his eyes from the sun overheard as he gazed down the river's course. "Damn, that's narrow," he muttered quietly. Kyle's memory of the crash was not very good; most of what he knew of the event was from what others had told him. For better or worse, his mind had chosen to lock away his own personal impressions from the event.

With a deep sigh Kyle turned and faced the forest, his eyes tracing the wide furrow in the mud to its terminus at the base of a large tree, just where the clearing gave way to jungle. Most of the Valkyrie's main bulk was hidden on the far side of the trunk, and Kyle's first impression of the crash was of the shuttle's right wing, nearly severed at the root, crumpled and lying tilted towards the ground like so much cast off garbage. What had formerly been a pristine, crystalline white spacecraft was now dirty brown and gray, covered in dents, scrapes, and creases. Wordlessly, Kyle began to make his way towards the wreck, moving as if through a dream. He was not aware of him anymore, but Tsaro followed silently a few paces behind.

In defense against the mounting rush of emotions, Kyle struggled to look at the scene before him with a cold, clinical eye. Gazing up into the still open cargo bay, he could tell that the ship had been thoroughly picked over. The cargo pods were gone, and all of the useful equipment that was still serviceable had been removed as well. The cargo bay was covered in a layer of dust and dead leaves. Animal tracks could be seen on the floor where curious Pandorans had wandered in to explore the alien machine, and a rustling overhead caused him to crouch in alarm and look up; a flock of stingbats had taken up residence in the beams and rafters in the ceiling. The creatures hung upside down by their feet, just like their Earth namesakes, and every now and then one would stretch a wing and yawn, revealing their sharp, needlelike teeth. Kyle gave the temperamental creatures a wary glance before proceeding onwards.

There were, of course, no bodies to be found. The 28 burial mounds outside had not gone unnoticed.

Tsaro really wanted to wait outside for Kyle, but peer pressure finally got the better of him and he gingerly stepped into the cavelike space of the cargo bay. Kyle had not said anything for several minutes; he merely observed around him with wide eyes, every now and then touching this or brushing dust off that. Despite his admittedly well disguised anxiety, Tsaro noticed that Kyle moved about the tawsìp with an intimate familiarity. He knew every inch of this strange machine in the same way that Tsaro knew the precise measure of pull for his bow, knew every nick and scratch that adorned its surface.

Kyle stared at the open doorway to the crew spaces, debating in his mind whether or not he could stand to go inside. Absently he rubbed at his side, more out of habit now then from any actual pain. His sense of feeling was beginning to return to that area, but so far nothing hurt. Yet. With a shrug and a mental 'screw it,' Kyle jumped up and took ahold of the doorframe, easily hoisting his large form into the cramped space beyond, his highly sensitive eyes not suffering in the slightest from the darkness within.

"Where are you going?" Tsaro asked nervously from out in the bay.

An excellent question, Kyle thought. "Just looking around," Kyle's voice echoed out from the cabin. He head a grunt and a slight scuffling and turned back to find Tsaro, less his bow, crouched in the small hatchway. His ears were slightly lowered and he looked around him guardedly.

"It is too small a space in here," he grumbled.

Kyle chuckled. "It was designed for people half our size, Tsaro," he reminded him.

Tsaro watched as Kyle brushed yet more dirt and debris away from a section of floor. Kyle withdrew his knife and carefully used the tip to pry up some kind of lever, which he then grasped and yanked upwards. The entire floor panel rose up with a metallic squeal that caused Tsaro to hiss in irritation. The former pilot stuck his head and shoulders down into the dark cavity, apparently searching for something. Curious as to what he might be doing, Tsaro leaned forward and peered down as well, and he received yet another surprise when Kyle triggered a blaze of small multicolored lights that illuminated within the small space, accompanied by a very irritating beeping.

Kyle undid whatever it was that he did, dimming the lights and silencing the audible tone. "She's still got some life left in her," he said as he closed the hatch and sat back, shaking his head in wonder. The fusion reactor was still stable and had been placed into a dormant state, but it would continue to provide power for perhaps 20 or 30 more years.

"Why do the Tawtute refer to something that is dead as though it were not?" Tsaro asked him.

Kyle shrugged in response. "I'm not sure. Force of habit?" He patted the deck underneath him. "This was mine, my baby. Sure it's just a machine, but she had her quirks. There were things she liked to do and things she didn't. She had her own way of talking to me." Kyle smiled and closed his eyes in recollection. "Boy did she ever talk, once you learned her language." He looked at Tsaro and asked, "Are you not fond of your bow, of your knife, or the arrows that you made yourself?"

Tsaro thought about this for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I see what it is that you are saying, now." A pause, and then Tsaro asked hesitantly, "Why is it that you...crashed?"

A frightfully dark expression came over Kyle and his tanhi flared bright in the dark cabin for a moment. "Perhaps I can show you," he said.

The two men exited the cargo hold and walked over to where the Valkyrie had wrapped itself around the tree. Without knowing it Kyle used some of the same hand- and footholds that Jake used several months prior when the chieftain had descended with Kyle's mortally wounded human body. They arrived on the shuttle's upper hull just behind the forward cabin area. Kyle deliberately ignored the cockpit as he searched along the leaf covered back of the ship while Tsaro looked on curiously.

"Here it is," Kyle said after a moment. Tsaro walked over, stepping gingerly on the strange surface, and peered at a gigantically broad tear in the shuttle's skin that Kyle had uncovered. It did not appear terribly deep, but it had gone through the outer layer of tiles and creased the composite hull below.

Tsaro frowned, uncomprehending. "I...do not understand, Kyle," he admitted.

Kyle was looking down at the ground below through a massive hole in the left wing. The VTOL jet that was far away out in the jungle should have been mounted here. Kyle could now see that this is where the ISV's crew module had first hit his shuttle, undoubtably damaging the engine, before scraping further along its back. Kyle shook his head humorlessly. Major Zinda had quite nearly succeeded in killing them all.

"Have you ever seen one of these things land or take off?" Kyle asked. Tsaro nodded - he had been present at Hell's Gate when Toruk Makto had banished the evil Tawtute from their world. "There are only two ways to land or take off - either vertically, like you have seen, or along a very long runway. The only way for us to land on Pandora is straight up and down, at the airfield at Hell's Gate." Kyle pointed at the hole before him and frowned as he thought of how to explain this simply. Tsaro was certainly no idiot, but he was no Valkyrie pilot, either. "The head of the soldiers...the warriors, on my ship tried to kill me. Twice, actually." Tsaro cocked his head curiously. "He shot me. In my human body. He also tried killing everyone on my shuttle. He damaged it so we had no way to land safely." Kyle was beginning to tremble with rage. Zinda's death had been much too quick, too blessedly painless. Kyle would have liked very much to drag it out for him.

Tsaro was silent as he processed Kyle's words. He looked back towards the river, where he had heard that the tawsìp had first touched down. Apparently the wave it created was an impressive sight to behold. Tsaro was not ikran makto just yet, but he still had a working knowledge of basic flight dynamics. Still, what had happened here was just beyond his comprehension. This was not his world anymore - Kylefischer was the wise one in this environment, and his respect for the former human grew as he thought about what the man had done, and apparently while grievously injured, too. It appeared that Kyle was made of much sterner stuff than Tsaro had initially given him credit for.

Tsaro walked passed Kyle to the front of the tawsìp. A hole in the clear covering had caught his attention, and he peered into the human sized space curiously. The interior of the cockpit was a total wreck - it was full of broken glass, smashed control panels, leaves, dirt, and it appeared that there had been a small fire inside at one point. Tsaro looked at Kyle and asked curiously, "Is this where you...?"

Kyle nodded but made no move to approach. This was the line he would not cross. "The left seat was mine, was where I sat. The seatbelt - is it cut?" Tsaro checked and nodded. "Jake said that he did that when he rescued me," Kyle explained.

"You do not remember?" Tsaro asked, to which Kyle shook his head.

"My last memory was way the hell out there, a half mile above the ground. I don't remember the landing at all," Kyle said as he pointed out past the river.

Tsaro brushed aside some of the dust and leaves from around the edge of hole over the cockpit. His hunter trained eye had caught something...an unnatural stain on the surface below. He frowned at the small, dark brown smear that he had uncovered, and an experimental sniff revealed nothing. Then the realization that it was old blood struck him like a blow over the head, and he grunted in surprise and leaned away. This was a part of Kyle, from a different life. "Why did the leader of the warriors attack you?" Tsaro asked after a while.

Kyle looked at him, somewhat surprised by the question. "Because he was sick in the head," he answered. "He wanted to do nothing more than make war with the Na'vi. I was carrying a message for Jake and Norm that Zinda did not want them to receive, and he tried everything he could to stop me." Kyle snorted and rolled his eyes, his tail waving just a little quicker as he flushed in anger. "I just wanted to live," he said softly. "I would have died if my consciousness hadn't been transferred into this avatar," Kyle admitted with a whisper.

Mal'ek had told them not to return until Kyle had learned something worthwhile. The last hour had taught the both of them a great deal, and while it may not have been what Mal'ek had in mind, Tsaro was more than satisfied. He determined that he needed to significantly reevaluate his initial opinion of the clumsy former dreamwalker. In any event, they still had to find their way back to Kelutral. "Have you found that which you have been seeking, Kylefischer?" Tsaro inquired.

Almost, but not yet, Kyle silently replied. "I'm done. Thank you for the chance to face some of my demons, Tsaro. I...think I would like to go home now." Kyle had bridged a chasm today that he had not thought would be possible.

Tsaro inclined his head and smiled slightly. "Nìprrte'. Lead the way, taronyutsyìp. We will see how well you have been paying attention."

Kyle rolled his eyes, catching Tsaro's teasing; this time it did not bother him in the slightest. "Srane, Karyu."

* * *

Neytiri finally found Jake and Tswayon outside of Hell's Gate at the mouth of the creek, the same place that Tanhi and she had started their hunt from. Jake was standing with his back to her, bonded in tsaheylu with the ikran. The two of them had their heads bowed close as though sharing a private secret until Tswayon heard Neytiri's approach and rotated his reptilian head to face her, his dual pairs of eyes staring balefully at her. She could see Jake's shoulders rise and fall with a sigh; even if he had somehow not heard her approach, she knew that Tswayon had made him aware of her presence.

Jake must have asked the ikran for some privacy as the two slowly broke free of the bond and Tswayon ascended quickly into the evening sky. He finally turned to face her, and Neytiri could see that Jake's eyes were tired, his expression worn and haggard as though he had been bearing a great weight. "Oel ngati kameie, Neytiri," he said, his voice scratchy and hoarse.

"I do not See you," Neytiri replied curtly in English.

Jake's eyes widened. That was not a good sign at all. "Neytiri, please..." he started to say, but then fell silent as his mate began to step towards him.

Neytiri drew her hand back and hit him square across the face, the slap echoing in the silence like a gunshot. Jake gasped and took a step backwards, his hand coming up to his cheek where she had hit him. In their entire relationship, even in their fiercest arguments, she had never lashed out at him physically, and though the blow was not actually that hard it was still one of the most painful things Jake had ever felt in his life.

She drew back to strike him a second time and Jake reflexively backpedaled again, causing him to trip in a most ungraceful and un-Jakelike way over a fallen log. He fell backwards, emitting a startled huff as he landed hard on his rear with his hands extended beseechingly. "Please, Neytiri -"

"Kllkxem," she commanded, her voice as hard as stone. _Stand._

Jake stood, moving gingerly as though he was afraid he might startle her. His ears were pinned flat against head in total submission and his tail hung limply behind him. Her hand rose a third time and Jake merely closed his eyes, making no effort to block her or move away. He waited for it but the blow never fell, and after a few seconds his eyes fluttered back open.

Instead of hitting him Neytiri cupped the back of his head and drew him forward, her fingers tangling tightly into his hair. Jake could not help the startled grunt that escaped him as Neytiri captured his lips with her own in a fierce, soul-searing kiss. Her other hand came up to hold his head as well as their passion skyrocketed. After what was simultaneously too soon and an eternity, both of them had to break apart for air and Jake regarded his mate with a rather startled expression. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?" he asked hesitantly.

His answer was a swift bop to the side of his head. "No more secrets," Neytiri hissed at him in heavily accented English. "I will not accept that from you anymore! I do not care what you have done in the past, or who you have been. I need to know who you are now. You are my mate! I will not stand to have anything unknown between us! Secrets have only brought us pain and harm!"

Jake winced at the none to subtle reference to his first unwilling deception that almost ended both of them. He leaned his head forward and almost automatically Neytiri did the same until their foreheads and noses were resting against the other's. "I'm so sorry," Jake began with a strangled sob. "You're right, Neytiri, I should not have kept these things from you. I thought...I thought that if I... If you knew some of the things that I have had to do..."

Neytiri gently shushed him. "No more words, my Love," she whispered as she gently kissed his face, kissed away the tears that had started to slide down his cheeks. Neytiri reached back behind her and drew her braid forward, holding the tip of her queue between them.

Jake swallowed nervously as he took ahold of his own braid and held the tip to his mate's. The trepidation he felt in those next few seconds before they joined was actually worse than what he had felt when they first mated. Jake and Neytiri both gasped as one as their neural tendrils melded with one another and their minds and bodies synchronized.

The troubles and challenges that the day's work had revealed for Jake were put on hold; this reconciliation was by far the most important thing for Neytiri and him. Jake, for his part, finally did away with all of the boxes that he had carefully maintained in his mind, and the heady rush of reassurance and affection that Neytiri sent through the bond almost broke him. He sobbed a second time as they both slowly sank to the ground onto their knees, holding one another's physical bodies tightly as they renewed their love for one another once more.


	18. Chapter 18

**I want it noted somewhere that I started writing this chapter yesterday morning at 8am. Count it, two days. Yea, that's right. *faints***

Chapter 18

Kyle began to adapt quite quickly to life with the Omaticaya. While many of the Na'vi still gave the former dreamwalker a wide berth, he rapidly began to develop a reputation as a hard worker who would do anything that was asked of him without complaint. A kill that had been made for the benefit of the whole clan did not have to be dressed by the hunter or huntress who brought it in; that duty fell upon the younger children, supervised by the cooks, who had not yet been initiated into an official role within the clan. To some people it was a rather strange sight to see Kyle struggling to learn how to properly prepare dinner alongside boys and girls who were many years his junior. A benefit of this arrangement, however, was that the older children were among some of the best English speakers in the clan, and meal preparation often served double duty as language class.

Of course, being mischievous kids, sometimes the words they taught Kyle did not associate with the explanation that they gave him, and it took only one horrendously embarrassing incident for Kyle to learn the wisdom of running what he had learned that day by Tanhi first. The look of abject terror on Kyle's face when Neytiri informed him what he had actually told her was absolutely priceless. Graciously, Neytiri considered the insult worth it for the entertainment value it provided.

A few of the hunters viewed Kyle's weapons restriction as something akin to a mark of shame, though. In any event, this limitation enabled Kyle to focus his complete attention on learning the ways of the forest, and he soon became quite adept at tracking. Both of these facts were intentional consequences, as far as Mal'ek was concerned. The warrior made no effort to make life easy for Kyle, though he did admit to Jake in private that Kyle possessed all of the signs of becoming one of the best hunters that the clan had. Tsaro would grumble with good intent that Kyle would probably make his first kill the instant he figured out how to shoot a bow straight.

It had been Tsaro's brother who had taught him how to track, how to move like a ghost through the forest. Slowly but surely, Tsaro began to impart the wisdom that had been gifted to him onto Kyle. While Tsaro continued to (generally) maintain his aloof and often gruff demeanor, the beginnings of a strong friendship indeed were beginning to form between the two men. This, of course, was of great relief to Tanhi who had no desire for two of her best friends in life to become enemies.

Unfortunately, there were still a few Na'vi who took offense to his presence within the clan. One late afternoon, after washing himself in the stream from the bloody business of dressing a yerik, Kyle found the path back to Kelutral blocked by a grim looking Rai'uk, accompanied by two of his friends who shared in his opinion. Kyle was displeased by the arrangement, but ultimately not too surprised. It was not until a final person appeared out of the forest behind him that Kyle really started to worry, for now he was beginning to feel distinctly penned in.

Kyle's ears twitched as he tracked the movement of the person behind him, but he kept his eyes on Rai'uk as he spoke. "For what reason am I gifted with your presence this evening, Rai'uk?" he said cooly. Kyle idly scratched his hip, the motion a disguise for his true intention of checking for the presence of his knife. With an internal curse Kyle realized that he did not have it on him.

Rai'uk's lips turned up in a less than friendly smile. "I merely wish to convey to you the sad truth that there are many here who do not desire you presence among us."

Kyle slightly bared his own canines. "That is unfortunate. But it would appear that it was you sought me out this day. Perhaps, if you left now, you would not be so inconvenienced. Or perhaps you should take up your concerns with the Olo'eyktan?" Kyle really did not like pulling the Jake card; it smacked of weakness to him. He felt more than capable of taking care of himself...in a fair fight, that is. Four-on-one were not encouraging odds, however.

A menacing growl emanated from somewhere deep in Rai'uk's chest. "I fear that would only offer temporary relief," he replied. "And my issue is not with the Olo'eyktan, it is with you."

Kyle noticed Rai'uk's eyes glance fleetingly over his shoulder at the same time Kyle's sharp ears detected a stealthy movement behind him. Moving on shear instinct Kyle dropped to one knee and jabbed his right elbow back behind him without looking, his left hand fisted with his right to add force to the blow. His elbow connected solidly with his would-be assailant's stomach and he was rewarded with the sound of a forced exhalation of breath; that man would be out for a good half-minute as he struggled to start breathing again.

The first blow directed towards his head was blocked; Kyle had no idea who threw it (it was actually Rai'uk) because everything was just a blur of blue limbs by this point. The second strike was unavoidable and Kyle turned away to minimize the impact. Still, the force of the blow sent him spinning to the ground and he could taste blood in his mouth. Down, but certainly not out - with an angry snarl Kyle savagely kicked the legs out from underneath whoever was approaching even as he leapt back up himself.

A new player dropped down from the trees overhead, and the question of who's side he was on was answered when he swung his bow hard into Rai'uk's shoulder, knocking the man to the ground. Next Tsaro spun his bow in a wide ark around him, keeping any further attacks momentarily at bay, his ears pulled back with anger; Tsaro was quite literally hissing mad, his gold eyes shooting daggers at the young men he had grown up, whom he had once considered friends. Kyle decided he would ask Tsaro about his fortuitous appearance later - right now the odds were still two-to-one, Kyle realized, as he and Tsaro backed together.

_"Hey!"_ a new voice bellowed, and everyone froze. Jake was striding purposefully down the path from Kelutral, Mal'ek a few steps behind him, and the Olo'eyktan looked fit to skin someone. Jake shoved aside one of Rai'uk's friends who was too startled to move out of the way on his own, and the young man almost went sprawling into the bushes. Jake walked through the combat zone, circling once around Kyle and Tsaro who were still standing back to back, giving anyone who would meet his eye a death glare. _"What is the meaning of this?"_ he demanded, his tail lashing and curling behind him as he stalked about.

Mal'ek simply stood back with his arms folded across his chest, his presence made all the more terrifying by his silence and lack of visible emotion. While Jake was staring down everyone, Mal'ek looked at no one.

Rai'uk was just picking himself back up when Jake appeared, rubbing his shoulder gingerly where a bruise was already beginning to form, and the anger coursing through him was too intense for him to school his features appropriately in time for the Olo'eyktan. Jake noticed instantly and rounded on him. _"What exactly is your quarrel here, brother?" _Jake hissed.

Rai'uk finally managed a contrite expression, his ears drooping appropriately. He remained silent but his eyes still glanced at Kyle, almost against his will. Jake followed his gaze, observing the former pilot who was still panting from exertion. "Was this your doing?" he growled in English. Jake already had a pretty decent idea of what had transpired. Still, the game needed to be played.

Kyle wiped a trickle of blood from his lip with the back of his hand and shook his head once. _"No, sir,"_ he replied in Na'vi.

Jake snorted and shook his head as though he was struggling to comprehend what was going on. Jake turned back to Rai'uk and said, _"Tell me, what evil has Kylefischer done? Tell me what it is and I will see to it that he is disciplined appropriately."_

Rai'uk's ears flicked up ever so slightly at such a concept even as he frowned. He really could not come up with anything on the spot like that.

_"I asked you a question!"_ Jake roared, and nearly everyone flinched.

Impressively, Rai'uk finally found his voice. _"He is an alien! _Ketuwong!_ Why is he even here? Why must we take in stray Tawtute? Is he some lost nantangtsyìp that needs to be nurtured back to health? His presence is a poison within us!"_

Jake blinked, thinking with a tired internal sigh that Rai'uk's honest response should not have surprised him as much as it did. For a brief flicker of a moment Jake considered acknowledging Rai'uk's feelings on the matter. The former marine had no problem understanding the resentment that some of the Omaticaya might feel towards humanity. There was certainly a nasty track record to be overcome, after all, and he had played his fair part in it. Incongruously, the voice of Jake's old drill instructor broke into his thoughts. He never even liked the bastard - why was he speaking up now? You limped-dick fricker! What the hell kind of pansy-assed chief do you think you are?

Indeed, what kind of leader am I, Jake thought, if I can't maintain discipline within my own ranks? What would Eytukan or Tsu'tey do right now? The both of them would probably knock him upside the head and remind him that they were in fact not here at all. Jake was Olo'eyktan.

All of these thoughts blazed through Jake's mind in an instant._ "What is he?"_ Jake asked, looking over at Kyle. "What am I?" he snarled back at Rai'uk, taking a step closer into the young man's personal space, causing him to backpedal nervously. "What am I, then?" he roared a second time. "Draw your knife, Rai'uk," Jake commanded.

The young hunter's eyes widened and he glanced around nervously. Drawing a weapon in anger against the Olo'eyktan was a serious offense. He could be banished from the clan for doing this...if he were lucky. Rai'uk cast an uncertain glance at Mal'ek; the large man simply regarded him with a cold, calculating gaze.

"Are you deaf, Rai'uk?" Jake hissed, drawing the young hunter's attention back to the chieftain. "You have not answered my last question or followed my last order." The bioluminescent spots on Jake's face, neck, and chest were seemingly permanently illuminated with aggressive brightness.

Rai'uk was beginning to feel distinctly unwell as he carefully withdrew his blade from its sheath on his chest. Jake reached forward, his hand closing over Rai'uk's, knife and all, and proceeded to drag the young man over to a tall tree where Jake then flattened his left hand against the trunk. He yanked on Rai'uk's hand again, earning a startled yelp in response. "I asked, you, Rai'uk: What am I?"

_"You...you are Olo'eyktan. Toruk Makto,"_ Rai'uk stuttered, wincing as Jake tightened his grip on him.

"That is who I am now, and what I have done in the past, but it is not what I am. Let me clarify:" Jake slapped his left hand against the trunk of the tree. "How many fingers do I have?"

"Mrr," Rai'uk said. "F...five, Olo'eyktan," Rai'uk managed in English.

Jake frowned. "Hmm. How unlike the People. It looks like there is one too many, would you agree? You should go ahead and remove it for me." Jake splayed the fingers on his left hand wide and yanked a shocked Rai'uk closer, placing the edge of his blade against the side of his pinkie finger. Nearly everyone present gasped at this. Rai'uk emitted an incomprehensible, panicked noise as he struggled to pull away from Jake's strength. "No, go ahead. Slice it off," Jake encouraged. "I would suggest cutting at the third knuckle, that way you get most of it in one go."

"Rutxe!" Rai'uk finally managed a coherent word as he kept trying to draw away, his bare feet pawing at the ground but finding no traction.

Jake moved quickly, his left hand leaving the tree to grasp Rai'uk's wrist, pinching the nerves and tendons in such a way as to cause him to let go of the knife. Jake caught the blade in his right hand before it could drop to the dirt and in an easy motion he turned and flung it upwards. The knife whistled through the air before it sank into a tree limb 30 feet off of the ground; Rai'uk could figure out how to get it back later.

_"Any displeasure you have with Kyle you may take up with him, man to man, without the benefit of three of your peers. Any displeasure you have with Kyle's heritage you may take up with me. Is this clear?"_ Jake asked in a low voice. Rai'uk quickly nodded. _"Then get out of my sight, all of you," _Jake hissed menacingly. Rai'uk and his friends left quickly without wasting another second, lest Jake come up with anything additional to impart on them.

A slightly awkward moment passed where no one spoke - Tsaro and Kyle still had not moved, and the two of them were still wound tighter than a spring. Jake glanced at both of them and snorted in amusement. _"You were right, Mal'ek. I cannot leave either of these two unsupervised for more than a moment."_

Kyle blinked in surprised and shot Tanhi's father a faintly incredulous look. Was Mal'ek looking out for him?

Mal'ek grunted and rolled his eyes. _"I am sure that Rai'uk and his friends will thank you later, Olo'eyktan. You undoubtedly saved them from a severe beating."_

Jake smiled ever so slightly. _"Undoubtedly."_

Jake and Mal'ek left, leaving Tsaro and Kyle alone to process what had just transpired. "How did you get here so quickly?" Kyle finally asked.

Tsaro shrugged. "I watched Rai'uk and his friends follow you. I knew their intentions would not be honorable."

Kyle thought about this explanation for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Can you not tell Tanhi what happened?" Kyle requested in a meek sounding voice. "She'd tie a leash around my neck so that she can better keep track of me."

Now Tsaro thought for a moment, and he soon came to the conclusion that Kyle's suspicion was probably not inaccurate. "Not a word," he promised.

* * *

Tanhi had just finished administering medicine to a teenager who had the misfortune of giving in to peer pressure and had ended up consuming some berries that were having a most unpleasant effect on his body. _"Eat this once more tonight, and once more when you wake in the morning,"_ she advised the youth as she handed him a small packet that contained the necessary amount of admittedly foul tasting plant tubers. The benefit the medicine would provide him undoubtedly outweighed the current gastrointestinal discomfort the boy was experiencing, and Tanhi was quite convinced that he would follow her instructions to the letter. Hopefully he would come out of this event a little wiser than before.

Just as Tanhi was leaving the healers' alcove she caught sight of Sorewn, who had to swiftly step aside to avoid the hasty exit of the boy that Tanhi had just treated. The two women wordlessly motioned their greeting to one another. _"A word, sister?"_ Sorewn inquired in an unusually subdued tone.

Tanhi smiled warmly at her friend. _"Of course, Sorewn. Is something the matter?"_

Sorewn smiled shyly. _"I do not think so, but you should be able to answer my question."_

_"Are you feeling well?"_ Tanhi asked, suddenly concerned that maybe her friend was sick or injured, and she began to swiftly check for anything amiss. No injuries, her eyes were bright, ears were up and attentive. She appeared fine...

Sorewn waved Tanhi away - being friends with a healer often meant justifying one's health and wellbeing, sometimes repeatedly, but if that was the price of their friendship Sorewn would pay it a thousand times over._ "Do you intend to seek Kylefischer as your mate?"_ Sorewn asked suddenly.

Tanhi froze, surprised by the question itself as well as by the fact that it was Sorewn who asked it. Well, maybe that last reason was not so surprising. Tanhi had to admit, she had flirted with the thought some before... Even now as Sorewn mentioned it Tanhi felt a strange thrill course through her body. It was both elating and terrifying at the same time. _"Why...why do you ask?"_ she finally managed.

Sorewn smirked ever so slightly before regaining her serious side. _"Because I know you. I See you, sister. I...I want to make sure that your friendship with him is good for you."_

Tanhi chuckled to mask her discomfort. _"Why, do you wish him as your own mate?"_ She said this with only a slight edge in her voice. She was mostly joking, of course, but even as the words slipped out she clenched her fists at her side without even thinking about it, and Sorewn definitely took note. The thought of Kyle being mated to someone else was very unpleasant for Tanhi to think about.

Tanhi's friend was a notorious flirt and she was quite adept at creating her own drama, and Sorewn realized this but was of course helpless to stop it. Still, she smiled slightly as she replied in a gentle voice, _"He is a handsome male yes, but this is not why I am speaking to you about the matter."_ Sorewn stepped closer, moving carefully as she approached her best friend. When Tanhi did not draw away Sorewn enfolded her with her arms in a loving hug. Once her lips were by Tanhi's ear she whispered, _"No one has made you look so alive as he has, Tanhi. Not in a long time. I know you well enough to See that you are falling in love with Kylefischer. I also know you well enough to know that you will not run the final stretch of the race with him, for you fear that you will loose him as you lost the one before him."_

Tanhi let loose with a strangled gasp and shoved away from her friend. Sorewn let her go but kept her hands out as she made wordless, comforting noises. If ever there was a way for a person's blood to simultaneously boil and run cold, Tanhi found it in that moment. _"How dare you!" _she hissed even as tears brimmed in her eyes.

Sorewn felt her own self tearing up as well as she tried to comfort her friend. "Tanhi..."

_"No! Leave me alone!"_ Tanhi snarled and stormed past Sorewn, causing them to bump shoulders none to gently.

Sorewn sighed, her shoulders slumping dejectedly. Just give her time, just give her some time, she kept saying to herself. The young woman's ears perked as she detected someone approaching and she felt gentle hands rub her shoulders from behind. _"You did well, Sorewn. Tanhi knows that you love her. She will not stay angry for long."_

Sorewn whipped around, surprised to find Neytiri standing there._ "You heard?"_ she asked unnecessarily. _"Did I do the right thing?"_ Sorewn wondered sincerely as she fought against the tides of doubt raging within her.

Neytiri nodded firmly._ "Yes. Yes, you did. I felt that tonight was the time that this very thing should have been discussed. You must be able to hear Eywa's voice particularly well to know such a secret."_ Sorewn squirmed a bit under Neytiri's praise. Neytiri continued, _"Tanhi needs to be able to move past the pain of her prior loss. She deserves that...and so does Kyle. Do not doubt yourself, sister. You have done a good thing, even if it is momentarily painful."_

With a weary sigh Sorewn nodded in agreement. _"I believe you."_

_

* * *

_

Tanhi fairly stomped out of Kelutral as she warred with her own emotions. _"I will have to apologize to Sorewn later,"_ she muttered to herself. Tanhi was not a woman to go without a mission for long, and it was a bit of a surprise for her to realize that she was actually looking for Kyle. She needed someone to hold her, to love her unconditionally. She noticed Tsaro chatting with Kyuna and called out to him, and some part of her wondered why for a split second he looked like he had been caught stealing someone else's banana fruit.

_"Have you seen Kyle?"_ she asked him, relieved that, in her own highly biased opinion, her voice sounded level.

Tsaro blinked rapidly as he thought for a moment. _"Um, I believe he may be by the pools downstream," _Tsaro answered.

"Irayo," she murmured and left quickly for the path that followed the river. It was just becoming dark enough that a few of the boldest plants were beginning to shine with their own light. Tanhi rounded a bend in the path and finally caught sight of Kyle standing with his back to her, calf deep in the gently flowing water.

He was not alone however, and Tanhi quickly crouched, giving herself over to her huntress instincts as she stealthily observed Kyle's actions from the cover of the plants alongside the riverbank. Kel'rey was standing with him in the water, the young boy listening intently as Kyle explained something to him. Tanhi found her dark mood lifting instantly, and she could not stop the smile that formed on her face. Her ears perked all the way forward as she listened to what they were talking about.

Kyle held a small, flat rock in his hand which he threw sideways out into the pool with a deft flick of the wrist. To Tanhi's complete amazement the flat stone did not sink into the water right away but rather skipped at least two dozen times across its surface, ever expanding ripples of water tracing its path across the river. It almost made it as far as the opposite bank, in fact, before gravity caught up with it and it sank below the water.

Kel'rey drew back and threw a similarly shaped stone next; unfortunately, as soon as his rock hit it sank straight into the water with a soft _ker-plunk!_

The boy stamped his feet in frustration, splashing Kyle unintentionally who merely laughed with good natured humor. "No, no, not like that," Tanhi heard Kyle say gently as the two of them began to root around in the water for another suitable projectile. Kyle quickly found another rock and held it out to Kel'rey. "Hold it like this," he instructed, and Tanhi found herself leaning forward, her eyes straining to see just what Kyle was doing.

Kel'rey showed Kyle his hand, and after a quick adjustment Kyle nodded his head out over the river. "Go for it, kiddo," he encouraged. This time the stone managed a single skip before it tumbled end over end into the water. It was not nearly as good as Kyle's toss, but you would never know if from the way he praised the boy. Kel'rey's tail twitched merrily behind him and he beamed with pride. "Try another," Kyle said as soon as they found a third pebble.

On the third toss Kel'rey's stone skipped exactly five times. Kyle grinned widely at the shocked look on the boy's face. "You've got it! Keep practicing. We'll see who can make it all the way across the river first, alright?"

Kyle and Kel'rey both turned, surprised when a rock that neither of them had thrown skipped passed them both before sinking in the middle of the river. Kyle looked behind him to find Tanhi crouched on the riverbank, arm extended, wearing a look that communicated that she was just as shocked as they were. "I did it!" she exclaimed.

Kyle's grin widened even further. "How long have you been spying on us?" he asked with a chuckle.

Tanhi blushed, and in the fading evening light her spots flashed bright for a moment. "Long enough to learn," she said, dodging his question. "What is this game called?"

"Yeah, what's it called?" Kel'rey echoed.

Kyle laughed again and shrugged. "Nothing, really. It's just skipping rocks. My dad taught me how to do it. He taught me...a very long time ago."

"Will you teach me some more?" Kel'rey asked, his eyes wide at the possibility.

For a moment Kyle's heart clenched within him. He had never thought of himself as being very good with kids, but somehow he had come to consider Kel'rey as one of his closest friends in the clan. The young boy was sharp as a tack and incredibly perceptive. It also did not bother him in the slightest that Kyle had eyebrows and five fingers and toes. Lightly thumping the kid on the arm Kyle replied, "Definitely."

Kel'rey smiled and said, "Cool!" in a very humanlike way, causing both Kyle and Tanhi to grin themselves. A glance towards the riverbank caused Kel'rey to grumble and roll his eyes. "My sa'sem said I need to be back when the Rawp plants light up," he said pointing to a cluster of the low-lying, bulblike plants.

Kyle nodded. "Do you need me to walk back with you?" he asked.

Kel'rey gave Kyle a superior stare. "No, I'm a big boy," he declared, hands on his hips. "See you later! Txon lefpom!"

"Txon lefpom, Kel'rey," Kyle and Tanhi echoed as the child scampered back to Kelutral.

The two of them stood in silence for a moment, each enjoying the feeling of the warm water flowing around their ankles. Tanhi finally got a good look at Kyle's face, and her eyes widened as she notice that one side of his lower lip was slightly swollen. "Now what did you do?" she asked in exasperation. Kyle's eyes twinkled as she softly touched his lips; he nipped at her fingers, earning a surprised yip from Tanhi that made him laugh.

"I am going to get scrapes and bruises, Tanhi," he informed her. "And I will not be giving you a history for each one."

Tanhi laughed and shook her head. She had heard more than once that she sometimes needed to act a little less like the healer she was. The seriousness of why she wanted to see Kyle tonight began to well up and with a dedicated effort she suppressed her tumultuous feelings. At least temporarily... "We should go for a swim," she said suddenly.

Kyle raised his eyebrows, mildly surprised at the random declaration. "Sure, if you want to," he said. The water was quite warm, after all, and it was not like it would hurt anything to bathe a second time today. He frowned, though, as he tried to remember the last time that he had actually gone for a swim. "You know, I don't think I've actually had the chance to go for a swim in about seven or eight..."

Some minor splashing drew his attention to where Tanhi was reentering the river, and Kyle's powers of speech left him for an indeterminate amount of time as he realized that Tanhi and removed the necklaces that kept her breasts covered. He felt like such a stereotypical male, but it really was beyond his power to look away from that which, in all honesty, he had been dreadfully curious about. The pattern of glowing freckles that graced Tanhi's chest and stomach was absolutely beautiful, in Kyle's opinion, and this new revelation was definitely causing an uncomfortable physical response in him.

Tanhi smiled at Kyle's reaction - his tanhi were blazing brighter than she had ever seen them. Sky Peoples' body shame was something that she had never understood and she said, "It makes no sense to be bashful about one's body, Kyle."

That's because you have got absolutely nothing to be bashful about, Kyle silently replied. With a swift shake of his head Kyle finally brought his eyes up to Tanhi's face. "I...um...you...you caught me by surprise," he sputtered.

Now Tanhi's smile took on a slightly predatory look, and Kyle's ears drooped ever so slightly in response. Busted. So busted. "Is this something that you have not seen before?" she asked innocently as her tail began to flick back and forth a little faster behind her.

Kyle gulped. "Yes." _Shit. _"No! I mean, I've never seen your...breasts...before..." Kyle felt that the hole he was digging for himself was so great that he might was well continue on to the other side of Pandora. In any event, it would probably be a shorter trip than trying to turn around now. Kyle screwed his eyes closed and slapped both of hands over his face. "I thought we were going to go swimming!" his muffled voice exclaimed.

Tanhi laughed as she relented and took pity on him. Playfully, she kicked at the water with her foot, giving an unsuspecting Kyle a brief shower. "Fine, then! Catch me if you can!" she declared, and in two quick steps she was out deep enough to dive smoothly under the water.

Oh, do _not_ word it like that, Kyle groaned as he rubbed his temples.

"Are you not coming?" Tanhi called out to him as she waved from a deeper section of the pool.

"Be right there," he grumbled. If it was any other woman...and if Kyle was at a different point in his life, he would have wanted to take her right then and there. But damn if he would not handle himself right this time, despite the apparent difficulties that cultural differences presented. Searching for a brief reprieve, Kyle tilted his head back and gazed up at the heavens, gasping in amazement at the brilliant planetscape that was painted overhead. Suddenly, he felt very alive again as all of his senses refreshed his mind with seemingly millions of sights, sounds, smells, and sensations.

Tanhi called out to him again and this time Kyle smiled. This, now _this_ is living, he determined. "Hold your horses!" he laughed and shook his head as he turned and began to wade out to where it was a little deeper. Once again, Pandora amazed him - even the water was literally aglow with life. He could vaguely make out Tanhi's silhouetted form up ahead and with an easy chuckle he dove in after her.

* * *

Kyle had no idea how long Tanhi and he splashed, played, and chased one other. This single event completely sold Kyle on the concept of not keeping specific time. Whether or not it was a particularly long or short stretch of time did not matter, for it was perfect to him just the way it was. The two of them sat side by side on the bank as they relaxed and caught their breath afterwards, and Kyle kept his eyes resolutely forward.

"I didn't think that playing and goofing around like a child would be so...refreshing," he admitted with a grin, his teeth flashing white in the darkness.

Tanhi nodded as she agreed, the motion making the beads in her hair gently clink together. "Yes, times such as this are good for the spirit. I am reminded that I should not always...be so burdened." Sorewn's words came rushing back. Must I deal with reality so soon, she silently bemoaned as she rose and took a few steps away.

Kyle risked a glance at her and he admired the toned lines in Tanhi's bare back, along with the play of dark stripes on her skin. Her shoulders rose and fell with a sigh that also did not escape his notice. "You okay?" he asked sincerely, and he stood as well.

Tanhi nodded as she considered Sorewn's words again in her heart. Perhaps she should speak with Neytiri or Moat about what she had said. She did not want to let the past keep her from living in the present, and she suspected those who had gone before her would agree. Moments like they had just shared were too precious to pass up. "Can you hold me?" she asked in a small voice as she rubbed her arms.

Kyle's eyebrows rose ever so slightly. "Can you...can you dress first, please?" he asked carefully. Oh, how he did not want to offend her. On the other hand, there was no way he could touch her now if she was wearing so little without breaching his newfound honor.

Tanhi nodded, unoffended as she realized his intentions. If anything his words caused a small smile to flicker across her lips. Perhaps it had been too bold of her to bare herself to him, knowing how his foreign culture might view such an action. Even still, he sought to respect her and this fact made her love him all the more.

She finished adjusting her necklaces about her before turning back around to find that Kyle was only a step away. She gasped softly without meaning too as she observed the intense way that he was gazing at her. Tanhi realized with a start that she could easily loose herself in the golden depths of his eyes if she were not careful. Kyle blinked and swallowed nervously, breaking the spell between them. "Come here," he said softly as he held open his arms, and Tanhi willingly stepped forward and leaned against him.

At first he held her rather stiffly - this was actually the first time since he had moved to Kelutral that he had held her so closely and he was hyperaware of the amount of wet skin-on-skin contact. He swallowed hesitantly as Tanhi shifted in his arms until her hands were resting against his chest and her chin on his shoulder. Once she had settled Kyle finally relaxed, and both of them breathed out a sigh at the same time. Kyle's avatar heritage gave him a more muscular form than an average Na'vi male, and Tanhi could not help but wonder at the fact that one so strong could also be so gentle.

"Are you...?" Kyle started.

"Shh," Tanhi murmured. "You talk too much."

Kyle grumbled something about medical checkups and Tanhi smiled despite herself as she breathed out deeply again, her breath tickling and cooling the skin of Kyle's neck. Kyle allowed his eyes to drift close as be began to trace soft patterns against her shoulder blades with his fingers.

"Please do not go," Tanhi whispered in a voice that was barely audible to even Kyle's ears. He swallowed again and licked his lips, as now he was able to interpret that comment in an infinitely deeper way.

It was the one guarantee that he could not make, and Kyle winced and closed his eyes. Please don't make me say that, he silently pleaded. Kyle realized with a bit of a start that this was not because he did not want to commit to Tanhi - it was because the thought of something happening to him that was beyond his control terrified him, for her sake.

Silence was unfortunately an ineffective deterrent. "Pänutìng?" she repeated, leaning back so that she could look upon his face. _Promise?_

Kyle's mind spun for a response and his hesitancy to answer apparently sent the wrong message to Tanhi. She bowed her head and closed her eyes, hoping they would not reveal how hurt she felt, and began to push away from him. Kyle tightened his grip, refusing to let her go. "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered.

Tanhi looked back up and found herself mesmerized once again by Kyle's intense golden eyes, and the love she saw reflected back at her brought indescribable comfort to Tanhi's heart. "I won't go...if you promise to never leave me," he replied in a thick voice as he leaned his head fractionally closer to hers.

Tanhi smiled, shyly at first and then with growing boldness. Oh, Eywa preserve me, she pleaded. I do not know if I can do this again. As if in complete ignorance of her inner conflict the word, "Never," slipped uninhibited from her lips.

Tanhi closed the tiny distance between them, her lips ghosting across his. A purr that Kyle did not even know he could make rumbled from somewhere deep in his throat as their mouths connected a second time. She felt his tongue gently trace her lips and she willingly allowed him entrance as one of his hands came up to brush her hair over her pointed ear and gently hold her head. Tanhi reciprocated, her hands cupping the sides of his face to hold him close as their kiss turned into a beautiful dance that each of them almost instinctually knew the steps to.

Of all the wonderful and amazing things that Kyle had experienced in his life, nothing could hold the barest hint of a light to the first kiss that he shared with Tanhi that night.

* * *

Unbeknownst to either Tanhi or Kyle, the commitment they made to one another that evening by the river would soon be sorely tested in just the manner that Kyle feared most.

Several days later the Omaticaya were buzzing with frenetic energy, and the excitement in the atmosphere was almost thick enough to cut. The talioang hunt was coming and every single person in the clan, from the oldest elder to the youngest child, was pitching in to help prepare. The weapons makers were churning out arrows and spears as fast as they could make them; the hunters were double and triple checking their gear. Not only their bows and knives, bolas and spears, but the pa'li and ikran saddles as well. Jake as seemingly everywhere at once, overseeing and guiding all who were under him - essentially the entire clan. All of the younger hunters were seeking his approval, not only as the Olo'eyktan but as Toruk Makto as well. In fond exasperation Jake finally scheduled a time on the eve of the hunt for him to go through everyone's equipment with them. Mal'ek assured him it would be a boring task, but a necessary one, as not a single man or woman would dare to have made a mistake before him.

Kyle was kept busy helping Tanhi prepare various go-bags of medicines and other necessary supplies, as she would be joining the hunt in a support role as one of the healers. At first Kyle had been tasked with helping to make nikt'chey, or food wraps, for everyone. Unfortunately, he proved to be just as inept at the task as Jake was. Neytiri silently wondered if it was because they were both male or both former Sky People. Either way, for the safety and comfort of those going on the hunt Kyle was swiftly reassigned to Tanhi.

There to observe, and to help where ever she could, was Dr. Amber Ferris in her avatar. Neytiri finally felt that she was ready to interact with the clan and Amber took in the strange new world around her with wide, wondering eyes. Her knowledge of the language of the People greatly helped her interactions, though at first she tried to maintain her distance as she furiously scribbled notes on her small data pad.

The children, however, would have none of this. Always eager to make a new friend, they ended up dragging Amber bodily towards the cooking stations and soon she was talking and laughing alongside the rest of the Omaticaya who were helping in that capacity. Neytiri was pleased to observe the woman's joyful spirit as she worked. Strange Sky People clothing and mannerisms notwithstanding, Neytiri was quite relieved at how well Amber was fitting in. Spending time with the younglings was sure to renew anyone's spirit.

Also, it was amusing for Neytiri to note that Amber was quite the cook and only required limited instruction before she was constructing food wraps like a veteran. It was not their Tawtute heritage that crippled Jake and Kyle, as her mate so often claimed, Neytiri mused. It must be their maleness. Initially Neytiri was exhilarated to present this evidence of Jake's mistake to him, but a sudden realization drew her up short. With a frustrated huff of breath Neytiri realized that this revelation changed absolutely nothing. Despite her impressive skills as a teacher (she had taught Jake to be Na'vi, after all, and look at him now!), Neytiri was helpless to change Jake's manliness. Another thought crossed Neytiri's mind, causing her to smile slyly: come to think of it, that was an aspect of her Jake that she would _never_ want to change.

Kyle, Tsaro, Kyuna, and Rai'uk, as hunters-in-training, would not be joining the hunt. Kyle was okay with that - unless someone handed him an M60 he would have been pretty much useless, anyway. What bothered him most was being away from Tanhi for a few days.

The morning of the hunt finally came, and everyone in the clan rose early. Amber, in her human body, actually awoke before anyone else so that she could be linked and "awake" along with the rest of the Omaticaya, though she would never admit this of course. The sight of so many riders on pa'li and the flights of ikran overheard were almost too much to comprehend.

"If you think this is something, you should wait around for the party we'll throw when we get back," Jake had informed her with a wink. "You are invited, of course," he had informed her, much to her amazement.

While Jake, Mal'ek, and all the rest of the hunters and huntresses were away on the hunt, it would be Kyle's and the rest of the trainees' responsibility to serve as scouts for the clan. It was a duty that sounded suspiciously like standing watch aboard the ISV, and hopefully it would prove to be just as boring. In a way they would have it easy, for the clan's artisans and craftsmen and -women were still double-timing it to prepare for the massive influx of materials and projects that the soon-to-be-arriving sturmbeests would provide. The talioang herds only came through the area once a year, and it was an opportunity provided by Eywa that was not to be wasted.

Tanhi and Kyle exchanged one last fond farewell before the former was to mount up and ride out. Irregardless of who might be watching, the two enfolded one another in a passionate hug. Kyle actually lifted Tanhi off of her feet and spun her around, causing her to of course squeal with laughter and demand to be set back down. "You enjoyed it," Kyle smiled as he kissed her forehead. "Be safe," he gently admonished.

Tanhi smiled and pinched his ear playfully. "I was going to tell you the same thing," she informed him. Her eyes softened as she gently twirled her fingers in his braided hair. "Next time you will be taronyu, and you will be flying overhead on your own ikran," she murmured.

Kyle winced internally, but he hid it well enough that Tanhi did not notice. That whole flying thing...he still felt like that was going to be an issue. "Yes," he replied. "I will be a hunter next year," he answered softly.

An ikran's keening cry above them caused them all to look up - Jake flew by overhead, whooping joyfully and pumping his bow in the air. It was time. Tanhi kissed Kyle quickly on the lips before bonding with her pa'li and swinging up onto its back, all in one practiced move. She motioned her goodbye and with a sharp, "Ayah!" she galloped away to join the convoy.

A hand rested on Kyle's shoulder and he turned his head to find Tsaro standing beside him. "Next time, you will be with her," he said quietly as soon as the noise from the hunting party's departure had faded. Kyle nodded and closed his eyes; there was a lot that would need to happen before then. "Rai'uk, Kyuna, and I will take watch in the outer circle. As you have no formal weapons training as of yet, you will serve as a runner within the inner circle, patrolling the perimeter closest to Kelutral. If a warning cry goes up it is your duty to warn the clan so that they may prepare. Do you understand?"

"Agreed," Kyle answered quickly. He would do his part, no questions asked.

"It will difficult duty, these next few days. We will have no relief. Stay sharp and alert, Kyle. You are learning the forest's voice well. I have no doubts about your abilities," Tsaro said with confidence.

Kyle smiled and was quite honored by the sincere compliment. Still, he could not resist a friendly jibe. "You are only saying that because you have been the one to teach me most," he teased with a sideways smirk at Tsaro.

Tsaro's expression barely changed, and only a slight uptick at the corner of his mouth revealed his amusement. "As you say," he said. "Gather a water skin and anything else you might need. We begin now."

* * *

For two days (talioang hunts could easily last up to three or four days), all went well. The four young hunters were beginning to tire comfortably - at night a pair of them would monitor the inner circle while the other two caught up on sleep as best they could before switching off. This hardship was an integral part of their training, as the ability to function while bearing the discomfort of minimal sleep was just as vital to the duty of provider for the clan as tracking and being able to wield a bow.

It was midday on the third day and the sun was almost directly overhead, and Tsaro, Kyuna, and Rai'uk tightened their perimeter as was prearranged. This provided Kyle with his only break during the day and also gave the three outliers the chance to return to Kelutral, if only briefly, to replenish their supplies if need be.

Tsaro normally shunned anything resembling a break. He had never minded scouting duty, as the silence and solitude often provided him the space his mind needed to roam...and to heal. He had packed enough Paywll ointment and food wraps to last him the day, and water out in the jungle was never really an issue. These were the times that he had spent with his brother, tagging along while the older sibling scouted. It provided the entire day for the two young men to work together, to grow close together.

But today, Tsaro did not feel any peace within himself and it had nothing to do with the pain of thinking about his deceased tsmukan. Something in the air was not right, and damn if Tsaro could not place it. The forest...was not speaking as it should. On the one hand it was not giving off the vibrant life energy that it usually did. On the other hand it was neither dead nor silent, and for the life of him Tsaro could not figure out why. Even the animals and insects around him were moving sluggishly as though they could sense the same disturbance.

As the sun began to near its zenith in the sky Tsaro felt a distinct shift in his role in the world from hunter to hunted. His ears were fully up and alert now as he strained all his senses to determine just what was going on around him. The barest hint of an animal smell wafted across his nostrils, and Tsaro racked his brain for an identification.

It smelled subtly like nantang...and if that was indeed the case he would allow himself to relax, just a little. The pack predators generally did not bother Na'vi hunters and certainly would give Kelutral a wide berth. Granted, it was never good to surprise, or be surprised by, a nantang pack. Overall the two parties viewed one another with something akin to begrudging respect. It was something like a serious game that the hunters played with the nantang every now and then, the goal being to see who could outmaneuver the other. If this was the case then Tsaro would give chase. It would provide just the excitement he needed, and in any event it was his duty, after all, to keep track of everything of importance that might happen near the Omaticaya's home.

Several long counts of time later Tsaro finally felt it was appropriate for him to descend from the trees to the earth to check for possible signs of the pack's passage. Tsaro landed soundlessly on his feet with his bow drawn and an arrow already nocked. For a brief moment he froze, ready to take flight at a moments notice as his senses flowed out to the jungle around him. Nothing was out of place, though, and Tsaro allowed a relieved sigh to escape him as he turned his attention to the ground. Nantang could be very difficult to track as they did not always insist on traveling upon the forest floor. If this pack was moving through the trees it could prove incredibly difficult to follow. Of course, Tsaro had never shied away from a challenge.

A few scuffings upon some tree roots gave Tsaro pause. The marks were unusually heavy-handed for nantang. Tsaro moved quickly down the game trail, searching for something more definitive, his motions becoming ever so slightly more desperate, and he froze as he found what he was looking for in a small patch of mud created by the spilt water of a Tompawll plant.

"Wiya," he cursed, feeling his blood chill. He had not been tracking nantang.

* * *

Kyle was tired, and the midday break was something he always looked forward to. The atmosphere of business was beginning to give way to one of anticipation as the return of the hunting party drew near. All of the prep work had been completed - now everyone was simply waiting for the materials to arrive.

Amber was having an impromptu class with the clan's younglings. The English lesson quickly devolved into a question-and-answer time with Amber as the subject as the children eagerly grilled a new dreamwalker. The sounds of laughter was a telling indication that all was going well, and Kyle was content to sit back and watch, relieved that he was not the center of attention for once.

After a while the kids bored of even this and Amber sent them off to play along the banks of the river while the child watchers kept a close eye on them. Breathing a sigh of relief, Amber stood and made her way over to Kyle. "I barely recognized you, you know," she said as she extended her hand in greeting. "Norm says 'hi,' by the way."

Kyle chuckled as they shook hands, the human greeting feeling strange and comforting at the same time. "Yeah, well, you know what they say. 'When in Rome...'" The mention of his cousin never failed to bring a smile to Kyle's face. "Tell the nerd 'hi' back for me, and make sure you use those exact words. He should come out and visit sometime!"

Amber laughed rolled her eyes. Kyle's Na'vi braids and the subtle jewelry he had started to wear around his biceps indicated that he was doing a little more than just blending in. The fact that Tanhi had made the armlets for him was a major factor in his decision to wear them. "I'll be sure to pass along the message. Are things...looking up for you, if you don't mind my asking? I've heard rumors about how you have been. It's a small base and all that..." Amber blinked rapidly and waved her hands. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry. That sounded really rude."

Kyle chuckled. "No, it's alright. Things have been going really well, actually. It's good to be a part of something important, something real. I actually feel more...whole...than I have in a very long time."

Amber nodded in agreement as she stared curiously at him. "It's really different living like this, isn't it?" She spoke as more of a statement rather than a question, but her tone was gentle nonetheless.

"More than you know," Kyle quickly agreed. "It's a whole other world. I...I think I'll get used to it, though."

Any further conversation halted by the sound of the sentry horn, its long note cutting through the lazy midday heat. Kyle froze, his eyes widening as he realized just how close the sound was. "That's not a good sign, is it?" Amber asked nervously as she looked towards the forest, her ears rotating about as she subconsciously searched for a threat.

"No, it's not," Kyle muttered before he took a deep breath and unslung his own horn. As soon as the instrument touched his lips he let loose with an answering cry. The move served to alert the first scout that the message had been received, as well as raise the alarm within Hometree. Kyle's alarm was all the more shocking to the Omaticaya seeing as how he was already in the midst of the village.

Kyle and Amber both began to run towards the river, intending to help the child watchers gather the younglings. Kyle came to a skidding halt, however, when he noticed Tsaro bolting out of the woods, running hell-bent as fast as he could towards him with his bow drawn. He was shouting something frantically, but in his panic he was speaking in rapid-fire Na'vi, and this combined with his distance away conspired to keep Kyle from understanding exactly what he was saying. Kyle looked towards his right; Amber and the child watchers had just gathered the children together and were making their own way rapidly back to the village.

When Kyle turned back to Tsaro, who was perhaps 50 yards away and closing, he thought that his heart might stop beating right then and there from the power of fright alone. Not 20 yards behind Tsaro a massive dark form was pouring itself from the cover of the jungle, flowing like jet-black pitch, and it took a split second for Kyle's mind to actually comprehend exactly what it was that he was seeing.

Crouched before him, in broad daylight no less, was a full grown thanator.

The horn dropped from Kyle's limp hand and thudded to the ground. Tsaro must have noticed the look of mortal terror that crossed Kyle's face, for he redoubled the pace of his mad sprint which was something Kyle did not think was possible. As if in slow motion Kyle glanced back at Amber, who had slammed to a stop with her arms outstretched as though she could somehow hide the young lives behind her.

The thanator never made a sound. That was the strangest thing, Kyle thought - something that enormous had no right to be so silent. It raised its massive black head and scented the air, and the huge quills that were normally flush against its armored back fanned out to their fullest extension. The beast watched Tsaro's fleeing form with disinterest before turning its attention to Kyle, who was still rooted in place. The feeling of deep horror that Kyle had felt in the woods that fateful day came rushing back a thousandfold, and for a moment Kyle could have sworn he saw a flicker of recognition in the monster's eyes as it ran its tongue over dagger-like teeth. Strangely enough, the slurping noise caused by that motion was the loudest sound the thanator had made so far.

Its examination of Kyle complete, the thanator next turned its deadly gaze to the small cluster of children who were still frozen with fear. This, now this was the easy meal, and Kyle watched in complete fascination as the beast lowered itself closer the ground, the powerful muscles in its haunches bunching and coiling and twitching with anticipation.

Kyle felt like he was watching a train wreck unfold before him; it was some kind of catastrophic event that he was completely helpless to do anything about.

Some clinical part of Kyle's mind actually noticed that the thanator seemed pretty gaunt. There was zero fat on its body, almost unhealthily so. What Kyle had no way of knowing was that this beast was the loser of a territorial match many, many dozens of miles distant, and was quite literally starving mad. It had not fed in weeks; this was the cause of the desperation and insanity that drove the monster to attack an actual Na'vi village.

An arrow, excellently placed between the monster's two right forelegs, whistled through the air and struck home but it did not bite into flesh. The enormous 6.5 foot long Na'vi arrow bounced off of the thanator's hide; Tsaro would have had better luck piercing a steel wall. The shot had its desired effect, however, and the thanator flinched and turned its deadly attention back to Tsaro, who was standing just outside the roots of Kelutral.

Now the beast hissed, the noise starting underneath Kyle's level of hearing before climbing into his audible range. The sound grew impossibly loud as the flaps of skin around the thanator's mouth gathered and amplified the threatening noise, and wads of spittle flew forth from its maw. Tsaro shot his last arrow, striking one of the extended quills. These were armored, too, and the bolt simply bounced upwards, twirling ineffectually through the air.

And now it roared. Kyle clamped his hands over his ears in an effort to block the terrible noise that threatened to turn Kyle's bones to jelly. For a split second Kyle and Tsaro locked eyes, and in his friend's gaze Kyle could see not only a fierce determination, but a very real fear that he might only have moments to live. _"The children!"_ he shouted in Na'vi.

Then the thanator leapt into motion. In a flash the beast was running across the open ground after Tsaro who had turned tail and disappeared into the base of Kelutral, into a section that Kyle knew was pitted with many deep storage alcoves. Surely the creature could not have moved any faster even if it had teleported, for in the blink of an eye it was out of sight as if it had never been; only the slowly settling puffs of dirt from its clawed feet marked its passage upon the earth.

Tsaro's words snapped Kyle into motion and he turned back to where Amber was standing with the kids. "Come on!" he yelled. There was no telling how much time they had; it could only be seconds, for all Kyle knew. Kyle also realized that the only remotely safe place was Kelutral, and they needed to take full advantage of whatever meager window Tsaro may have provided them. To reinforce this fact a frustrated howl echoed out from the far side of Hometree.

Amber and the two child watchers had each gathered a small child in their arms, and Kyle sprinted over to scoop up the last small youngling before urging everyone towards the roots of the tree. All of the other Omaticaya had managed to gain the safety of the upper branches, but as soon as Kyle and the children had passed under the roots they were descended upon by their clan mates, each adult taking a child and rushing them up the spiral stairways.

A hand latched onto Kyle's wrist with surprising strength and he whipped around to find that it was Sorewn who held him. Her eyes were huge with terror, but she still had the presence of mind to speak in English for Kyle's benefit. "We must retreat to the ikran roosts. The palulukan will be unable to follow through the tight passageways further up the tree," she informed him breathlessly.

Kyle nodded in agreement and took a single step forward before freezing. "Wait!" he hissed. "Tsaro is still down there!"

Sorewn's hands flew up to her mouth. "What can we do?" she moaned. No one had time to pick up any weapons. It was unheard of for a palulukan to attack a clan like this! It was terribly out of balance, and nowhere in the recent songs was it recorded.

Amber suddenly appeared by Kyle's side. "I'll help," she said with surprising firmness. Kyle gave her an incredulous look but she quickly cut off any of his protests. "This isn't my real body. It's not the end of the world of something happens to it," she said through gritted teeth. Amber began to remove her throat radio and earpiece and handed it to Sorewn. "Do you know how to use this?" she demanded.

Sorewn accepted the human technology with wide eyes. "I could try...there are others here who may know as well..." She did not sound too confident.

"Call Hell's Gate, if you can," Amber ordered. "They are on channel 23. Jake Sully has a radio too, and he's on channel 25." To Kyle she demanded, "All right, let's go."

Amber and Kyle made their way stealthy down the stairs to the ground, and Kyle made damn sure that he went first to check the area. "One of us has to make it so that we can call for help," he whispered over his shoulder. Amber placed a hand on his bare shoulder and squeezed firmly. She knew.

It was surreal moving through an area that literally minutes before had been happily inhabited. The Omaticaya had dropped whatever they were doing at the time, and it looked for all the world like the Na'vi had simply vanished into thin air. Up ahead Kyle could here scuffling, crunching, and growling, and he whispered a prayer to whomever was listening that Tsaro was still safe.

The young hunter's pained cry rang out as if in response, and Kyle was at the simultaneously relieved and terrified for his friend...for his brother. They needed to do something to divert the monster so that, somehow, one of them could retrieve the injured hunter. Amber must have been thinking the same thing because she said, "I'll distract it while you -"

Kyle interrupted. "No. I'm faster and better trained. _I_ will distract it. As soon as it's clear you grab Tsaro." Amber's eyes narrowed, but Kyle cut her off. "Avatar or not, this is how it's going to to be," he told her, his ears lowered aggressively. "If you can't make it back up into the tree, take cover in the Uniltaron chamber. There's no way that thing can dig it's way into there." Kyle jabbed his finger in the direction of the narrow tunnel that led the way to the sacred room beneath the roots of Kelutral. Kyle had never entered, but he knew the layout from what he had been told.

Amber hissed in irritation but finally nodded in consent.

The two people carefully crossed the main chamber, passed the abandoned Mas'kit Nivi Sa'nok, and entered the warren of thick roots on the other side. Up ahead the thanator's furious digging could be heard. Here Kyle and Amber separated, and Kyle began to search for a suitable avenue down which to lead the beast away. He wanted something that was tight enough to give him a decent chance for escape, yet at the same time he needed the monster to believe it could catch him. Finally, he found a pair of roots that looked like suitable candidates for the half-assed plan he was forming in his mind.

Every muscle in Kyle's body was wound tight as adrenaline pumped through his veins. He would have one chance at making this work, one chance only, otherwise... Best not think of what will happen if you screw it up, Kyle coached himself.

He rounded the last corner and caught sight of the thanator, which was totally engrossed in trying to dig out its meal. Great splinters and chunks of tree littered the ground behind it and Kyle had to duck to avoid another woody missile that was hurled back towards him. Kyle could just barely make out Tsaro's form huddled against the back of the chamber. He actually did not look too bad, if you ignored the bloody gash down his thigh, that is. But he was definitely trapped with no way out, and the thanator had already dug through three solid feet of Kelutral's incredibly tough wood. Another foot in and it would have the reach necessary to maul Tsaro to death.

Tsaro finally caught sight of Kyle behind the thanator's bulk and his golden eyes went wide. _"No! Run!"_ he shouted, his voice hoarse and edged with panic. The thanator snarled in frustration, giving Tsaro a fresh shower of stinky saliva.

"No way," Kyle growled. Kyle took all of the fear he was feeling and boxed it in his mind, shoving it roughly into some dark corner of his psyche. He would _not_ run. "Hey!" he shouted. "Hey, you!" The thanator ignored him. Kyle swore and picked up a chunk of shattered wood and whipped hard it at the beast, striking it on the rump. "Son of a bitch, look at me when I'm talking to you!"

This time the monster complied with Kyle's order, and it whirled around with a furious growl, the flaps of skin on its lips fluttering in anticipation of a meal. _Shit,_ Kyle thought. Somewhere in his mind a studious section of his consciousness, the part that had actually been paying attention in biology class, lightly tapped him on the shoulder and whispered in his ear that fleeing from a predator often triggers an unavoidable chase response.

Really? Now was definitely the time to run, then.

And so he did. Kyle nimbly twisted and dodged among the roots as he angled his way towards the pair he had picked out, the pair that he hoped to high heaven was just narrow enough to get the monster stuck, if only momentarily. Behind him he could hear the thanator tearing and clawing its way after him, and Kyle could feel through the ground beneath his feet the impacts from the beast slamming into root after root in its haste to catch him.

Almost there, almost there..._WHAM! _Kyle literally dove through the narrow gap, tucking and rolling, with the thanator a scant ten feet behind him. In its rage the great black monster followed Kyle's path to the step, and just as Kyle had hoped it was unable to follow him through the void between the two roots. It was firmly wedged between its first two pairs of legs, and once it realized this it began to thrash and roar furiously.

Kyle turned to see Amber and Tsaro, his arm around her shoulder, reaching the steps of the spiral. "Hurry!" Amber yelled to him.

A sickening crunch and a howl of agony yanked Kyle's attention back to the the trapped thanator. Or...the formerly trapped thanator. Kyle's mouth dropped open in amazement as he realized that the thanator had actually broken its own leg, the left-middle one. Now the thing, still powered by five good limbs, was wriggling itself like a snake out of the trap that Kyle had lead it into. Its slitted yellow eyes were narrowed, crazed with hunger and pain, and stared only at him.

"Fuck me," Kyle murmured. This really _sucked._

The beast was almost free, and Kyle sprinted off again, his heart pounding and his lungs heaving for air within his chest. The spiral was too far away - he would never make it there in time and it would only lead the insane creature to the rest of the clan.

Maybe, just maybe there was a way out of this. Kyle tore through the more open areas of Kelutral, heading for where the clan's craftsmen and -women worked. Specifically, he was looking for the weapon makers' area.

With a triumphant roar the thanator wriggled free, its broken third limb dragging uselessly behind it and its flanks streaked with its own blood. And it was madder than hell. The monster inhaled the free air greedily; Kyle's scent hung in space plainly before it as surely as if the man had trailed a string behind him as he ran. The monster may have been maddened, but it was not stupid. _This_ was the two-legs that had injured it so, that it wanted to kill and eat, and _nothing_ was going to stop it now.

Kyle spun in circles within the weapon makers' work space, searching desperately. "I'd cut off my tail for an M60 right now," he whined frantically. Fuck that. I want a damn rocket launcher, he determined.

But Kyle did not have any of these options. Hell, I'm not even wearing pants! The thought of dying in a loincloth actually made him giggle out loud. _There!_ Kyle finally found the object of his search, a long spear that still had a sharp stone head mounted upon it. To his extreme frustration Kyle had found the area suspiciously devoid of its normally bountiful supply of stone-aged weaponry, as most of it had been appropriated for the talioang hunt.

Kyle grasped the spear like a drowning man takes hold of a life preserver. A devilishly soft growl behind him caused his ears to twitch and he whirled around to find that the injured thanator had snuck to within 30 paces of him. A cold sweat broke out all over Kyle's body as he slowly began to back away, his eyes never leaving those of the one who was hunting him.

Some primal rage came over Kyle in that moment and he snarled a challenge, his ears folding back and his lips pulling away from his fangs. I will go down _fighting,_ he thought as he tightened his grip on the spear, his tail lashing behind him in anger.

At last Kyle felt himself back up against a wall, felt the butt of the spear thwack against the wood of Kelutral. While he was not entirely sure, Kyle could almost swear that the thanator smiled at this. He was cornered. And even with a broken leg the black monster could easily run him into the ground.

Without a sound, the creature lunged. The only noise Kyle heard was a great intake of breath and the gentle clattering of a knocked aside stoneworker's tool rack as the monster charged straight at him. No, it was actually Kyle who roared as he braced the spear against the wall behind him and lined it up with the thanator's teeth filled, opening maw.

The spear actually traveled several feet down the thanator's esophagus before it tore into soft tissue with a squishy popping noise. The creature did an excellent job of impaling itself; the spear tore out the back of its throat, punctured two out of four lungs, and demolished one side of its heart before the tip finally lodged against the thanator's vertebrae, which then caused the spinal column to bulge out grotesquely beneath the skin and armored plating of its back.

As soon as he had lost control the the spear Kyle dropped to the ground and rolled away to the left. Or at least, he tried to, for the thanator was not actually dead yet. A stunning impact slammed into Kyle's upper back between his shoulder blades, pinning him to the ground, and though there was no pain associated yet he could distinctly feel three of the thanator's claws pierce the skin of his back. The fourth claw, the thanator's "thumb," gouged a shallow trench along Kyle's right ribs, and in one giant heave the beast hauled Kyle backwards along the ground. Kyle's own fingers dug ineffectual gouges into the earth and he could hear, rather than feel, the creatures claws tearing down along the length of his back; strangely enough Kyle thought the sound of his skin tearing was akin to someone rending wet cloth.

The thanator withdrew its paw and a voice screamed in Kyle's head that next he would be feeling its teeth. Kyle snarled and rolled over onto his back while simultaneously drawing his knife, which he slashed in a vicious, random arc in front of him. His blade sliced deeply into the skin of the monster's lower jaw, and it gave no indication of noticing. The beast tilted its head sideways and opened its mouth wide in an effort to at least take its killer down with it. Kyle stabbed at it again; he hit it hard enough that his blade became trapped in the animal's bone, and Kyle lost his grip on his weapon.

Still Kyle hissed and snarled, struggling furiously against gnashing teeth and flailing claws with all the strength of a man who was still very addicted to life. Desperately, Kyle shoved his right foot up into the gaps between the monster's upper teeth, and the thanator reflexively closed its jaw against the intruder. At first Kyle thought he was about to watch his foot get bitten off, but the length of spear that still protruded from the thanator's mouth saved him, preventing its jaws from closing completely. Kyle felt the lower tooth bite into his heel, and thankfully it barely pierced the skin.

The beast reopened its mouth to get a better grip on Kyle's leg, and he felt his foot kick the monster's moist, fleshy tongue. It now had him up to the knee, and there was no way to get out of the way of its bear-trap jaws this time.

Suddenly he was picked up by his arms and dragged bodily away, his right foot sliding free from the animal's mouth and trailing away a slick rope of saliva. Not realizing that he was being saved, Kyle continued to twist and fight against his perceived attackers, snarling and spitting furiously. "Mawey, brother, we have you," a woman's voice panted in his ear. Kyuna.

"You are safe, tsmukan," he heard Tsaro gasp from his other side in a pained voice. Through rapidly darkening vision Kyle saw what must have been Rai'uk covering their retreat with a spear as the quickly weakening thanator tried to haul itself after them. The last thing Kyle remembered before everything faded away to black was Tsaro's voice telling him that he was safe.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Jake, with Tswayon beside him looking on hungrily, was quite literally shoulder deep in a talioang carcass when he felt a soft vibration against his throat. Someone was trying to reach him over the radio, which he had deliberately silenced - it was generally not advisable to try and hold a conversation with someone whilst riding atop a flying ikran and shooting arrows into an animal that was the size of a terran elephant, not even counting the fact that his actual target was about the size of a grapefruit. Jake could be a consummate multitasker when he wished to be, but that would definitely have been pushing it.

Jake looked down at his bloodied arms and grumbled, "Of all the rotten timing... _Neytiri! Could you help me for a moment?"_ A movement out of the corner of his eye drew his attention back to Tswayon, who was using Jake's momentary lapse in attention to try and get in close to sneak a bite of talioang. Jake swiftly cuffed the ikran on the nose. "Stop that! Greedy bastard. You'd eat the whole damn thing if I'd let you! You'd be too fat to fly, and then how would I get home, huh?"

Tswayon, suspiciously short on answers, merely settled for giving Jake a dirty look.

Jake's mate appeared from around the other side of the talioang, wiping her hands on a cloth. She had been helping some of the younger hunters gather their spent arrows and spears, helping them sort out which weapons could be used again and what had been turned into scrap. _"You bellowed, Love?"_ she asked, a wry expression on her face.

Jake flashed a crooked smile and batted his eyes at her. He tilted his chin up and asked meekly, _"Could you help me with the radio? I...um..."_ he held his filthy hands up as evidence and his ears drooped in what he hoped was an effective display of cuteness.

Neytiri smiled despite herself as she obligingly reached forward and scratched him under the chin with her finger. _"Better?"_ she asked him, a perfectly innocent expression on her face.

Jake huffed and stamped his foot in a very childlike way. _"Neytiri..."_ he groused, _"It may be important."_ With a roll of her mirthful eyes Neytiri reached forward again to activate the throat mic for him. _Thank you,_ he mouthed as he turned away. "Jake here. Speak," he said in a somewhat gruff, official tone.

Neytiri watched Jake take a few steps away, his head bowing as he listened to whomever was on the other side of the conversation. Her mind was still dwelling on the success of the hunt and it was not until Jake let loose with an explosive Tawtute cuss word that she whipped back around to look at him with wide eyes. The rest of his conversation was short and clipped, completely devoid of any anger or other strong emotion. Neytiri could tell from the set of his shoulders that he was far from emotionless, however. She could tell that Jake was bottling all of it up right now, which was something he seldom did and was never a portent of good tidings.

_"What is it, my Jake?" _she asked with concern.

Jake's hands were starting to tremble, and when he tried speaking in the People's language his words got gummed up. Neytiri placed a comforting hand on his arm, not caring one bit about the talioang blood at all. "At...at Hometree. There was a palulukan attack." Neytiri gasped, eyes wide. Palulukan would never attack a Na'vi village! "It sounds like Kyle was mauled pretty bad," Jake said through gritted teeth.

"How badly?" Neytiri whispered.

Jake shook his head. "I don't know. That was Dr. Ferris. She had just gotten off the phone with Hell's Gate, but needed to switch back. Dr. Huxley is flying out, and Moat is looking after him. I want...we need to get home, right now."

Neytiri nodded in swift agreement. "Mal'ek will be able to oversee the rest of the hunt for you," she assured him.

Jake's eyes widened at the mention of his Second. "Shit!" he exclaimed. "Tanhi. We're going to have to tell Tanhi."

The object of Jake's concern was working a short distance away in the shade at the edge of the forest.

Tanhi's duties were blessedly boring. The most serious injuries sustained during the hunt were from the veteran hunters on pa'li back - a few of them had been thrown, but thankfully all she really had to do was see to some relatively light scrapes and bruises. Hunting talioang was dangerous business; it was not unheard of for a hunter to be killed during the event. The Omaticaya were blessed by Eywa indeed to have been so fortunate this year.

She heard someone calling her name and looked up to find her father was waving to her. He was standing with Jake and Neytiri, and all three seemed to be preparing their ikrans for flight. Tanhi jogged over but found her steps slowing as she took note of the serious expressions everyone was wearing.

Mal'ek approached her, moving hesitantly as though she were a skittish pa'li. _"What is the matter, Father?" _she asked warily.

Mal'ek gently took hold of her upper arms, his face tight with worry. Her sempul was well known for masking his emotions, and this blatant display of distress was beginning to worry her._ "Listen to me, Daughter, and be strong. There has been an accident at Hometree. There was a...a palulukan... Kyle is -"_ At the mention of Kyle's name in this context Tanhi almost totally flipped out, an unintelligible noise exploding from her as she struggled to lunge away. In truth, Tanhi had no idea what came over her, but Mal'ek's news snapped something deep inside and all she wanted to do was run, or scream, or hit someone. If something had happened to Kyle... The reason for Mal'ek's grip on her became quite clear as his gentle touch became an unbreakable hold on her shoulders. _"Tanhi, BE STRONG!" _Mal'ek hissed, the firmness of his words striking her like a physical blow.

Tanhi froze, shocked. For all of their arguments, and there had been plenty indeed between them, Mal'ek had never actually yelled at her. _"Sempu?"_ she asked, her voice pitching up, making her sound many years younger than she was.

The emotional one in this conversation was Mal'ek. He visibly fought to contain himself as he relayed his instructions, and his ears could not make up their mind whether or not they wanted to be up and alert or laid back in distress. _"You will be flying to Kelutral with the Olo'eyktan and Neytiri. Moat is looking after Kyle right now. You know he could not be in better hands."_

Tanhi frowned. _"But I am not ikran makto, Father,"_ she reminded him.

Mal'ek closed his eyes, hissing softly to himself. _"Tìtxur will carry you," _he explained patiently. The irony of his ikran's name was not lost on him.

With wide eyes Tanhi exclaimed, _"But I cannot make tsaheylu with him!" _An edge of fear within her caused Tanhi's voice to waver slightly. She had always wanted to be able to fly, but this was not the means or circumstances that she had envisioned for it.

Mal'ek gently shook her once for emphasis. _"I know this, Tanhi. I have asked him to do this as a favor to me, and he is willing. It is the only way to get you back to Kelutral...in a timely manner. We have not been told what condition Kyle is in, but he is alive, my 'ite. You should go to him."_

Tanhi nodded wordlessly. She glanced at Tìtxur; the ikran, huge and fierce and scarred just like her father, was staring straight back at her with startlingly intelligent eyes. He was very intimidating, also just like her father. _"I do not now how to ride,"_ she admitted softly.

Mal'ek lead her over to the winged creature. _"I will tell you, 'ite. Lean on me." _Mal'ek patiently explained where to place her feet, what to hold onto with her hands, and how to hold her body in flight. After Tanhi had mounted up Mal'ek made tsaheylu with Tìtxur one last time. Satisfied, he rubbed Tìtxur's leathery neck before breaking the bond and stepping back. _"Eywa ngahu, Tanhi,"_ he told her.

Tìtxur let loose with a fierce cry as he jumped up off of the ground, flapping all four of his wings hard as he fought for altitude. Mal'ek's last glimpse of his daughter was of her wide-eyed face as she held on for dear life.

Now that Tanhi was on her way Mal'ek allowed himself to slump; he finally revealed just how beat down that he was by this news. He turned back to Jake and Neytiri, who had silently watched the exchange between father and daughter. _"Please, Olo'eyktan, do not let anything happen to Kyle. I cannot bear to lose another son. If he passes, I will lose my daughter as well..."_ Mal'ek trailed off, unable to give voice to his continued train of thought.

Jake surprised him by stepping forward and giving him a tight hug and a firm thump on the back, neither caring about Jake's messy condition. _"I give you my word, brother. We will do whatever needs to be done."_

_

* * *

_

Tanhi could not make up her mind whether or not she felt that the flight back to Kelutral took a short or a long time. Either way, it was absolutely terrifying. Perhaps it was just as well that she was not ikran makto, because the exposure and sensation of being this high up off of the ground atop another animal was most certainly not pleasant to her. She spent most of the flight with her eyes screwed shut, whispering wordless prayers to Eywa. Every now and then she would risk a glance around her to check their progress, but she quickly determined that things seemed to go much faster if she just kept her eyes closed. She knew that Jake and Neytiri were on either side of her, and their presence offered a small modicum of comfort. Normally she would be ashamed of displaying so much fear around the Olo'eyktan and the future Tsahìk, but right now Tanhi could not care less.

Finally Tanhi could see Kelutral in the distance, and before she knew it she and Jake and Neytiri were descending, following the course of the river that ran by their home. Tanhi absently took note of two Tawtute kunsìps that were parked in the clearing where the children normally played near the base of the tree. Some part of her brain reminded herself that their human friends would never bring their machines in so close if it was anything less than a very serious matter.

Tìtxur descended, preparing to land with Jake and Neytiri on either side. Ikran landings were, by nature, a rather rough event, and Tanhi found herself almost knocked out of the saddle even with her arms clasped tightly around Tìtxur's neck. While she did not want to choke her father's ikran, she did not want to outright fall off either. As soon as Tìtxur had touched down Jake was at her side, graciously offering her a hand down._ "Are you alright?" _he asked.

Tanhi nodded, more out of habit than anything else. She was absolutely not alright. Rai'uk came running up breathlessly, saying, _"This way, Olo'eyktan. Moat and the Tawtute toktor are attending to Kylefischer in one of the singers' alcoves."_

Tanhi moved through the village in a daze; she simply followed Rai'uk without question as he lead them into Kelutral, heading towards a room that was just off of the central gathering place. The singers' alcove in question was the center of a buzz of activity, but the atmosphere was strangely silent. Some part of her noticed Tsaro leaning against a wall, his leg streaked with dried blood which Kyuna and Loak was just now beginning to help him clean. She also recognized Normspellman pacing nervously, his avatar's tail corkscrewing behind him in consternation. Amberferris was with him, struggling to keep up with his pacing and offer him some measure of comfort.

Sorewn appeared out of nowhere, her arm instantly going around Tanhi's waist, and Tanhi automatically reciprocated. No words were said, but Sorewn's very presence offered Tanhi strength and comfort. Jake walked beside Tanhi as well; his face drawn with worry as a thousand doubts and what-ifs clouded his mind.

They reached the singers' alcove; Sorewn and Jake allowed Tanhi to enter first. She repeated her father's instructions to _be strong_ over and over in her head, but all coherent thought left her as soon as she caught sight of Kyle's still form lying facedown on a hastily constructed pallet of mats. The very first thing that leapt out at her was the three brutal wounds that dragged down his back, all the way from his shoulders to his waist. His blue striped flesh was torn and ugly and ragged, as though someone had tried to gut him from behind with a dull knife. Another only slightly less horrendous gash had carved a path along his right side. His head was turned towards the entrance, but his eyes were closed, and Moat and Toktor Huxley were almost a blur of motion as they went about attending to him.

Tanhi gasped, her heart seizing in her chest as the thought that he must surely be dead bloomed in her mind like a noxious plant before she could stop it. But as soon as she had made the noise, and as soon as he detected the pleasant scent that was uniquely her, Kyle's tail began to wag a weak greeting, thumping gently against the back of his legs. Kyle's eyes blinked open and instantly centered on her face; they were glazed and unfocused, influenced as he was by whatever drugs that had been administered to him. Despite all of this, a faintly sheepish smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "Hey..." he greeted her, his voice slurring and thick with pain.

Kyle watched Tanhi's expression of horror change to open astonishment, and a strange little squeak emerged from her throat. "Kehe!" she gasped as she shook her head and took a backwards step. Then, much to his surprise and disappointment, she whirled completely around and fled the room.

Janelle watched her leave, pausing from the adjustments she was making to Kyle's IV to gently stroke her hand along Kyle's hair above his ear. "That didn't exactly turn out quite the way you thought it would, did it?" she asked wryly.

Kyle's eyes drifted closed again, his throat moving as he swallowed back against a fresh rush of agony, this time not only of the physical variety. "Not really..." he groaned.

"Are you going to try to rest now, then?" Janelle asked. She received no response. "Kyle?" Janelle quickly pealed back one of his eyelids and flashed her small penlight into his pupil. She was pleased with the way it quickly contracted against the irritation, and also with the fact that Kyle was most definitely out like a light. "Finally," she groused. "He's got enough medicine in him to knock out a titanothere."

Moat chuckled ruefully as she exchanged a blood-soaked cloth for a fresh one and resumed cleaning out the grievous wounds on Kyle's back. "Perhaps, Toktor Huxley, but he is young and clearly in love. Nothing we could have done for him would have kept Kylefischer from waiting until Tanhi got back before he finally allowed his body to rest."

Janelle frowned in the direction Tanhi had left. "Well, I can't say that reunion seemed like it was worth staying up in excruciating pain for two hours."

Moat sighed at this as she glanced in the direction that Tanhi had fled. "Perhaps. Tanhi bears scars of her own, scars that our medicines cannot heal. She is blessed to have loved ones around her who will not let her stray far. I do not worry for her."

Janelle waved her hands in exasperation. "I'm just glad he's finally out," she muttered as she stirred again the plant resin they would use to help seal Kyle's injuries. "It's just as well, cause this is going to hurt like a bitch, and we can't wait any longer to start the deep cleaning." Janelle's eyes widened as she remembered who she was working with. "My apologies, Tsahìk," she mumbled.

Moat laughed softly. "Your honesty is refreshing, Toktor Huxley. I am glad that you are here. The new blood that you have given him will be what saves Kylefischer's life. This...is not something we would have been able to do for him."

Someone cleared their throat behind them, drawing Janelle's attention back to the alcove entrance where Jake was now standing. He was gazing at Kyle's inert form with raised eyebrows. "Holy shit," he murmured. He cast a furtive look between Janelle and Moat. "Is he going to be alright?" he asked.

Janelle nodded as she removed her bloody exam gloves so that she could rub her sweaty face beneath her exopack. "He'll pull through okay. This will definitely leave a mark, though," she said as she waved a hand across Kyle's back. Jake advanced a step closer to look but Janelle froze the Olo'eyktan with a withering stare. "No sir, not a single inch closer until you clean yourself up," she said as she pointed a finger at his chest.

"What? Oh," Jake said, a chagrined expression coming over his features as he looked down at his still bloodied arms. "So...he will be fine, then?" he asked a second time, just to clarify.

"Yes, he'll be fine, Jake," Janelle repeated. "Blood loss was his biggest danger. We were lucky that Dr. Ferris called us so soon and was able to accurately describe what was going on. That gave me the foresight necessary to bring enough blood units to save him before he bled out."

Janelle was just beginning to pull on a fresh pair of gloves when Moat stopped her. "You do not have to do that, Toktor Huxley. I can see that you are tiring. You should rest." Janelle frowned and began to object, but Moat waved her hand and silenced her. She pointed at Janelle's stained smock and the bloody smears on her exopack. "Kylefischer's danger has passed. I will finish cleaning his wounds and begin applying the resin for him. You have endured more than enough hardship already. I will have someone fetch you when there is further need of your considerable skills, but for now please rest, tsmuke."

Janelle's eyes widened at the high compliment Moat had bestowed upon her. "Yes...yes, ma'am. As you say, Tsahìk. Collins and Petrov left the air handlers on in the Samsons...perhaps a break without an exopack would be good." Janelle checked Kyle's IV one last time out of habit before bidding her goodbye.

Jake waited a moment to be sure that they were alone before he spoke. _"Mother, tell me what happened here."_

Moat smiled. Jake was never disrespectful towards her, and she took no offense to his direct question. He was Olo'eyktan, after all. Eytukan would have been proud of him. _"A palulukan breached the perimeter and attacked our home. Rai'uk and Kyuna tracked its progress as best as they could after the fact; it had moved through our territory with admirable stealth and cunning. The uniltìranyu Ramirez is looking at its body now. He has told me that the animal was sickened in the mind. The palulukan sought to attack the younglings, but Tsaro distracted it and drew it away. When he became trapped in a storage alcove, Kylefischer lead it away and Amberferris rescued Tsaro."_ Moat gave Jake a look that was heavy with meaning. _"This was done at great risk to herself, my son."_

Jake nodded as he received Moat's report. _"Who killed it?"_ Jake asked after a moment.

Moat briefly paused in her attentions to Kyle before responding. _"Kylefischer did, Olo'eyktan. He fled into the weapon makers' shop and took up a spear. The palulukan charged him, but he held his ground until the palulukan ran itself onto his weapon."_ Moat looked back up at Jake with serious eyes. _"Kylefischer killed the palulukan alone. You may see the evidence of this yourself, if you doubt."_

Jake's eyes widened as his breath hissed in through his teeth. _"I do not doubt, Mother. Will you please have someone fetch me when he awakens?"_

Moat nodded. _"Yes, Olo'eyktan. He will most likely sleep into the next day. It is for his benefit. But I will inform you the moment he wakes."_

_"Thank you,"_ Jake said. _"I... I will let you see to Kyle now."_

Moat simply dipped her head in acknowledgement as she turned back to Kyle's prone form. Jake watched as Moat carefully and skillfully scrubbed out the three massive gashes in his back. The chieftain made no effort to disguise the wincing hiss that escaped him as Moat none too gently probed deep into Kyle's exposed tissue. Thanator claws were not particularly clean implements and all of the foreign matter needed to be removed lest Kyle come down with a life-threatening infection. This is the part that Janelle had said would "hurt like a bitch."

Jake quietly exited the repurposed singers' alcove, and Norm practically pounced on him as soon as he was outside. "How is he? Is he ok? Is he going to make it? Can I see him?" Neytiri placed a comforting hand on Norm's shoulder, and though she remained silent her expression showed she was just as worried as Norm was.

With a nervous chuckle Jake replied, "Easy, Norm, you're sucking all the air up. Moat and Janelle say he will be fine. He's sleeping now." Jake took care to speak slowly to make sure that Norm heard him clearly. "I would suggest you let Moat keep working on him, though." Jake was shamelessly using Moat's influence to keep Norm out, as he had serious doubts as to how Norm might handle the sight of so much blood so soon.

Norm visibly sagged with relief, even as he continued his nervous fidgeting. "When will he awaken?" Neytiri asked her mate softly. She began to rub Norm's back, and under her gentle touch the distraught man finally became still.

"It could be a long while," Jake said. "Moat and Janelle gave him some stuff that knocked him out pretty good. It's just as well, though - he really should not be moving right now." Or feeling, Jake thought to himself as he remembered the sight of Moat cleaning out the cuts in Kyle's back. There was no way that could feel good.

Amber came up to them, moving softly as though she was afraid of scaring Norm. "He'll pull through, Spellman," she gently encouraged the worried man. "He got the attention he needed in time. You don't have to be afraid for him."

Norm nodded slowly and sighed. "Okay," he said simply. "I... I believe you."

Jake was staring at Amber with an unreadable expression. "Thank you," he told her at last.

Amber glanced up at him, her expression slightly surprised. She must have thought Jake was referring to what she had just said to Norm because her eyes flickered in his direction for a moment before replying, "It's nothing, really."

"No," Jake clarified. "I am talking about what you did before. During the attack. When you saved Tsaro." Jake swallowed a lump in his throat. "You showed extraordinary courage and bravery, and you risked your own life to save his."

Amber looked suddenly stricken. "I...it wasn't just me. Kyle -"

Jake smiled reassuringly as he shook his head. "I'm not talking about Kyle. I'm talking about you, Amber. Such selflessness will not go unremembered, I promise you." Amber processed all of this with wide eyes as she nodded wordlessly.

Jake gently disengaged himself from more conversation as he stepped away to further investigate what had happened to his home during his absence. He visited the ruined storage alcove first and was quietly amazed at the amount of destruction that he saw. What had formerly been a deep pocket within the tree was now almost totally hollowed out, and if it were not for the lack of burn marks Jake would have thought that someone had detonated a grenade inside the room. The floor was covered with torn chunks of wood, sawdust, and other miscellaneous junk. The cleanup had already started, though, and with a terse nod to the Na'vi who were repairing the place Jake turned to follow the palulukan's path away, tracing the jagged claw marks on the ground and walls.

After passing the pair of columns, streaked with blood, that Kyle had used to momentarily trap the monster, Jake continued on to the weapon makers' area. The area seemed strangely undisturbed with the exception of the crushed workbench that the beast had charged through. In a strange contradiction, this area was surprisingly clean and it was only if he knelt on the ground that Jake could follow the palulukan's stealthy trail as it had stalked its prey.

Lying on its belly up ahead was the massive carcass of the great predator. Jake was simultaneously awed and revolted by the sight of it, and his fists clenched at his sides as he fought back feelings of guilt and betrayal. Honestly, Jake felt almost violated by the beast's presence within his home - he felt insulted, as if it was his own fault that two of his clan mates had almost been killed. Neytiri had sensed that falsehood coming a mile away and had quickly headed it off, but it was still a guilt that Jake had a difficult time shaking. Dr. Ramirez came up to him and quietly reported the results of his admittedly crude necropsy.

"As you can tell, it's pretty thin... It was hungry enough that it was willing to try the unthinkable, attacking the Omaticaya like it did." The avatar gave Jake a pointed look. "It would have done this at any time, Sully. It was only bad luck that the hunting party was away. This thing would have made a go for a Na'vi no matter how many people were around."

Jake nodded as he received this. "I have never witnessed this with my own eyes...but the People have told stories. When a thanator loses a territorial fight, the victor will drive the loser out. It will go so far as to actively thwart the loser's hunting, weakening it almost to the point of death."

Dr. Ramirez nodded at this with wide eyes. "That is impressive, to say the least." So much of Pandora was still violent, unknown, and yet oddly beautiful. "Um, would it be permissible to transport the carcass back to Hell's Gate? We've never had a chance to examine a thanator up close like this before."

Jake shivered a bit subconsciously. "No, you may not," he replied tersely. He knew the man meant well, but this was not how the Na'vi handled things of this nature. Jake motioned to the fallen beast before him and said, "This belongs to the hunter who fell it. We will take care of the palulukan in a manner that is honoring to its spirit and beneficial to the People. You may...observe this process, but you may not interfere."

Dr. Ramirez's ears drooped slightly in disappointment. "Yes, sir," he said, picking up on Jake's authoritative tone.

Jake smiled thinly. "The hunters will be returning in less than a day with the bounties of Eywa's provision. You and the other scientists will have plenty more to poke at when they get back. And of course, during the feast you are invited to sample some of the...culinary aspects of Na'vi culture."

The biologist brightened noticeably at this prospect. "That is very generous of you, Mr. Sully," Ramirez replied graciously. "I have heard that this is an exciting time for the clan, thanator attacks notwithstanding."

"Indeed," Jake replied absently as he continued to walk along the impressive length of the downed predator. Emaciated though it was, the palulukan was an incredibly fierce sight to behold. Jake's nose wrinkled slightly - it was also incredibly stinky. The Omaticaya would have to take care of their unfortunate guest very quickly.

Some foreign object was stuck beneath the palulukan's upper lip flap and Jake knelt down on the ground to investigate. He gingerly pulled the flap of skin away, exposing the dagger-like teeth...as well as the ceramic blade that was imbedded deep in the thanator's upper gum. Jake wrapped his hand around the knife's grip and tried pulling, only to realize that it was trapped quite firmly, most likely wedged deep between the teeth and the jaw bone. Damn, Kyle hit the bastard hard, the Olo'eyktan thought. Jake grunted and heaved a second time, and with a jolt that caused the thanator's entire head to nod in a macabre impression of life, Kyle's blade finally slid free from its prison.

Jake held the bloodied weapon up and gasped softly - the knife had been driven so deeply into the bone that the very tip of the ceramic blade had snapped off when Jake removed it.

* * *

Tanhi was just at the edge of Utral Aymokriya, queue in hand, but unbonded with the tree. Her thoughts were spinning at a million miles a second and she found herself gasping for breath, even though she had stopped running quite some time ago. Her spirit was in complete revolt within her: _"I cannot do this,"_ she moaned softly to herself.

Seeing Kyle lying there had been terrifying for Tanhi. The sight of his horrible wounds had driven all objectivity from her, and all that she could focus on was how closely that death had brushed him. She sought refuge here among the sacred trees, but the thought of making tsaheylu and being so near to the ones who had truly died scared her even more, and now Tanhi found herself frozen with indecision, unable to move forward or backwards.

Tanhi's ears flicked as she registered the sound of someone approaching. She quickly jumped to her feet and turned, surprised to find Tsaro standing before her, his usual stealth compromised by his injured leg. His gaze was intense, and for a moment they simply stared at one another before Tsaro finally asked in a gentle voice, _"Why are you not with your intended?"_

Tanhi choked against the sudden lump in her throat. _"Kyle is not my intended,"_ she said at last. She turned away and screwed her eyes shut. _"I do not wish for him to be my mate."_ This was not easy to say, but surely it would be for the best.

Tsaro blinked, genuinely perplexed by her answer, just as perplexed by this as by her flight from Kelutral, in fact. _"W-What?" _he asked dumbly. _"I thought... Do you not love him?"_ he finally managed. Why would she not want to be near Kyle right now? He watched as Tanhi stiffened at his words and turned away, her tail spasming once before remaining still.

_"I choose... I choose not to love him, Tsaro," _Tanhi replied tightly. Please stop. Just go away...

_"I do not understand,"_ Tsaro responded slowly, frowning as he struggled to follow Tanhi's train of thought.

Tanhi whirled on him, suddenly angry. _"You do not have to! Do not question me!"_

Tsaro took a step backwards, stung by Tanhi's sharp words. He could see that her eyes were brimming with unshed tears and her deep, heaving breaths were just this side of devolving into great racking sobs. _"What has come over you, sister?"_ Tsaro asked as he stepped back towards her, his hands extended as he sought to calm and comfort her. _"Kyle is safe, death will claim no one today,"_ he said. How could she not see that? _"Why do you mourn as though he is already gone?"_

Tanhi recoiled from him. _"It was too close!"_ she hissed as she started to tremble._ "I will not be hurt that way again. I cannot bear that kind of pain a second time, to lose one that I treasure so closely,"_ she said quietly.

His breath sucked in through his teeth as Tsaro finally realized what Tanhi was talking about. He was mentally kicking himself for not figuring it out sooner, in fact, and he felt his face heating up with anger. This attitude had gone on long enough, and he was sick and tired of enabling it. _"Then you are a fool, Tanhi,"_ he hissed.

Tanhi looked back at him, her eyes widening at his accusation before narrowing again with anger. _"Who are you to question me on this matter?" _she growled in response. _"You do not understand what it is that I feel."_

Tsaro fairly exploded. _"Do I?"_ he shouted. _"Is your grief an island floating in the sky, unreachable and unknowable? Are you alone in your loss? Do you think you have a monopoly on pain and sorrow?"_

_"You do not know what it is like to have the one who is supposed to be your mate taken from you!" _Tanhi yelled, her hands fisting at her sides. Suddenly she was just as angry at Kyle as she was with Tsaro's damn questions. How could Kyle have been so stupid, acting the way that he did? What was he thinking! He could have died! Did he have no idea what it would do to me if he had gotten his blue ass killed?

_"And you do not know what it is like to lose your brother and your best friend!"_ Tsaro countered. He was trembling with anger now, and his tail was whipping back and forth behind him as he pressed on without giving Tanhi the chance to respond. _"I thought you were better than this, sister! I thought you were finally beginning to See again, but you are still blind! Do you think you can hide yourself away from hurt, that misfortune will simply pass you by? Love is not without risk, Tanhi! Would you hold Kyle's actions against him? Do you wish me dead right now so that he might have remained safe?"_

Tanhi gasped, her hand flying up to her mouth. _"No! I would never wish such a thing... What are you speaking of?"_

Tsaro's face twisted with conflicting emotions and he glanced away for the briefest of moments. _"I was trapped..."_ Tsaro said slowly. _"Everyone else was safely away. But Kyle and the uniltìranyu Amberferris came back for me. Kyle drew the palulukan away...he made it chase him so that I could escape."_ Tsaro struggled with his emotions on the matter. He had been prepared for death; he almost welcomed it, in fact. It was nothing to be ashamed of, certainly, to give one's life in defense of the clan. It was how his brother had gone to be with Eywa, after all. He had almost been mad when he had seen Kyle appear behind the palulukan. What had the skxawng been thinking? Tsaro had realized with a bit of a start that Kyle was merely doing exactly what he would have done in the same situation.

"_He...he saved you?"_ Tanhi repeated with wide eyes.

Tsaro nodded vigorously, his expression suddenly darkening again. _"Kyle displayed bravery and courage, and you scorn him for it! How can you possibly claim that you See him?"_

_"I am not scorning him!"_ Tanhi shot back.

An exaggeratedly perplexed look came over Tsaro's face. _"Oh, so you are offering your comfort from afar, then?"_

_"You do not understand,"_ Tanhi gritted out again.

_"Then explain it to me!"_ Tsaro demanded. _"Is his goodness something that is unattractive to you? Because I am sure there are plenty of other women who See the greatness of his heart better than you do! Can you not See that you are desiring for Kyle to act contrary to his character?"_ Tsaro gestured widely around him. _"I do not know of any man worthy of the title who would not act in the same way that he did! Do you wish a mate who never leaves the protection of Kelutral? A man who is timid? Who is merely safe? Do you wish for a mate for you to tame and bend to your will?"_

Tanhi could only sputter at these accusations, shocked and horrified as she was by Tsaro's words. With a disdainful snort Tsaro turned and literally spat on the ground in disgust. There would be no stopping him from speaking his mind, now.

_"You are stupid and selfish, Tanhi, to deny the strength that Kyle offers you,"_ he snarled _"Perhaps it would have been more merciful to let the palulukan end him honorably, because to be mated to a woman like you would be the death of any man, only at a slower and more painful rate."_

That final comment was like a slap to the face; it sent Tanhi over the edge, and she bared her fangs and snarled as she lunged straight for Tsaro. Being the skilled fighter that he was, Tsaro easily deflected her blows and sent her tumbling and sprawling to the earth. Tanhi rolled quickly and sprang back to her feet with the intent of pressing her attack but she stopped when she caught sight of Tsaro, who had fallen and was lying on the ground, groaning. The slash on his leg had reopened and he was pressing his hand tightly against his thigh as he tried to stop the blood from seeping through.

Tanhi's ears drooped as she realized what had happened, and all her anger left her. _"Tsaro! Forgive me," _she pleaded as she carefully approached him. Oh, what have I done?

With great effort Tsaro hauled himself to his feet and retreated a few steps from her. _"It is nothing, Tanhi,"_ he gasped. _"I will have someone attend to it back at Kelutral."_

_"Please, let me help -"_ Tanhi began.

_"No!"_ Tsaro interrupted firmly. He winced against the pain as he lifted his hand to check how badly the cut had torn again. _"I suppose this is recompense for my words,"_ he admitted dryly after a moment. I am not sorry for speaking them, though, he thought silently. After a spell he stated randomly, _"As a healer, you understand what effect Hahaw has on a person."_

Tsaro stated more than he asked, but Tanhi nodded all the same as she gave him a perplexed look. Hahaw was a rare medicine that was administered only in extreme cases to lessen someone's pain. It could make a person delirious as well as induce a deep sleep, hence its title. Too much Hahaw could send you into a sleep from which there was no awakening, however, and only the most skilled of healers could gauge the proper dosage for any given person in any given situation. Factors such as gender, age, weight, physical fitness, and even stoutness of spirit all came into play. As Tsahìk, only Moat possessed the necessary understanding to administer Hahaw. Also, a sometimes amusing initial side affect of the drug was that it had a way of loosening one's tongue, so to speak. No one kept secrets for long under the powerful influence of Hahaw.

_"Moat gave Kyle as much Hahaw as she thought was safe," _Tsaro told her. He snorted and shook his head in wonder._ "He refused to rest, though. Even when Toktor Huxley arrived, and when she and Moat began to clean and dress his wounds, he would not allow sleep to overcome him."_ Tsaro gave Tanhi a pointed look as he said in a soft voice, _"You were all that he spoke of, Tanhi. He only wanted to know where you were."_

Tanhi was rendered speechless by this and could not help the sudden onslaught of shame that warmed her face.

Tsaro's eyes dropped to the ground as he sighed. _"Seeing as Kyle is...incapacitated right now, I am merely relaying the message on his behalf. He desires for you to be with him during this time. You may do with this knowledge what you wish." _Without anything further to say, Tsaro began to limp stiffly along the path back towards Kelutral, and Tanhi found herself staring after him, alone once more, and with her feelings more conflicted now than ever.

* * *

The only people up this late were the self-professed night owls or the watch standers. Almost all of the Omaticaya were sleeping peacefully in their hammocks. Even Toktor Huxley and Thomcollins were asleep inside the kunsìp that remained just outside of the village. Sleep had eluded Tanhi thus far, however; she was unable to rest even though she was quite ready to simply drop from exhaustion.

Tanhi found herself stealing softly across the ground to the alcove where Kyle was resting. Something was drawing her inexorably towards him, though a part of her still had no desire at all to lay eyes on Kyle. With a furtive glance around her Tanhi stepped into the darkened space, her eyes adjusting within seconds to the dimness. Kyle's tanhi were glowing softly and steadily, and he had not moved from his resting place. Tanhi stiffened when she sensed another person in the room.

Kyuna, who had been curled up on a mat in the corner sleeping lightly, quickly came to when she sensed Tanhi's arrival. _"What are you doing here?"_ Tanhi whispered, surprised at the intensity of her irritation towards the other woman.

Kyuna's fleeting glance in Kyle's direction did not go unnoticed, and Tanhi thought her gaze lingered much longer than it should have. _"Moat said that Kylefischer should not be left alone. I volunteered to stay with him during the night. Someone should be present if he were to waken." _Kyuna gave Tanhi a shrewd look. _"We tried seeking you out, but no one could find you, sister," _she said, her tone carefully neutral.

_"I am here now," _Tanhi replied stiffly.

Kyuna nodded as she offered Tanhi a faint smile. _"I am glad that there is someone here to care for him, then,"_ the young huntress said at last. _"Take good care of my hunt brother for me, Tanhi."_

When Kyuna did not immediately leave Tanhi finally asked, somewhat exasperated, _"Is there something else on your mind, sister?"_

Kyuna thought about this for a moment and the corners of her mouth turned up again slightly. _"The Tawtute still amaze me," _she whispered. _"It is strange to me how one so alien can manage to look and act like we do. It would seem that bravery and honor are...universal. In my wildest dreams I never expected things to turn out in this way, Tanhi."_ Kyuna turned away from Kyle to face Tanhi. _"We have never been the closest of friends, so perhaps that gives me the freedom to say what needs to be said. Treat Kyle as he deserves, sister. He has more than earned the best that we can offer him."_

Tanhi nodded woodenly at Kyuna's words. She did not speak with harshness, rather she merely stated her case as fact. Tanhi's desire to physically vent on someone had already been spent on Tsaro, fortunately. And she had spent the better part of the rest of the day meditating upon Tsaro's words, after all...

Before Kyuna could leave Tanhi stopped her with a gentle hand on the wrist. Kyuna quickly met her eyes, somewhat startled by Tanhi's actions. _"Thank you, sister, for what you have done for him already. You and Tsaro...and yes, even Rai'uk; you all saved his life."_

Kyuna actually blushed at this, her tanhi brightening subtly for a moment. _"You do not need to thank. It was the right thing to do. I would do it again without hesitation."_ Kyuna grinned as she bowed her head in thought. _"I am quite sure that much of the clan owes something to Kyle, now. And I, for one, have never enjoyed having a debt hang over my head." _Kyuna surprised Tanhi by giving her a brief, friendly hug. _"Goodnight, sister. I wish you pleasant dreams."_

After the longest while Tanhi finally turned to face Kyle. When she breathed deeply she could still detect his warm, masculine scent beneath the pungent smell of the resin that Moat had applied. It was profoundly disturbing to Tanhi to see one so strong laid out in such a helpless position, and old fears began to reassert themselves almost without Tanhi's knowledge. At the last moment she caught the seeds before they could fully mature, and in an internal fit of rage she ripped the noxious weeds out of the garden of her mind and threw them far away.

Oh, how she wished that Kyle was lucid right now, that she could gently wake him so that they could fall asleep again with his arms around her. His current rest was still heavily influenced by the Hahaw, as it would be for some time; his unusually deep and steady breathing was evidence of this. Tanhi smiled wryly despite herself as she realized the obvious fact that cuddling was very difficult when one of the partners was unresponsive and lying on his stomach.

Tanhi obliged her inner healer and gave Kyle a quick once over. The cut on his ribs had been skillfully stitched shut by Toktor Huxley herself in that strangely clever way of the Tawtute. Girding herself with a deep breath, Tanhi looked over the triple gashes down Kyle's back. These were too broad to be simply stitched closed, and so they were totally covered in the healing plant resin that would serve as a flexible yet strong shield as Kyle's body healed itself. Tanhi was glad that it was Moat who had applied this, for if done correctly the initial dressing would be sufficient for the entire course of recovery. The rejuvenative properties of the resin would greatly speed Kyle's healing process.

Tanhi dragged some additional bedding over and made an acceptable nest for herself at the head of Kyle's pallet. She smiled and could not resist leaning down to place a kiss on the side of Kyle's head, and she allowed her nose to linger in his hair. The delicate tip of his ear brushed the side of her face, and it twitched sweetly at her disturbance.

Exhaustion finally caught up with Tanhi and she lowered herself down onto her side with a deep sigh. The crown of her head rested gently against Kyle's; it was as close as she felt she could be to him, at least right now. Kyle surprised her when he sighed himself, almost in response, and she heard and felt him shifting as he stretched one of his arms slowly forward, causing his hand to brush against one of Tanhi's. She chuckled softly to herself in the darkness - it was just as Tsaro said. Kyle really was insufferable, as even when he was drugged out cold he still could sense her presence and desired to be close.

Tanhi gently held Kyle's hand and allowed her fingers to gently rub the inside of his palm, making him sigh a second time. She frowned at the unusually rough texture of his skin, as it was beyond the normal callouses that Na'vi life inevitably caused. She raised her head to look at his hand and arm more closely, and only now did she notice the innumerable small cuts, scrapes, and abrasions that roughened the skin of both of his hands and forearms. Defensive wounds, Tanhi realized with a shudder. The realization of the magnitude of Kyle's struggle and triumph refreshed itself in Tanhi's mind, and as she allowed her head to rest back against Kyle's she winced in shame. Was she really this close to throwing all of it away? She owed Tsaro an apology, on multiple levels.

It was not unheard of for someone to be able to kill a palulukan. Of course this, the darkest of Eywa's children, was never sought out in the hunt. Na'vi avoided the palulukan at all costs, for obvious reasons. When flight was no longer an option a fight to the death would usually ensue, and such conflicts were usually swift and often not resolved in the unfortunate Na'vi's favor. Yet this man - yes, the one that she loved, had faced down the Dry Mouth Bringer of Fear and overcome it. He had faced down Death and not flinched, and he had emerged the victor. No one had done such a thing in a very, very long time.

_"Please forgive me when you wake back up, my Kyle," _Tanhi murmured sleepily. _"Dream well, brave one."_

_

* * *

_

Kyle finally began to come to, and he felt like he had Pandora's biggest hangover. He could faintly hear the sounds of daily village life, the noise serving to both comfort and orientate him. What time was it? Kyle was content to simply rest for a while longer with his eyes closed, but he soon became aware of a searing brightness in his eyes. With a groan he brought one of his hands up and covered his face as he blinked his eyes open. Damn, am I ever stiff and sore! He heard some minor scuffling in the room with him and chanced a look between his fingers when a shadow fell over him.

Young Kel'rey was right there, his large amber eyes wide as he stared at Kyle curiously. "Are you awake?" the boy asked.

"Kehe," Kyle grumbled and closed his eyes. The sun was streaming in through the window-like gaps high up in the wall and one beam had been striking him squarely in the face. Kel'rey shrugged and stepped back aside, allowing the light to fall over him again.

When Kyle hissed in slight irritation he heard another voice chuckle. Shading his eyes again Kyle squinted and was surprised to see Collins, of all people. The pilot was sitting a short distance away, relaxing incongruously in his lawn chair with a dog-eared paperback resting on his lap. Turning to Kel'rey the human instructed gently, "You should fetch Moat and Jake Sully."

The young boy nodded as he stared at the toy ikran in his hand that he had been playing with. "This hold for me, please," Kel'rey said suddenly as he quickly deposited the toy in Collin's lap before darting out of the alcove with a flash of swift feet and twirling tail.

Collins caught the toy ikran with a surprised "Oaf!" and he stared at the finely crafted object with undisguised curiosity. After a moment he turned back and gave Kyle a strange, almost disgusted look. "Geesh, Fischer, you should see yourself," he said.

Kyle moaned and tried to crane his neck around to check his back. He suspected it was not a pretty sight, but he was still too sore to see for himself. "Am I that bad?" he asked groggily.

With a solemn nod Collins agreed. "Yep. Your ass is hanging out. Put some pants on for crying out loud." Collins gently traded the toy ikran for his book so he could resume reading as he primly crossed his legs in his chair.

Kyle let his head drop back down. "Bastard," he muttered even as he grinned. "What are you doing here?" Kyle asked curiously.

Collins smiled thinly as he spared Kyle a brief glance away from his book. "Just Kel'rey's and my turn to look after the gimp," he answered easily. He turned a page in his book and said, "You haven't been alone for a second, Kyle. There's always been someone here waiting for you to wake up."

"How...how long have I been out for?" Kyle asked. He was not bold enough to try to raise himself up yet - Kyle still possessed a healthy fear of what Moat and Dr. Huxley might do to him if he pushed himself too far. Instead he occupied himself by stretching his arms forward, stretching his limbs as he sought to restore normal blood flow.

"A little over one entire day/night cycle," Collins replied absently. "This is late afternoon on the day after the attack."

Kyle frowned at this. He still felt like he had adrenaline pumping through him as though the fight had only been an hour or two ago. "Wait...did you spend the night here?" Kyle asked as he still struggled to understand the human pilot's presence at Kelutral. With a soft rustle Collins turned another paper page.

"Yep," Collins answered. He glanced up at Kyle over his book again, and this time his expression was serious. "Dr. Huxley, too. We spent the night in the Samson. We didn't know how well you would do, even after the docs stabilized your blood loss. If you had taken a turn for the worst, we would have flown you back to Hell's Gate. Fortunately, Dr. Ramirez figured out that thanators aren't poisonous, so that was one less thing to worry about." Collins frowned slightly. "At least, he's pretty sure they're not."

Kyle processed all of this with silent amazement, and he felt unreasonably embarrassed at the amount of attention he seemed to have received. His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of the three towering figures of Jake, Mal'ek, and Moat. Kel'rey remained in the alcove entrance, peering around the corner at the goings on with wide eyes, at least until Jake gently shooed him off.

Collins swiftly got to his feet at the appearance of the Omaticaya's leaders. He motioned a greeting as he stepped back and moved away to give Moat room to crouch beside Kyle. Before he had a chance to leave, though, Jake called out to him. "Thank you, Thom, for your help," he rumbled in a deep voice.

Collins glanced between Jake and Kyle and nodded slightly. "My pleasure," he replied simply as he exited, but not before giving Kyle a wordless salute.

"How do you feel, Kyle?" Moat asked gently as she rested a hand on his forehead. He was warm, but not dangerously so. His dressings were doing well, she was pleased to note. This could be expected, of course, because this was the primary reason he had been resting as he had.

"Fine, I think," Kyle replied. "I'm just stiff and sore. Feels like I got run over by a Hell Truck. When...when can I stand back up again?"

Moat smiled at Kyle's eagerness. "Soon, my child. You cannot exert yourself, though, lest you reopen your injuries. And it will be many nights before you may sleep in your hammock again. It would appear that you have earned a respite from your work." Moat gently ran her hand down Kyle's back between a pair of the gashes. Even this light touch caused Kyle to tense and growl in pain, and his tail curled in agitation. "You will be tender for a while," Moat murmured softly as she stroked Kyle's head to comfort him.

Kyle snorted softly and closed his eyes, his mind going back to the attack. "Is Tsaro alright?" he asked softly, remembering that he had been hurt as well.

Jake answered this time with a small chuckle. "He's fine, Kyle. The thanator clawed his leg once. Believe me when I say that he is alright, and that you are our primary concern."

"And everyone else is safe?" Kyle whispered.

Jake nodded as he closed his own eyes against his emotions. _"Yes, brother, you have kept us all safe."_

After a moment Kyle suddenly asked, "Jake, do you know where Tanhi is? I would very much like to see her."

A strange play of emotions crossed Jake's face, and Kyle noticed though he did not comment on it. The Olo'eyktan crouched down as he answered so that he would not tower so high over Kyle's prone form and said, "She is at Utral Aymokriya, meditating. I believe Neytiri is with her." Jake forced a smile and continued, "I believe they are discussing secret female things, and it would be best not to disturb them. Tanhi will be back soon, I am sure."

A soft rustling of steps caused Kyle to look towards the entrance where Mal'ek was about to exit. He had not spoken at all and he stopped when Kyle called out to him, his expression wary as he turned back to face the wounded man.

Kyle frowned as he struggled to form his words in Na'vi. _"I owe you an apology, Teacher, for my disobedience."_

Mal'ek traded a perplexed look with Jake, who had regained his feet, before answering. _"What is it that you have done wrong, my son?"_

The familial reference was not lost on Kyle, who had to blink a few times to recenter his thoughts. _"I took up a weapon of the People without your permission,"_ he explained.

Mal'ek's tail twitched slightly, the only outward sign of the amusement he felt at Kyle's words. _"I see,"_ he replied in an authoritative voice. _"Upon my return from the hunt I was going to inform you that you have progressed admirably in your hunter's training, and that you are to begin your formal instruction with the bow and arrow. The spear as well. Your disobedience is thus of little consequence, though I will discuss it with you later when you are...better."_

Kyle's lips turned up in a faint grin and he nodded in agreement. "Irayo, Mal'ek," he said.


	20. Chapter 20

**Okay, this was longer in coming than I had hoped. I got to stand up in my roommate's wedding this weekend, so my time was pleasantly preoccupied with other things. And now that my rent just effectively doubled, I'm probably moving next weekend, so I'm not sure how soon Chapter 21 will make it out. It is, of course, a burden I bear gladly for the ones I love! :-)**

**Perhaps you noticed the I upped the rating to "M." After pondering the advice of a good friend I decided to do this in order to play it safe. I'm not anticipating my writing style to change at all, but I want the freedom to maneuver as the story progresses. I sincerely hope no one is offended by this, as that was certainly not my goal!**

**Well, moving on...**

Chapter 20

_"It is time, Kyle,"_ Moat informed him as she slipped into the alcove early one morning.

Kyle's eyes, bright and eager and only slightly crazed from the three days spent confined to the singers' alcove, lying on his belly, instantly grew hopeful at this announcement. "I may get up now, Tsahìk?" he asked excitedly.

Jake and Tsaro entered the alcove as well, both grinning broadly. _"He might have disobeyed you if you kept him here any longer, Mother,"_ Jake said with a smile.

Kyle colored slightly at this, his silence serving as more than enough confirmation. As a matter of fact he had been considering jumping the gun, so to speak. Moat simply offered a cryptic smile. _"I knew this already, Olo'eyktan,"_ she said primly. Moat would never admit it, but as Kyle's slightly guilty expression confirmed Jake's statement she felt a small rush of pride. With age does come wisdom, after all. Moat knelt beside Kyle and examined his back with a critical eye. The hardened plant resin completely covered Kyle's wounds, but the blue skin that was visible just around the dressing was completely normal and healthy looking. Toktor Huxley's stitches were holding up perfectly and there was no sign of infection anywhere, thankfully. _"How much pain are you still feeling?"_

Kyle shrugged and hunched his back experimentally which caused the skin and muscles in his upper back and shoulders to bunch together. He frowned slightly but made no objectionable noises. "It still hurts, but it is certainly bearable."

Kyle gingerly positioned himself on all fours, rocking back on his haunches as Jake and Tsaro quickly stepped to either side of him. With mumbled thanks Kyle accepted their assistance as they gently helped him to his feet. Alright, maybe the pain was just barely bearable; Kyle hissed lowly through clenched teeth as his skin pulled and stretched in ways that it had not needed to for the past several days. The discomfort reminded Kyle of a really bad sunburn, actually.

_"Can you stand?"_ Tsaro asked carefully; he and Jake had yet to release their grip on Kyle's arms. Kyle's tail was still thrashing a little more than normal as he tried to balance himself on his unsteady legs.

"Yeah, I got this," Kyle muttered as he took an experimental step forward. The amount of muscles used for such a simple task as standing and walking was amazing - Kyle's lower back was aching from the effort already.

Chuckling softly, Jake reminded him, "You don't have to rush anything, you know."

Kyle growled as he tried taking a few steps. "Jake, if you keep me stuck in this room one minute longer I will fly into a murderous rage, I swear. I want out!"

"Wouldn't want that to happen," Jake said with a roll of his eyes as he let go of Kyle. _"Turn him loose, Tsaro, before he changes into a crazy nantang."_

Tsaro smiled slightly at that amusing mental image. Kyle placed his hands on his back, just above his tail, and twisted back and forth gently. "I have been still for too long. It does not hurt so much now, though." Kyle turned to Moat, who had been watching him attentively. _"I owe you thanks, Tsahìk,"_ Kyle said formally as he inclined his head with respect towards the matriarch. He took great care to form his words and diction appropriately.

Moat offered him a fond smile in return. _"Child, you owe me no such thing. The Omaticaya thank you, Kylefischer, for your bravery."_ She traded a knowing look with Jake. _"The People will sing about your actions for many generations onwards so that we may not forget the greatness of your deeds."_

Kyle blushed at this. "I...er...I'd rather not be famous," he mumbled.

Tsaro chuckled at Kyle's suddenly embarrassed expression. In English he laughed, "Then you should have let the palulukan eat me! Then I would have been the one that the People sing about as hero!"

He was able to grimace out a smile despite a fresh rush of pain that hit as Kyle continued to stretch himself out. "I will remember that for next time, brother," he said as he gave Tsaro an exasperated look.

Jake laughed softly as well. At first he was going to say something about this morbid train of thought, but the grins on both young men's faces told him that they were only joking, and this was a good sign indeed. Moat sighed as well, her thoughts quite similar to Jake's. _"Eywa willing we will not have to test your convictions on the matter again,"_ she told them dryly.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Jake said as he withdrew a wrapped object from a carry net. Kyle gave him a curious look as he accepted the bundle. "This belongs to you," Jake told him.

Kyle unwrapped the bundle, his eyebrows rising in surprise. It was his avatar knife, freshly cleaned and looking shiny and new...except for the fact that the tip had been broken off. Kyle felt the sheath that was still strapped to his hip, only just now realizing that it had been empty this entire time. "Wow, I don't even remember losing this," he murmured as his brow furrowed in thought. Kyle ran his finger over the broken tip, which was very sharp - the knife was still quite useful. "How did this happen?"

"You hit the sucker so hard that you lodged the blade up between his teeth and jaw. It broke when I pulled it out. Sorry..." Jake self consciously scratched the back of his head as he admitted this.

"No, it's okay," Kyle said honestly as he finally looked up at Jake. His eyes were wide with awe as he said sincerely, "Thank you for returning it." Kyle considered asking Jake what had happened with the dead animal, but at the last second decided not to. If it was anything concerning him, he would find out well enough.

Jake switched back to Na'vi. Kyle could understand Na'vi better than he could yet speak it. _"You are welcome, Kyle. You should get out and stretch your legs, get used to being back on your feet again. You can, and should, take it easy, but there is plenty that I must do for the hunt celebration tonight."_

"I thought the feast was supposed to happen right after the hunters returned?" Kyle asked, his head cocked curiously.

Tsaro snorted as he gave Kyle a serious look. _"The clan was waiting until you were better. We did not know whether to prepare songs of celebration or songs of mourning."_

Kyle's eyes flew wide at this revelation - in all honesty it had yet to fully dawn upon Kyle how close he actually came to dying. He looked at Jake, and the Olo'eyktan confirmed Tsaro's words with a faint smile. _"It is good to have you back with us, Kyle,"_ he said.

* * *

The celebration had kicked off as soon as it became dark enough to light a massive bonfire. For the most part Kyle stayed well back, not yet comfortable enough to feel like he could fully mingle with the rest of the Omaticaya. He was glad that the uproar of his resurgence had been generally dealt with earlier in the day. In truth, there was one person in particular he wished he could share this event with, but unfortunately she was conspicuous in her absence.

Kyle had not seen Tanhi at all during the time he spent cooped up recovering, and each time he would ask Tsaro or Jake about it they would resolutely dodge the question. There had been a few times when Kyle could have sworn he caught Tanhi's scent, but if he called out for her, though, the smell would fade. Kyle had the distinct suspicion that she was hiding just out of sight; eventually he chose to remain silent whenever he thought she was near. If her smell was all she could give him right now, then he would accept the gift gladly.

Speaking of smells... It soon became apparent to Kyle that more than just innocent firewood was being used on that bonfire; something had been tossed onto the flames that was giving off a wonderfully sweet, almost intoxicating scent, and whatever it was caused Kyle's skin to tingle pleasantly and his blood to quicken in his veins every time the smoke would wash over him. Kyle found himself edging closer, just a little bit at a time, if only to sample again that amazing smell.

Massive sets of drums in exotic configurations had been set up as well. Some were made of stretched animal skins and others were even constructed from the armored plating of talioang. At first Kyle's human mind was, well, perplexed to say the least, by the apparent lack of skill of the players. Especially when they started off there was no coordination, no real rhythm. It seemed that each drummer would launch off on his own without any thought to synchrony with the others, and overall it seemed like a royal mess of noise.

But in an instant, everything changed - at some unspoken and unknown signal all the varying drum beats merged into a single unified performance, each musician playing in perfect time with their counterparts. The change happened so abruptly that Kyle actually froze, his ears swiveling curiously as he listened in rapt amazement. The music was alien and primeval, all at the same time; but above all, it was shockingly beautiful.

The sound of the drums, combined with that damned wonderful incense, was causing Kyle to begin to sway to the beat of the music almost without conscious thought. Kyle had never thought of himself as a very good dancer...but he was quite ready to reconsider that assessment by this point. It did not seem like anything official had started yet, but there were more than a few couples who had already started to dance around the fire. Kyle did not want to dance with just anyone, though...

Someone shouted out Kyle's name, and he turned to see Norm approaching with Tsaro following close behind. His cousin, along with several other avatar drivers, were in attendance as well, their locations marked by random flashes of human clothing amidst the sea of blue bodies. The sounds of merriment and laughter, however, were universal among all who were present.

Over Norm's shoulder Kyle caught a glimpse of Amber mingling with Jake, Neytiri, and Mal'ek, and he offered her a wave, purposely spreading his hand in five-fingered solidarity. She acknowledged him with a laugh and a nod of the head. She looked like she was doing well, Kyle thought. Really well, in fact, and Kyle was quite happy for her. Kyle realized he did not have the whole story on her life, but he knew for sure that she was a woman who definitely needed to smile and laugh more.

"It's something, isn't it?" Norm asked in an unusually gushy tone of voice when he drew up beside his cousin. He was holding two bowls of some hitherto unknown drink, but Kyle could put forth a decent guess as to what they contained.

"Indulging, are we?" Kyle asked with a wry smile. Behind him, Tsaro rolled his eyes in agreement.

Norm nodded emphatically as he handed Kyle one of the bowls and said firmly, "Yes, and so are you."

"Are you enjoying yourself yet, Kyle?" Tsaro asked with a chuckle.

Kyle motioned around him and inclined his head as he listened to the music. "Oh, I think I'm getting there, don't worry!" he said as he accepted Norm's offered drink.

Norm began to take another drink but stopped as Kyle placed a hand on his wrist, his expression curious. Kyle's golden eyes glinted with reflected firelight as he held his own bowl up. "On three?" he challenged as he raised a single eyebrow.

Norm bared his fangs and nodded. "You're on, cousin." If Kyle had noticed Tsaro's smirk, he chose to ignore it. Kyle would be in for a surprise, Tsaro knew, on a few different levels.

Kyle and Norm held their bowls up to their lips while Kyle intoned, "'Aw, mune...pxey!" At the third count they both tipped their heads back and began chugging the bowls' contents. A few other Omaticaya close enough to observe what was going on traded knowing looks even as they whooped and hollered encouragement. Even Tsaro shouted for Kyle to pick up the pace!

Kyle's adam's apple bobbed furiously as he inhaled his drink and his closed eyes were beginning to water from the intensity of the burn - this was much, much stronger stuff than whatever he had sampled during that first night with the Omaticaya. Despite his best efforts at neatness a decent amount of the liquor managed to escape from the corners of his mouth. Some sane part of his brain was shaking its head in wonder at him, but by this point Kyle was committed and damned if he would let Norm beat him at his first drinking game.

With a whoop Kyle finished his bowl, jumping back and whirling in a complete circle, his tail transcribing an arc through the air around him as he did so. Ouch! Okay, maybe that was a bit too exuberant, Kyle thought as he rubbed at his slightly pulled stitches. He was about to give Norm a gloating stare but stopped when he noticed his cousin's superior expression...and empty bowl. Tsaro and the rest observing clapped and laughed at Kyle's perplexed look. "I finished a full second and a half before you did, cousin," Norm informed him smugly.

"No way!" Kyle shot back incredulously. He looked to those around him for confirmation and was quite dismayed by the amused agreement he saw on their faces.

Norm grinned, his ears lowered with good natured aggression as he said, "Yes way. Care for a rematch, taronyutsyìp?" This was greeted with more friendly yelling and jibing by their audience.

Kyle looked like he was about to accept, but a large form swiftly interposed itself between them. "Not so fast!" a deep voice warned. "I will send Dr. Huxley and Moat after you if you're not careful," Jake informed Kyle with a friendly grin, quite pleased with the way that Kyle's ears lowered at the idea. "And you," Jake said with a firm tap on Norm's chest, "I want you sober for our own contest later!"

Norm offered Jake an exaggerated bow. "Srane, Olo'eyktan," he laughed.

"Good," Jake replied, his teeth flashing as he smiled. The chieftain motioned his farewell as he flowed through the crowd towards its center. Jake cut an impressive figure indeed - he had donned the full Olo'eyktan garb for this event, including the ornate chest piece and head dress. Jake was already a large and intimidating man, and the extra ornamentation only added to the impression.

In a humorous change from his normally droll self, Tsaro perked up as he watched Jake depart. He took hold of Kyle and Norm's arms and began to drag them both forward, saying, "Come! They are about to start the hunt dance!"

His suspicion was confirmed when Jake's unique whistle cut through the air, gaining everyone's attention. Jake stalked around the rapidly clearing area before the fire, his tail twitching behind him with anticipation as he watched all that went on around him. He held his arms out wide as he gazed with pride at his clan while the drumming and music grew slightly quieter as he began to speak in a deep, booming voice. _"Eywa has blessed us greatly! Whom here could offer any disagreement?"_ This announcement was met with more cheering and yelling, and Jake smiled despite himself as he tried to motion for a little more quiet.

Neytiri emerged from the crowd and began to walk over to Jake. Perhaps 'slink' would be a better descriptor, because there was no denying the sensual way that the beautiful huntress moved towards her mate. They joined hands and Neytiri rose up to plant a loving kiss on Jake's cheek. _"But hunters are a humble lot. Who shall tell us the story of their deeds?"_ Her voice carried like Jake's for all to hear, but her twinkling eyes never left her mate's as she spoke. A gentle murmur of amusement greeted her words - there had been plenty of slightly inflated tales already told by the returning not-so-humble hunters.

Jake and Neytiri quickly exited the central area, still holding hands like young star crossed lovers. At the same time the music kicked back up and the clan's children, all wearing ornate costumes depicting talioang, ikran, and pa'li, jumped and tumbled into the proverbial spotlight. Kyle watched in rapt fascination as the children depicted the hunt through dance; the kids dressed as pa'li and ikran spinning and twirling around the talioang. As the various prey animals were felled, the hunters would dance a merry jig around the body before continuing the chase again.

Some of the talioang would attempt to the flee the circle, but the adults around the edge would simply laugh and gently redirect the actors back into the middle. Despite Norm's impressive affinity for fermented drink, he was still quite sober and leaned over to speak to Kyle "The dance does more than just retell the hunt," he explained as he motioned before them. "Even in this celebration, the kids are demonstrating real life tactics of how to separate various animals from the herd."

Thinking that an avatar might be more of a softy than one of the Omaticaya, a talioang tried making a go at freedom by darting between Norm's legs, but with a soft chuckle the scientist quickly knelt and carefully pushed the youngling back out into the dance. It would seem that even the spectators were participants in the performance after all. Kyle caught a brief giggle and a flashing smile as the youngster dashed back into the fray.

Kyle's gaze narrowed as he watched with renewed perspective. It was just as Norm said - before his very eyes Kyle could watch as the children portraying the hunters somehow wordlessly selected a target. Once the herd realized who was "it" they would do their best to protect the mark, but the ikran and pa'li were always able to take down their goal.

It appeared that the hunt was just about to wind down when the instruments suddenly took on a very different tone. The music became darker, more sinister. An ungodly howl that made Kyle cringe went up and a new actor suddenly darted into the circle, scattering all of the remaining younglings until only he remained. This child was dressed in black with exaggerated claws on his hands, and bones and other ornaments clinked ominously as the dancer spun on all fours on the ground. Every now and then he would approach the audience and this time the adults would shrink away in exaggerated fear.

Kyle realized with a chill what this part of the story portrayed, for the child dancer could be nothing else other than a palulukan. A pair of hands gently rested on his shoulders, taking care to avoid the still tender triplicate wounds on his back, and gently pushed him forward. He heard Tsaro whisper in his ear, _"When he approaches you, do not move. Do not recoil, brother."_

Then at some premeditated sign that Kyle really wished he had been privy to Tsaro, Norm, and everyone else who had been standing around him took several steps back, leaving Kyle suddenly exposed within the circle. His tail lowered to rest around his ankles and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet; he could not help but swallow nervously at this sudden change in circumstances.

The palulukan had just finished terrorizing a few Na'vi on the other side of the circle when it suddenly whirled to face Kyle. Kyle's golden eyes widened in surprise as the actor bolted across the clearing, heading straight for him. The music was rising to a fevered pitch, and as strange as it sounded it was all Kyle could do to stay true to Tsaro's instructions and remain still.

The palulukan actor came to a skidding halt before Kyle, hissing and spitting menacingly. All of a sudden the music cut out and an unnatural stillness settled down over everything. In the surreal silence Kyle could only stare at the apparition before him, chewing his lower lip nervously as his ears slowly folded back in mild embarrassment. He could not recognize the child underneath the costume, but he was a damn good actor.

"Ayya!" someone shouted. Kyle's head jerked up and the palulukan whipped around, both seeming to be equally surprised by the sudden noise. Kel'rey was crouching out in the open on the other side of the stage, dressed as he usual was, his little ears lowered with fury.

Then, to Kyle's utter amazement, Kel'rey (or more appropriately, Kyle himself) and the palulukan charged one another. When they met in the middle of the stage they began to circle, making stylized feints at one another every now and then whenever a particularly harsh drumbeat would ring out. Suddenly the palulukan lunged without warning; it pounced on Kel'rey and the two children tumbled and rolled across the earth, snarling in mock rage at one another until Kel'rey finally wound up on top, and with a staged blow across the head the palulukan finally went still. It hadn't exactly turned out that way, Kyle thought wryly, but it was pretty darn close.

In that next moment, when it seemed that the entire clan was cheering the performance and all that it represented, Kyle was struck by the strangeness of it all. How had it come to this? That he, Kyle Fischer, glorified RDA shuttle jockey, was literally being celebrated in song and dance by an alien culture that had graciously adopted him as one of their own. He suddenly felt distinctly...undeserving.

Now that the performance was over Kel'rey quickly helped the palulukan actor to his feet. As the child removed the ornate mask Kyle was surprised to see that it was actually a girl who had played the part. She looked over at Kyle and gave a laugh at his surprised expression, and with a friendly smile and a wave she darted over to her parents who were standing nearby.

Kel'rey bolted over to Kyle, who smiled broadly and crouched down to better intercept the youngster. "Did you see me?" Kel'rey asked. He was fairly beaming with pride. "Was I good? I WAS good! I was very fierce! And brave, just like you!"

Kyle laughed too as he caught Kel'rey in his arms. He had the presence of mind to hold the child at arm's length (watch the stitches!), but he still ended up falling back on his rear. The shock of the impact irritated his lower back and made him wince, and he was glad that Kel'rey did not notice. "Yeah, you were great! Very, very brave, Kel'rey." With a mischievous grin Kyle teased, "But I bet it was pretty easy getting to fight a cute girl like that, eh?"

Kel'rey suddenly froze as a disgusted look came over his face. "Who, Lrrtok? She not cute! She is my tsmuke!"

Kyle blinked twice, surprised by this revelation as he was, before he threw his head back and howled with laughter. Kel'rey was clearly not amused and his sour expression only made Kyle laugh harder. Wiping tears from his eyes, Kyle quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a sister. You were both very good," he said reassuringly. Kyle blushed slightly as a new question occurred to him: "Hey, how did you get to be me?"

Kel'rey's grin spread from ear to pointed ear. "I am your best friend! Of course I got to be you." The way that Kel'rey said it made the fact sound like the most obvious thing in the world, and Kyle felt oddly flattered because of it. "We going rock skipping again soon?" Kel'rey asked.

Grateful for the change of subject, Kyle sighed and answered, "Sure thing, kiddo. I think I might need to get a little better, though..." Kyle held his right arm out and moved it back and forth experimentally. He was very pleased with the range of motion but he strongly suspected that the snapping action needed to properly skip a stone would be a bit painful.

Kel'rey's ears drooped in disappointment and Kyle could not help but laugh and gently pinch one.

"I'll be better before you know it," he encouraged.

Sensing someone approaching, Kyle glanced up and saw that it was Lrrtok with hers and Kel'rey's parents. Kel'rey turned as well and with a joyful shout jumped up into his father's arms and proceeded to scramble, monkey-like, up to perch on his dad's shoulders. As Kyle stood the man gave him a warm smile and greeted him with, "Oel ngati kameie, Kylefischer. Oeru syaw fko Va'ru." Va'ru's brow furrowed in concentration as he said, "I - we...thank. Much." The man frowned, clearly wanting to say more. His English was sorely lacking, but the depth of his gratitude was clear in his eyes and in the way he formally placed his hand over Kyle's heart.

Kyle was simply floored. "I - whoa..." he stuttered as he racked his brain for an appropriate response. "Ke pxan," he finally managed with a shake of his head. _I am not worthy._

Va'ru shook his head emphatically and with a frustrated grunt motioned to his mate. The woman rolled her eyes and smiled before beginning to speak in excellent English. "My mate insists," she said. She placed her hand over her heart and bowed slightly, saying, "I am called Sänume. You are worthy of such praise, Kylefischer. Your actions speak well of the bravery in your heart." Sänume reached up and fondly scratched behind one of Kel'rey's ears, much to his objection. It would seem that boys of any species do not like to be coddled by their mom in front of others. "We are also thankful of your friendship with our 'itan. You have always been kind and respectful to him. He often returns to us with much to tell of whatever new thing you have taught him." Sänume's expression grew strangely awed for a moment. "It is...good to see that not all Tawtute wish to cause us harm. Your presence with us has greatly healed the wound between our two peoples, even if you do not know it."

Va'ru spoke in rapid Na'vi, and Kyle was only able to catch a part of it. Sänume smiled and rested her hand on her mate's arm as she translated for him. "My muntxatan says he is crafting a gift for you, but it is not yet ready."

Rightly catching that Kyle had missed his first words, Va'ru slowed down so Kyle could understand and said with a fatherly smile, _"And you are not yet ready to receive it, young one."_

Kyle was shocked beyond words and could barely mumble, "Irayo."

Suddenly shy, Kel'rey crouched down behind Va'ru's head until only his mischievous golden eyes were visible and started to say, "Sempu is making a -"

Poor English speaker or not, Va'ru sensed an imminent spilling of the beans and he reached up to thump his son on the head as he scolded him firmly in Na'vi. Kel'rey did not look apologetic in the slightest, though he did remain silent other than a brief giggle. Va'ru gave a parental huff of irritation and rolled his eyes.

Kyle finally found his tongue. "I...really don't know what to say. I feel like I should be thanking you. I..." He trailed off as he struggled to convey what was on his heart. Truth be told, Kyle felt like he was indebted to the Omaticaya for simply providing him with the chance to have a life.

Sänume gave Kyle a perceptive sideways glance. "I have not heard the song of your life, Kylefischer, but I have noticed how your countenance has changed for the better while you have been living among us. If this gift of a home is what has brought about this change in your spirit, then I say 'you are welcome.'" Sänume cast an amused glance at all the goings ons around them and said, "Perhaps when it is...more quiet...we might share in more conversation."

Kel'rey popped up from behind Va'ru's head and agreed with an enthusiastic, "Yeah!"

Kyle nodded in agreement and said slowly, _"It would be good to speak the People's language with those of greater skill than I."_

Sänume chuckled softly. "Tonight is not that night. The younglings have had their play," she said as she rubbed her daughter's hair. "And it is time for the elders to retire. This night belongs to you," she said with a warm, knowing smile.

Kel'rey and his family bid Kyle a good night, and even Lrrtok, who had remained silent during the entire conversation, cast a shy "Txon lefpom" over her shoulder as her family left for the more peaceful upper branches of Kelutral.

Kyle watched the family depart and was quietly amused at the dynamics that he observed. Contrary to his parents' desires, Kel'rey thought that this would be an appropriate time to try to chase Lrrtok around their parents' legs, as though getting to publicly trounce his sister in front of the entire clan were not enough. Sänume and Va'ru simply watched with that endless supply of patience that only a mother and father could possess, ready to step in if things got too out of hand. Va'ru had his arm around his mate's waist and their tails were lovingly entwined behind them. Suddenly Kyle was struck with a seemingly random pang of longing for the family that he no longer had; the gulf that opened up in his heart caught him completely by surprise, for Kyle had already had six long years to push through that particular hurt. Or so he thought.

"I miss mine, too," his cousin's voice said - apparently Kyle's face had not been as passive as he had thought. Norm had suddenly appeared by his side. "You'll probably never outgrow that, Kyle. And I don't say that to curse you in the slightest. It's just...it's just the way those things work." Kyle nodded wordlessly. Norm held up yet another liquor bowl and asked somewhat sheepishly, "Drink?"

Kyle laughed and accepted with the disclaimer, "Sure, but I intend to enjoy this one at my own pace, just so you know. I'm still trying to heal my pride."

With a wry chuckle Norm readily agreed. He tilted his head in thought for a moment before raising his bowl slightly and saying, "To families gone... And to families gained."

Kyle sighed and allowed his eyes to drift closed for a moment. "To families gained," he whispered as he gently thunked his container with Norm's.

After a moment Norm slammed down the remaining contents of his bowl and declared, "Alright, it's high time we enjoyed ourselves!"

Kyle snorted. "Since when did you become a party animal?"

Norm gave Kyle a superior stare. "I'll have you realize that feasts and celebrations are an integral part of Na'vi culture. I have done extensive anthropological study on the topic, you know. Much of my knowledge has been gained from rigorous hands-on experience." Norm heaved an exaggerated sigh. "It is a heavy burden, but one I bear gladly."

Kyle gave his cousin a blank stare. "You can't be serious," he deadpanned. The throbbing music seemed to exist in opposition to Kyle's comment, however. As if in direct response to Norm's statement a new beat filled the air, and Kyle was surprised to realize that a few Omaticaya were actually beginning to drum upon the wood of Hometree itself; they were making use of hollowed channels within some of the tree's limbs that Kyle did not even know where there. The effect was positively stunning, and Kyle desperately wanted to move his body in response to the rhythm; the eager twitching of his tail served to undermine his stuttered objections about his still injured condition.

Norm offered an almost feral grin. "See what I mean?"

Tsaro was drawing near, along with Kyuna and Sorewn. "Come dance with us, Kylefischer!" Kyuna declared. "It is not right that you should be alone this night," she said in a slightly husky voice; the longing in her words was barely covered up.

Kyle and Tsaro traded a look. Norm was right beside him, but Kyle strongly suspected that the "alone" Kyuna was referring to had nothing to do with his cousin's company. In a shining example of nonverbal male communication Tsaro suddenly stepped up and gently took Kyuna's hand. "I will dance with you Kyuna," he told her. He cast Kyle an almost disdainful look and said, "I fear Kylefischer would be unable to...keep pace with you. In his current condition."

Kyuna looked unreasonably disappointed but did not object further as Tsaro somewhat abruptly lead her into the growing fray around the fire. Norm leaned over and whispered in his ear, "You owe him. Big time."

Kyle could only nod, dumbfounded as he was. Sorewn, having seen and understood it all, simply laughed at Kyle's relieved expression. She took Kyle's hand and tugged once in the direction of the dance. "My sister is right, though. You should not celebrate alone in this time." Sorewn gave him a conspiratorial look and said, "I will do my best to keep you safe from marauding females." She blinked innocently and added, "Other marauding females."

Norm sniggered as he observed Kyle's tanhi brighten at Sorewn's words. "I don't, um, know if that would be a good idea..." Kyle hedged, his ears lowering slightly.

Sorewn smiled at him reassuringly, for she understood the reason for Kyle's objections. "I promised Tanhi that I would look after you. I know where your heart is on the matter." Sorewn blushed slightly herself as she admitted, "I cannot say that I would not enjoy our time, but this I do for both of you, first."

Norm took pity on his cousin's predicament and encouraged him by gently pushing him one more step away. "Go! It is expected for you to be here, because like it or not you played a big part in making this a joyful time. It would be understandable, though, if you were to...tire early, so to speak."

Kyle relented. "Fine...I have no idea what I'm doing, though," he grumbled.

"Your body will know how to move. Trust it, and trust me! Come!" Sorewn said with a joyful laugh.

* * *

An indeterminate amount of time later Kyle finally staggered out of the party. He did not have to fake being worn out at all, as his ongoing recovery left him much weaker than he would ever care to admit. Sorewn had been right, though; Kyle's body almost instinctively knew how to move, and he found himself sorely wishing for more energy to continue...and for a partner to truly express himself with. Sorewn was not Tanhi, and both of them knew it. Even so, it had been an incredibly fun time for him, for both of them in fact. Sorewn had been the near perfect partner; she knew just how to move in time with him and somehow she never managed to make Kyle feel like a fool for his inexperience and often hampered motions. Her behavior struck Kyle as being unreasonably gracious to both Tanhi and him; they received more than a few slightly envious looks, and Kyle realized he owed Sorewn as much gratitude as he did to Tsaro for his previous interception.

Tired though he was, Kyle realized with a small chuckle that sleep would most likely be long in coming for him. He was still unable to rest properly in a hammock, and it was not exactly quiet by his alcove on the ground level.

Kyle was mildly surprised to see Mal'ek, alone, leaning up against one of Kelutral's massive columns. His arms were folded across his chest and his eyes were closed as though resting; Kyle knew enough about the warrior to know this was most likely not the case. Emboldened mostly by a healthy intake of alcohol, Kyle decided to risk a conversation with Tanhi's father.

"Mal'ek, do you know... Do you know where I might find Tanhi at?" he asked hesitantly. Thankfully he hardly slurred any of his words.

At first Mal'ek did not answer, though a subtle twitch of his ears indicated that he had heard Kyle's inquiry. Kyle was about to retreat, tail between his legs, when Mal'ek's eyes slowly slid open and pinned him with a firm gaze. "My 'ite is past the age where I must always know of where she is," he responded in an unreadable tone.

Kyle gulped. "Right," he muttered. "If you see her before I, could you..." He trailed off and shook his head as the awkwardness of asking Tanhi's father to pass along a message for him finally dawned on his liquor addled mind. I must be really out of it, he thought. "Never mind. Ngaytxoa. I am sorry to disturb you," he said as he turned to leave.

"You have not seen Tanhi since before the hunt," Mal'ek stated, freezing Kyle in place.

Remembering the faint hints of her presence, Kyle decided it would be best to respond to the direct question only. "I only saw her for a quick moment. It was right before... Before I finally passed out, I guess." Kyle shuddered slightly at the memory of the time frame immediately after the attack.

Mal'ek nodded as he pondered Kyle's response. After a spell he asked, "Tell me, Kylefischer. Did you think of my daughter while you waited for Eywa to decide whether or not to welcome you into her embrace?"

Kyle's breath hissed in through his teeth, and he suddenly felt quite sober. "Yes," he whispered. Nearly every waking moment...and a good portion of the unconscious ones as well.

Mal'ek nodded slowly. "I think of my mate often," he admitted in a low voice. "I have not walked a...a safe path in my life. My mate understood this. She knew that I might pass on before my time." Mal'ek snorted and actually winced; it was a rare display of vulnerability from such an intimidating man. "I would never have thought that it would be her that Eywa called to first," he whispered.

There was no adequate response that Kyle could think up; he could only bow his head slightly as he listened, the tip of his tail twitching with subconscious agitation.

Mal'ek suddenly locked eyes with Kyle. He reached out and placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder, chuckling softly as he felt the younger man flinch. This time the gesture was meant to comfort rather than intimidate. "My 'ite has been twice wounded in this way. She will expect you to do what no man can, to defy death itself for her." Mal'ek actually grinned a fierce grin, baring his sharp canines as he gave Kyle's shoulder a brief squeeze - this time without digging into the pressure point. "You have performed admirably thus far. But before she can fully give herself to you, Tanhi must move beyond this. Kame?"

Kyle nodded and swallowed nervously. "Tslolam," he whispered. _I understand._ Kyle correctly sensed that the conversation was finished and after bidding Mal'ek farewell he began to make his way towards one of Kelutral's spirals, hoping to find a quiet place to rest among the upper branches.

"'Itan," Mal'ek said, drawing Kyle up short. Kyle momentarily froze a second time, surprised by the means in which he had been addressed, before he turned back to give Mal'ek a questioning look. _"Tanhi is by the river."_

_

* * *

_

At some unknown point in the night (Norm had purposely forgotten the time) his link unit ejected, the lid opening with a soft beeping. Norm flipped up the neural frame but did not rise immediately - he continued to rest on the comfortable gel bed as he rubbed his face whilst deep in thought. Did all of that seriously just happen? The sudden change in environment - Hometree versus the startling quiet Hell's Gate link room - was jarring. Almost as jarring as going from being drunk to stone cold sober in a split second. Oh yes, it had most definitely been a struggle to get his avatar up into a hammock without falling straight out of the tree and breaking his fool neck.

"Norm, you okay?" he heard Max ask from somewhere out of sight.

"Yeah, just give me a minute," he groaned.

Norm could hear the smile on Max's face. "Rough party?"

Norm laughed, and he was surprised that it was not a sarcastic laugh. "The worst kind," he said with a chuckle. Norm's ears twitched (or at least, he felt like they should have) as the sound of another link unit winding down registered with him. Crap. Here she comes. Maybe it wouldn't be her, Norm thought. Maybe it was one of the other drivers returning home.

The sound of Amber's polite thanks to Max as he courteously helped her to her feet confirmed the futility of Norm's hope. "Spellman?" her voice called out. Of course, the open link unit was a blatantly obvious sign that he was back in his own human form as well.

Shit. With a groan, Norm heaved himself out of the link as he tried to straighten out his facial expression. He rested his arm against the still open lid for support as he turned to face her and said with forced ease, "Yes, Dr. Ferris?"

Amber was gazing intently at him, her head cocked slightly to the side. The position caused her blond hair to cascade around her right shoulder. Her blue eyes regarded him coolly, and one delicate eyebrow was raised in question. Even at o-dark-thirty in the evening she presented a gorgeous figure.

Norm could not help but sigh as he remembered the feeling of Amber's smooth avatar lips against his, of her devilishly skilled tongue. Where had the woman learned how to kiss? Had that entire event been her and him? Or had it only been the berry liquor? Norm's heart quickened and he knew he was blushing, much to his chagrin. Both of them were quite sober now, and the memories of how...intimate things had gotten in that dark little alcove came rushing back and Norm actually groaned out loud. Now he was blushing more from shame than arousal. He suddenly felt...cheap.

Amber's newly detoxified brain was in as similar a state of confusion as Norm's. She observed the way his eyes widened slightly when he finally mustered up the courage to look at her. His eyes quickly dropped to the floor, however, when he took note of her own intense gaze. Now that she herself was no longer as inebriated as he had been Amber was stunned by the conflicting desires within her. She desperately wanted Norm to invite her over to his room, to spend a little more time with him this evening. In counterpoint, she also wanted to close the distance between them and slap him across the face. Damnit all, she could not remember who had moved first for the life of her.

Max, for his part, glanced back and forth between his colleagues' faces as he tried to figure out what the heck was going on. There was most definitely a conversation happening here, albeit one without words. "Um, did I miss something?" he asked nervously.

Norm blinked rapidly as he snapped out of his self-reflection. "Wow, what a night," he said as he looked up at Max and smiled. "Thanks for staying up to mind the links," he said with sincerity as he desperately grasped about for a change of subject.

"Yes, thank you," Amber said softly. She was still staring hard at Norm.

Norm finally checked his watch. "Damn, time flies when you're having fun," he said. Then he winced. Excellent choice of words! Pure genius, Norm. Fucking Einstein. Norm glanced towards the door and was dismayed to note that he would have to walk right past Amber on his way out. "I need to get some sleep," he said in a casual tone as he began to make his way towards the exit.

Amber and Max graciously stepped aside to allow him passage between them. "Goodnight, Max," he said. As Norm breathed in he was surprised to find that even in this body he could faintly smell Amber. He paused his steps as he bowed his head in thought. "Goodnight, Dr. Ferris," he said softly.

A heartbeat or two passed before the curt response came. "Goodnight, Dr. Spellman," Amber murmured.

* * *

The sounds of the celebration were only faintly upon Kyle's hearing as he moved stealthily through the bioluminescent forest along the banks of the river. Oh, how I've missed this! Kyle's tiredness melted away as he called upon the considerable tracking skills that he had gained in the recent weeks. He loved the way the forest spoke to him, the way it surrendered its secrets to those who knew how to ask. In truth, being outside like this in the natural was one of the things that had most brought him to life ever since he had begun living at Kelutral. Kyle was readily picking up signs of someone's passage, though it had been long enough ago that he could not easily tell who specifically had trodden here.

Kyle's ears perked forward as he heard someone on the bank up ahead. His heartbeat subtly quickened when he finally caught sight of Tanhi, who was facing away from him and unaware of his presence. He watched her throw a small rock out into the river; if she was trying to skip stones it was impossible to tell, for her technique was sorely lacking. Apparently she was trying, though, because as soon as the pebble sank into the water she stamped her foot in frustration. "Wiya!" she cursed as she knelt and selected additional ammunition.

It was almost automatic for Kyle to check again which way the soft breeze was blowing; he smiled as he confirmed that he was indeed downwind of his quarry. Not that it mattered - Tanhi appeared so distracted that an 'angtsìk could have probably snuck up on her.

With a frustrated growl Tanhi drew her arm back to throw again, and she jumped as several things happened simultaneously: Her tail, spastically twitching with angst and frustration, brushed against someone's leg. Her extended hand was gently grasped by the mysterious someone, and she felt said someone's warm breath gently caress the side of her neck.

"You're not doing it right," Kyle whispered in her ear as he tenderly took hold of her outstretched hand.

Tanhi gasped and made to turn around, but Kyle's other hand was suddenly resting firmly against her hip, keeping her in place. "Hold it like this," he murmured in a husky voice.

Tanhi reflexively looked over to watch as Kyle carefully manipulated the flattened stone that she had been tightly clenching within her fist.

"Fingers go here. And here, on the edge. You will have to spin it, flick it with your wrist when you release." Once satisfied with her form he slowly drew her arm back, positioning it lower than she had thought to try, before his hand released hers; Tanhi shivered at the sudden lack of contact, only to blush once more when she felt him grip her waist with both hands, his touch confident and possessive. "Now throw. Remember, flick the wrist."

Tanhi snapped her arm forward; she moved as though she were dreaming, for she had ceased thinking about anything remotely resembling skipping rocks by this point. The stone flew through the air and hit once, shimmering ripples of light marking its impact upon the water's surface. It whizzed back upwards before coming down a second time; the rock ricocheted up again, then skipped a third, fourth, fifth, sixth...a dozen... Tanhi lost count as eventually the skips all merged together and the rock simply skimmed across the river as though it had magically gained the ability to float.

Kyle chuckled, his amusement a pleasant rumble that came from somewhere deep within him, and its sound caused Tanhi's heart to do a little flip in her chest. His hands fell away from her hips and Tanhi finally turned to look at him with wide eyes. "You are difficult to find," he told her. Kyle's expression was warm and open with no trace of the disappointment or anger that she feared would be present.

Tanhi squeaked and threw her arms around his neck, almost leaping up into his arms as she did so. Kyle managed to contain his pained hiss, though he could not avoid an understated "Ow," as she jostled him.

Tanhi instantly regretted her actions, though contrary to the discomfort she had just inflicted upon him he wrapped his own arms around her and refused to let go even when she tried to pull away again. "I am sorry!" she said, and continued to apologize even as Kyle finally managed a little laugh.

"It's okay, it's okay," he soothed as he leaned back slightly to better see her. "The greeting was worth it, but we might have to be a little more gentle next time," he said. Kyle's brow furrowed in thought, and Tanhi's breath hitched as she tensed, afraid for what he might say. "I...I've missed you, Tanhi. I haven't seen you in almost a week."

Tanhi moaned and hid her face in the crook of his neck as her hands fisted against his chest. "Oeru txoa livu, Yawne," she said thickly. "Oeru txoa livu," she repeated as a massive sob racked her whole body, making her shake in his arms. There was so much she wanted to say...and that she did not want to say. She did not even know where to begin with it all, but this was the first thing that made its way unbidden from her mouth.

"Shh, shh," Kyle murmured into her hair as he soothingly rubbed her back with one hand; his other gently cradled the base of her neck below her queue. Kyle felt his throat constrict slightly when his brain fully translated what Tanhi had said. She had never called him that before, and her use of the word gave him hope to press on. "There is nothing to forgive," he told her gently, honestly.

Tanhi heard the sincerity in his voice and for some reason it made her mad at him for a split second. How could he just say that, dismiss her cowardice as though it was of no consequence? She let out a muffled exclamation and smacked his chest none too gently with her fist. "Yes, there is!" she blurted.

Kyle let out a little growl as he gently held her away from him; he placed a hand under her chin and carefully raised her head so that they could look one another in the eyes. "Fine. Then I forgive you."

Tanhi finally met his gaze. She took in the firmness of his golden eyes, the hard set of his jaw that conveyed that this was all he had to say on the matter. Still, Tanhi waited for him to complete the statement. _I forgive you. If..._

Kyle noticed her pained, expectant expression. His next words got caught up in his brain-mouth filter, and he licked his lips nervously as he considered them before speaking. Nope, no regrets to be found here. None at all. He slowly leaned closer to Tanhi until his forehead rested against hers. "I know it's hard to believe... I would like to show you exactly how I feel on the matter," he whispered. "If you'd have me."

Tanhi's eyes widened imperceptibly. Did he mean...tsaheylu? With him? The thought made her light headed and weak kneed. The only thing that surprised her more than his insinuation was the fact that she agreed with him. Not only that, but the thought of bonding with Kyle in tsaheylu caused her breath to quicken with anticipation.

Kyle closed his eyes and swallowed down a strong rush of emotion. He knew enough about the Omaticaya's customs to fully realize what he was saying. Kyle was also painfully aware of a burning desire to make her his. And no, not just physically. This was so much more. He wanted to know her, to See her, to love her in every way possible. And his heart ached for her to return the feeling. Her absence from him in these last few days was acutely painful, and he never wanted to feel that way again. "I love you, Tanhi te Nera'nak Li'ona'ite." Her name flowed like honey over his tongue, and he felt almost giddy at the rightness he felt in saying it. "I hope I'm not...speaking out of turn... But when I am ready... When I am a man. You are the only woman that I would ever want to ask to be my mate."

There. He had finally said it. His desire was out in the open. Take it...or leave it, Tanhi.

She was momentarily speechless. Tanhi was suddenly quite aware of how closely they were standing. Kyle's hands had slid down her body and were holding her about the waist now, and one of his roughened hands was gently rubbing her back; the weight of his touch was very comforting. Her own hands were still resting against the middle of his chest, and she felt a burst of shame ignite as she realized that she had just hit him. To make up for it she reached up and gently traced along the juncture of his shoulder and neck, and the action caused him to groan softly.

"Even after I ran away? Even though I have loved...another before you?" she asked him carefully. In her mind she had already disqualified herself from his affections a hundred times over.

"Yes," Kyle answered quickly. He spoke with the utmost confidence. After a moment he heaved a sigh of his own; he had not exactly led the most honorable of lives before he had come to Pandora...before he had met Tanhi. He chuckled softly. "I'm not exactly lily white myself," he admitted.

The human phrase was lost on Tanhi and she found herself distracted by it. "You are blue," she reminded him as her fingers moved upwards, following a glowing line of freckles on his neck to tenderly caress his jaw.

Kyle snorted, as he found the sudden change of topic unreasonably amusing. "Never mind," he breathed. As he inhaled again he was almost overwhelmed by her scent, close as she was to him. "Hmm, you smell good," he mumbled.

It was Tanhi's turn to give a slightly incredulous chuckle, and soon both of them were laughing softly as the tension between them melted away. Tanhi pulled back a bit so that she could look at him better. Her other hand came up and began to gently play with the strands of hair that hung around his left ear. His gaze is so steady, so loving, she thought silently. In that moment Tanhi purposed in her heart to choose life, for herself and for Kyle. It was not the easy thing to do...or even the safe thing. But it was good. Oh, it was so good.

One corner of Kyle's mouth turned up in a faint grin as he noticed her heated gaze. Tanhi's fingers tangled deeper into his hair as she drew his face close to hers. "You should work faster, then, if this is your wish," she told him just before she kissed his lips with passionate firmness.

* * *

"You have clearly never held a bow before," Mal'ek said in a tone that bordered on the disdainful. This was Kyle's first lesson with the bow, and so far it was off to a stellar start.

No shit, Sherlock, Kyle thought dryly as he frowned at the foreign object in his hands. "I saw one on TV once, though," he muttered, and he summarily ignored the glare that Mal'ek shot his way. Kyle shifted the bow from his right hand to his left, then back again. He was wearing a leather bracer, or arm guard, on his right forearm and he scratched absently at it, but he still could not tell which hand felt better to hold the weapon with. "Which hand do I hold it in?" he asked hesitantly, and he was incredibly grateful that his voice did not squeak from embarrassment as he addressed Mal'ek.

The warrior gave him an incredulous look. "Use whichever hand feels natural," he growled.

Kyle moved the bow back into his left hand and frowned. "It feels the same," he mumbled.

Mal'ek palmed his forehead and muttered darkly under his breath in Na'vi. Kyle did not bother to ask for a translation. "What is your...your letxina nari?" Mal'ek asked gruffly.

Frowning, Kyle asked, "My what? Oh, 'primary eye.'" Kyle's frown deepened. "I don't know that, either."

"Keltsun," Mal'ek hissed. He stepped closer to Kyle and roughly snatched the bow away. He then took hold of Kyle's right hand and none too gently pulled his arm out until it was held horizontally away from his body. "Hold up one finger," he commanded. "Do you see that Torukspxam there? Good. Cover it with your finger."

Kyle huffed in frustration as he did as he was told. Still holding his hand out at arm's length, he positioned his finger in front of him until it eclipsed the large octoshroom in the distance. "Okay..." he said.

"Keep both eyes open. Now move your finger back to your eye," Mal'ek commanded. "You will hold the bow in the hand opposite of the eye that you indicate."

Kyle complied, and he blinked in surprise when his finger finally landed on his nose. As his face warmed with embarrassment Kyle quickly repeated the test, only to find that the results were the same. He turned to face Mal'ek, his expression contrite as his ears began to slowly lower. Kyle cleared his throat nervously and quickly snatched his hand away when he realized he still had his finger pressed to his nose.

Mal'ek's amber eyes narrowed and the muscles in his jaw trembled beneath his skin as he clenched his teeth. "You have no letxina nari," Mal'ek finally declared after an uncomfortable silence. "With the proper training you will be able to wield the bow with either your right hand or your left. The number of hunters and warriors who can do this is...few. For now, hold the bow in your right hand. It is the way that I am most comfortable."

Kyle solemnly received the weapon back from Mal'ek. He shoved down any remaining ego and said with a sigh, "Alright, we're probably going to have to start from the beginning."

Mal'ek chuckled as he readied his own bow. "It is not difficult. Observe," Mal'ek said as he snapped into motion. His left hand knocked in an arrow and drew the string back towards the side of his face; he brought his bow arm up and aimed at a distant target, all in one smooth move. Mal'ek released the arrow and Kyle watched in amazement as the bolt buried itself in the middle of the furthest target downrange. If the subtly twitching muscles in Mal'ek's arms and shoulders were any indication, the power necessary to pull off such a shot was immense.

"That was an...excellent shot," Kyle said with admiration.

Mal'ek squinted at the target and harumphed. "It could be better. I am a hand's span away from the center."

When he squinted and checked again Kyle could see that Mal'ek's assessment was indeed correct. Kyle would have thought a shot like that from him would have earned a gold medal. Still, Kyle had by now learned the wisdom of carefully picking his disagreements with the clan's second in command, and this was certainly not one of those moments.

The time came for Kyle to try, and Mal'ek was absolutely ruthless in his correction of Kyle's form. Mal'ek made him draw and hold the pose several times, and though Kyle's back and side had healed remarkably well since he had been released from bed rest two weeks ago, the exertion was still a bit painful; Kyle merely gritted his teeth and bore the discomfort in silence. Straighten your back, raise your elbow, stop slouching! The corrections were brutal and seemingly endless, and Kyle felt thoroughly brow beaten when it was all said and done.

Even still, Kyle resolutely endured it all. His frustration surfaced at last, however, when Mal'ek finally instructed him to aim for the closest target. Beginner or not, Kyle was frankly insulted - he could probably throw his arrow by hand and hit the damn thing!

With an irritated growl Kyle rotated a fraction and aimed up slightly. Kyle took in a deep breath and cranked back on the bow as hard as he could, ignoring the way the muscles in his shoulders screamed at him in protest. He yelped as the bowstring smacked his wrist upon the arrow's release, but the shout was more from surprise than actual pain, for the leather bracer had fulfilled its role in protecting its wearer from the string's bite.

Kyle watched his first ever shot with the bow soar into the distance; for a split second he thought he was actually going to be able to hit the same target that Mal'ek had, but to his dismay the arrow cleared the top of the target by a good five feet and zoomed into the forest beyond. Snaps and cracks sounded out as the arrow burrowed through the foliage, and finally a resounding _thwack!_ was heard as some tree in the distance finally interposed itself in front of the arrow's path.

For a split second Mal'ek and Kyle both remained frozen in silence as each processed what had just happened. Kyle winced at his impulsiveness, swearing softly to himself as he braced for another verbal onslaught from his teacher.

"Interesting," Mal'ek said at last in a contemplative tone. "Perhaps there is hope for you yet, Kylefischer. Unfortunately, you now have further to travel in order to retrieve your arrow." Mal'ek wordlessly held out his hand and Kyle surrendered his bow with a sigh. "I shall wait here for your return."

As Kyle began to tromp off to find that damn arrow he risked a glance back over his shoulder to try and determine just what was going through the warrior's mind. Rather than looking angry, Mal'ek's tail was twitching with silent amusement and a faint grin had turned up the corners of his mouth.

An indeterminate amount of time later Kyle finally emerged from the woods with arrow in hand. Mal'ek had not moved from his place and merely watched Kyle approach with a seemingly bored expression. Kyle accepted the offered bow and waited meekly for further instruction.

"Again," Mal'ek said simply as he jerked his head towards the target range. "You may choose to aim for whichever target you please. Whenever your accuracy has improved to my satisfaction you will be allowed to go out on the hunt. Tsaro is ready, but he has refrained from making his first kill until you are there to accompany him." Mal'ek noticed Kyle's ears perk forward with surprise and he waved his hand out before them, recentering his attention in the present. "Now draw."

Kyle focused on a target midway out in the field and readied his bow. Mal'ek spent an inordinate amount of time correcting his posture again and Kyle felt his arms begin to tremble from the strain of keeping the bowstring pulled back.

Kyle was just about to fire when Mal'ek suddenly commanded, "Fpak!" Kyle froze and tried not to mutter in frustration. "I can see already that you will miss. Your bow is not a Tawtute weapon. You do not aim by sighting down the arrow only. Picture in your mind your target, and your body will know how to hold itself. This you must feel, inside. It will take time to train your spirit as well as your body. Now, aim again, and fire."

Reminding himself to take a deep, steadying breath, Kyle forced away the tension he was feeling and focused on his target. Mal'ek had been right - Kyle's bow was drawn back too far. He had been overpowering his shot, and Kyle allowed himself to relax fractionally. As the unnecessary tension faded away Kyle could see that his aim was indeed off, and he allowed himself to adjust subtly. Just before he fired Kyle remembered to rotate his bow arm slightly so that the string would not strike him, and Mal'ek grunted in approval.

Kyle fired smoothly and he was quite pleased to watch his arrow strike the very edge of the target. He glanced over to Mal'ek, but any affirmation was held in reserve. "It is progress," Mal'ek offered. "You have only wounded your prey unnecessarily. You must do better than that. Any less would be dishonorable to our younger brothers and sisters." Mal'ek glanced at Kyle's arrow thoughtfully before he commanded, "Tell me the hunters' prayer."

Frowning as he racked his memory, Kyle finally produced, "Oel ngati kameie, ma Tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi ireiyo. Ngari hu Eywa saleu tirea, tokx 'ì'awn slu Na'viyä hapxì."

After a spell Mal'ek closed his eyes and sighed. "Sìltsan. Well done. Your speaking has improved much. You know how to say it...but do you know what it is that you say?"

Kyle's ears lowered slightly. "Yes," he replied. Damned if he would give anything other than a definitive positive or negative response to any of Mal'ek's questions, but his hesitancy in answering was answer enough.

"You must understand with no doubt!" Mal'ek hissed. The warrior closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in a trans-species sign of near exasperation. "As taronyu, you are more than a provider for your mate, your family, and your clan. You are Eywa's instrument. We do not take life without reason. This is why we offer the All Mother a prayer for the sacrifice of our kill. This is why you must become skilled in the use of your bow. Any less is a sign of disrespect to Eywa herself, kefyak?"

"Tslolam," Kyle murmured.

"Good. Now -" Mal'ek stopped mid sentence as he finally noticed that Kyle was no longer paying attention to what he was saying. He turned to follow Kyle's gaze and caught sight of Tanhi approaching down the path from Kelutral bearing several food wraps for them. More than that, Mal'ek noticed that his daughter was walking with a distinctively seductive sway of her hips, and the motion caused her tail to swing alluringly behind her. Mal'ek growled in annoyance and thwacked Kyle over the head with his bow, earning a surprised yelp from the younger man. "Eywa preserve me! Go and fetch your arrow. You are useless for teaching around such distractions."

Kyle trotted off downrange, gingerly rubbing the back of his head. He could not help but cast a goofy smile over his shoulder as he went, however, and Mal'ek was quite sure he had caused his daughter's intended no permanent damage.

_"Already you are beating him, Sempu?"_ Tanhi said as she drew up beside him, her amusement clear in her voice.

_"It is your own fault for distracting him so,"_ Mal'ek replied with a snort. After a moment Mal'ek said in a quiet voice, _"He will be ready soon, Tanhi. He learns quickly."_

Tanhi nodded silently, and Mal'ek could see his daughter's cheeks darken subtly._ "Thank you for what you do for him,"_ she whispered.

Mal'ek rolled his eyes and offered a faint smile. _"I am glad to do it."_


	21. Chapter 21

**Holy smokes, I am sorry this took so long to get out. Hey, I warned you that some craziness was coming in my life! Now that things have settled down I hope to get back to writing more frequently. My goodness, it is certainly stress relieving to be able to spend some time with my own imagination.**

**I must admit, this has been perhaps the most difficult chapter for me to write of the entire story. I feel stuck between pivot points, so at least things should flow smoothly after this. If ever there was a time that I am open to positive reinforcement, it's now! If it makes you feel better, know that I stayed up over five hours past my bed time to get this out to you! Yes, I'm that lame - I go to sleep around 20:30 of my own free will on most normal nights. Now that this chapter is complete, I'm going to haul my sorry a$$ to bed and get some sleep. **

Chapter 21

Jake was dreaming.

It was one of those flying dreams again. Oh, he loved the flying dreams. They had only gotten better, more vivid, after he had bonded with Tswayon...and with Toruk. It must have had something to do with the mental imprints that came with tsaheylu. Those creatures' very realistic impressions of flying mixed with his somewhat more fanciful impressions, and the end result was some of the most vibrant visions he had ever experienced.

He could feel the air beneath his wings, the gentle caresses of the breeze like some kind of atmospheric lover. Jake rarely ever dreamed about actually taking off; no, his subconscious seemed to derive some kind of sick amusement from the jolt it gave him by dumping him straight into the middle of the experience. The sudden feeling of openness all around him, of near infinity on all six sides, of pure _freedom,_ was overwhelming. It was the most euphoric drug he had ever experienced. Better than some of the comparably mild incarnations of flight he had experienced lying there in the VA hospital. Better than some of the illicit drugs of his youth. This was _real._

Jake was not soaring over the Pandoran landscape. No, he was far from his current home in this dream. This is where fantasy and reality collided, somewhere far above the Colorado Rockies. It was one of the few areas of North America left that had escaped urban sprawl. As "impressive" as human civilization had grown, it was still rather difficult to build a city over a mountain.

The unadulterated power of Toruk combined with Tswayon's giddy, childlike joy of flying. The best parts of both of them combined in Jake's dream as he soared over lush evergreen forests and jagged snow-capped mountains. In a strange twist of perspective, Jake could only gaze in awe at the now alien landscape below him. Jake stared hard at the vivid textures before him - he could see each and every individual pine needle, stone, and snow flake. None were lost against the endless sea of their brethren, and he struggled to commit every single one of them to memory.

He never experienced the same dream twice. Each one was a unique singularity, a special treasure to be cherished. They were like a sunrise or a sunset, an individual event that would only happen once in all of eternity.

Yes, he had been here before...but it was in a distant life. Another time, another star system, another body. Jake had no idea why his mind conjured up this scene - it was not like Pandora was short on stunning scenery or anything like that. Maybe he was homesick...odd, he had certainly not been feeling homesick. He was home, after all. This vision spoke to some unknown part of him, though, and Jake could only sigh as the most blissful revelation of peace cocooned itself around his mind.

For a brief moment seconds stretched into forever, and Jake did not have a care in the world.

* * *

Neytiri woke first that morning. It was rare, but it happened this way every now and then. More often than not she and Jake would awake within seconds of each other. Sometimes it was an instantaneous sort of wake where each of them were alert and eager, ready to take on the day together. Sometimes it was more of a lazy wake, with much cuddling that often lead to more...intimate things.

She felt Jake shifting and turning in their hammock as he curled away from her. It was a slightly odd feeling, Neytiri had to admit to herself, as she felt the sudden absence of his warmth. Normally she slept face-to-face with her mate, sharing the same breaths. Or Jake would be behind her, his front flush against her back as he wrapped his larger frame around her in a loving embrace. They hardly ever pulled apart like this, and at first Neytiri thought that something was wrong. Underneath Jake's easy going exterior was a growing storm, she knew. She could sense it through tsaheylu. It was not something he was trying to hide from her - no, they hid nothing from one another anymore. It was a growing, faceless unease concerning the conflict that they both knew was coming.

Jake had his back to her and his arms were curled up against his chest - Neytiri had woken when she felt his presence withdraw from her. His tail was wrapped possessively around his own waist, and a small whimper emerged from his throat. Jake did not often look as vulnerable as this and Neytiri felt her heart twist with anxiety within her. What troubled him so? He should not have to face it alone, even in his dreams!

"My Jake?" she whispered in a low early morning voice as she rested her hand against his shoulder. She shook him ever so gently, seeking to pull him out of whatever dastardly nightmare held him prisoner. Neytiri propped herself up on her elbow to better peer around Jake's bulk, and she froze in puzzlement as she finally saw the smile that had turned up his lips.

Jake twitched under her touch, one leg kicking slightly as he emitted another cute little whine. The tip of his tail, which was resting against her thigh, began to tickle her leg as it flicked back and forth with Jake's subconscious amusement. Though sleeping, his ears were up and alert as they tracked phantom sensations for their owner, and his eyes were darting back and forth beneath their closed lids. Neytiri could not stop her brief giggle when Jake let out a contented sigh and tried to pull away from her gentle touch.

She finally recognized his condition for what it was - oh yes, he was definitely dreaming, but this was a good dream for him. It was probably one of the flying dreams she knew he loved so much. Like a slightly petulant child he curled away from her disturbance, and this uncommon and strange display of selfishness made Neytiri flop back down behind him and laugh softly to herself.

Neytiri watched as the light filtering through Kelutral's leaves began to grow slowly brighter. The sounds of the clan waking up below them began to reach her ears, and she sighed with her own feelings of contentment. There really was no better way to wake up in the morning, she thought. A twist of arousal curled through her lower body as if in disagreement. Well, maybe there was one better way to wake up.

Neytiri turned her head and shot a little glare at Jake's back. She chuckled quietly again, though; there was no way she could hold this moment against him. Jake continued to emit little sounds of contentment, and every now and then he would twitch against her as he raced through whatever pleasures graced his mind during this morning. She knew her Jake would be positively mortified if anyone other than her saw him like this; for now she was more than happy to simply rest peacefully beside him and enjoy this rare side of his character.

At long last his breathing began to change and Neytiri felt the pleasant tenseness leave her mate's body as he started to waken. She rotated in the hammock to face his back and nuzzled aside his queue so that she could rest her nose against the base of his neck. An experimental kiss against the dark stripes of his skin was greeted with a pleased purr; quite happy with her progress thus far, Neytiri smiled as she gently nipped his neck and began to rub his side with her hand.

Jake sighed and (finally!) turned to face her. A sleepy, goofy grin adorned his face, and his golden eyes were glazed with euphoria. Neytiri smiled in greeting at him as she gently brushed some of his long black hair away from his face. "Wow..." he began in a thick voice.

"You must have been flying again," Neytiri smiled at him.

Jake nodded slowly as he blinked to reorient himself in the here and now. "You are so beautiful, you know that?" he said as he reached up and lovingly caressed her face with his hand. Jake's features grew thoughtful for a moment. "This has to be the best way ever to wake up."

Neytiri kissed his nose and let her hand glide down his flank to the inside of his hip. "Better than anything I could give you?" she asked.

Jake's breathing hitched and Neytiri watched as his eyes darkened in arousal. "Hmm, I don't know," he hedged as he kissed her. "You should prove it to me," he whispered into her ear.

Neytiri felt strangely displeased at the way his voice caused her body to respond. _She_ was supposed to be seducing _him! _She choked back on her eager moan, but Jake still caught it and he rumbled softly in amusement as he continued to lavish his affections upon her. Neytiri nipped Jake's lower lip none too gently as they kissed, and he grunted in slight surprise. "You slept in too late," Neytiri chuckled softly. "Your...curiosity...will have to wait."

Jake buried his face in the crook of her neck and Neytiri had to smile as she heard a muttered "Damn," under his breath. Not to be outdone, Jake gave her a nip of his own on her collarbone. Neytiri gasped and arched as he began to lick away the spot of pleasant pain upon her skin. His attentions ceased much too soon in Neytiri's opinion, however, as he pulled back and gave her a cheeky grin. "You're right, it's much too late. Wouldn't want to get people talking."

Jake stretched, eliciting a few pleasant pops and creaks from his spine, before he easily pulled himself out of their hammock and began to ready himself for the day. Neytiri remained for a second behind him, frozen in contemplation. When had he _ever_ learned that amount of self control? She felt unreasonably disturbed, for she could not figure out for the life of her who had emerged as the victor from their little early morning flirt-fight.

* * *

Jake moved quickly through his Olo'eyktan duties this morning. He needed to travel to Hell's Gate today, and he wanted to get moving sooner rather than later. One of his most important tasks was organizing the day's huntings. They needed to provide for the clan, after all, and it was also up to Jake to determine what lands where allowable to hunt on at any given time. Jake was almost a warden, as well as a chieftain - it would not be wise or responsible to overhunt a particular tract of land around Kelutral.

The four young people who were closest to crossing over into adulthood were in attendance as well. Rai'uk and Kyuna were each paired with a mentor of sorts. They would be returning from the hunt any day now with a kill of their own. Despite the fact that neither were a full-fledged hunter, Kyle and Tsaro made a perfect team, and Jake would have felt foolish for separating the two.

The meeting had adjourned and all were beginning to drift off to their assigned duties. Jake called out to Kyle before he got too far away, and the former dreamwalker turned back, a curious expression on his face. Kyle presented an impressive figure, though his kind personality would never let him take advantage of such a fact. The difficult Na'vi lifestyle had toughened him noticeably; physically he was practically the same size as Jake and Mal'ek; he was quickly gaining the skills necessary to properly wield his considerable strength. The distinctive marks adorning his back were an outward sign of his indomitable and inherently fierce nature. If his broad-shouldered stance was not enough of a clue, the three vivid scars down the length of his back served to make him instantly identifiable from behind. Kyle never flaunted these signs of his bravery, but of course they were rather difficult to hide.

He wore leather bracers on both of his forearms. The lack of a dominant eye could have been a handicap for him, as it provided no firm foundation to build his archery skills on. Kyle turned this disadvantage on its head, however, and through rigorous practice had become quite skilled at shooting with both his right and left hands. If his body gave him no predisposition to either form, Kyle resolved to simply become skilled in both, much to the amazement of all. Jake had quietly observed Kyle practice - his accuracy improved with each shot, and Jake suspected that he might well be the first of the trainees to bring down prey of his own, despite being the newest one.

"Olo'eyktan?" Kyle asked curiously as he drew up to Jake.

Jake chuckled and shook his head slightly. He would never be one of those officers who went off on a power trip by being addressed by their title. "I have been meaning to congratulate you on your training," Jake began with sincerity. "You and I may need to have a contest with the bow to see who is the most accurate."

Kyle remained politely silent, though he did allow a slight measure of pride to show through on his face, and his eyes twinkled at Jake's words.

"There is one thing I would admonish you to do better, though... I have not noticed you practicing with the bola, or with any of the training involved for your Iknimaya," Jake told him.

Kyle subtly tensed at this. "I figured I still have plenty of time to practice," he responded after a moment's hesitation. The Olo'eyktan took note of his discomfort.

Jake's eyes narrowed and he cocked his head curiously. "Come on, Kyle. I think you and I both know that you are almost ready for that. You will be making your first kill any day now."

Kyle looked almost stricken by this thought and made a negating motion with his hand. "It'll probably be a while. I... I get the shakes every time I try to take down an animal. I don't want to miss and only wound it."

Jake was nobody's fool - he could smell a smokescreen, especially when someone constructed one right before his very eyes. _"Tsaro, we will be a moment," _he said to the young hunter who had been waiting a polite distance away. Tsaro quickly nodded and stepped away. Turning back to Kyle, Jake said firmly, "Walk with me."

Crap, Kyle thought silently as he followed Jake back into Kelutral. They began to climb the spiral stairs, and once Jake bypassed all of the main levels and the two of them started to climb upwards on the tree's limbs Kyle suspected he knew of their destination. "I think both of us know that's a load of bullshit, you getting the shakes and all," he began bluntly. "Norm told me what you did to draw that palulukan away when he and you had been treed. Did you have the shakes then?"

"No, sir," Kyle replied meekly.

Jake harumphed. "I'll just assume, then, that you did not just tell me a lie of sorts." Jake paused his climbing long enough to give Kyle a pointed look, and to his credit Kyle looked properly horrified at Jake's words. "I trust that you know all of what awaits you upon your full initiation into the clan," Jake continued. "I'm telling you this not only as Olo'eyktan, but as someone who might also be your friend."

Kyle winced slightly, and Jake noticed. Kyle nodded wordlessly.

As the two resumed their climbing Jake asked with candid curiosity, "Why are you afraid of Iknimaya? I have to step on most youngster's tails to keep them from heading off on their own to tame their ikran." Jake spoke easily, despite the rigorous climbing he was doing. He realized that Kyle's delay in answering was not due to a shortness of breath on his part, either.

They reached the branches just below the ikran rookery and paused. "Jake... Do you know what the last straw was, what finally pushed me over the edge and made me, well, desperate enough to consider becoming Omaticaya?" Kyle asked. There was a nervous edge in his voice. Kyle felt like his motivations for wanting to become Na'vi were distinctly cowardly, and it still did not sit well with him.

Jake looked at Kyle and shook his head. It was a bit of an untruth; he knew full well about the difficulties Kyle had been going through back at Hell's Gate, with the flying and the nervous breakdowns. He was mostly curious to see if Kyle himself would admit as much to him.

Kyle was no one's fool, either. He narrowed his eyes slightly at Jake as he tried to get a read off of the other man. Jake realized that Kyle was onto him and he shrugged and smiled faintly. Kyle snorted and made a show of examining the bark of the wall he was resting his hand against. "I can't fly anymore," he admitted softly. Jake remained silent, waiting to see if Kyle had any more to say. He did, actually. "Every time I tried to pilot a Samson I would have a panic attack. Damn near killed Collins and myself the first time it happened." Kyle snorted again and looked down at his feet. "I've only made tsaheylu with a direhorse before. I know how important it is to have a calm mind when you're bonded with an animal like that." Kyle finally looked at Jake with sad eyes. "I'm anything but calm when I'm trying to fly. I wouldn't want to impart that kind of turmoil on anyone."

Jake simply nodded as he accepted Kyle's explanation. After a moment he said, "Follow me, I want you to see someone. Do not make any sudden moves, and do not look into his eyes. Only those closest to an ikran's rider can look him in the eye, and right now only Neytiri fits that bill."

Kyle smiled in faint humor as he followed Jake upwards the last little bit until both of them were standing on a large branch. Kyle could hear the sounds of innumerable unseen ikran, cooing and rustling contentedly like a flock of enormous, predatory pigeons. Jake did not even have to whistle - Tswayon knew his rider was there the moment Jake had stepped out onto the branch. Kyle tensed, crouching slightly behind the chieftain as Jake's brightly colored ikran burst downwards through the leaves and landed before him, squawking happily.

Tswayon bumped against Jake's waist, searching in vain for the treat that by smell he already knew was absent. "Sorry boy, no snacks this time," Jake apologized as he brought his braid forward. Tswayon extended one of his tswins, bending the antenna forward until the end met with Jake's queue. The bond was made, and rider and mount sighed in contentment. "We get to go out for a fly, though."

Kyle watched it all out of the corner of his eye. Nervous though he was, he was undeniably fascinated. Jake's ikran ignored him for the most part; the amount of affection that the creature and Jake shared with one another was obvious, and pretty much all consuming.

"He's amazing, you know that?" Jake said, his voice sounded awed. "Ikran will only bond with one hunter. They are undeniably loyal. Tswayon actually helped me when I bonded with Toruk. He probably saved my life in doing so; he no doubt risked his own in the process. It's nothing like having a pet. No, that is much too crude a word. Your ikran is like your partner. He knows you, and you him, and you work together in perfect harmony."

Kyle allowed himself a fleeting glimpse at Tswayon's face. The ikran never noticed his look, as his four eyes were closed in blissful reverie; Jake was rubbing his jaw crest, and Tswayon's tongue was practically lolling out of his mouth in contentment. It was slightly humorous...and somehow moving to see such a magnificent creature enjoy a person's company so much. There was clearly a strong friendship between Jake and Tswayon.

"Your first bond will quite possibly be the greatest experience of your life." Jake looked over his shoulder at Kyle and smiled. "Until you bond with your life mate, that is," he said by way of a disclaimer. Jake's expression fell slightly at this thought. "You must be a man, a full member of the clan before you may take a mate, Kyle. It is the only way. And claiming your ikran is a necessary step in this process. Do you see where I am going with this?"

Kyle pursed his lips and nodded. Jake was being crystal clear.

"I'm not trying to threaten you or anything like that," Jake said, and his tone made it sound like he was almost pleading with Kyle to understand this. "It is a rite of passage that you cannot avoid. No one is permitted to take a mate without completing the trials of their chosen path. I...will not allow it. I cannot make any exceptions to this."

"I know," Kyle admitted softly. "I've been thinking about that a lot, actually."

Jake nodded, and he suddenly looked a bit self conscious. "That's all I have to say, I guess. I just wanted to make sure that you understood things." After a pause, Jake said, "You are dismissed. I must go to Hell's Gate, and I know you have your hunting to attend to." Jake offered Kyle a genuinely warm smile. "I look forward to the day when you finally return from your hunt successful. Trust me, it's a big deal."

Kyle smiled thinly and nodded. "Thank you for your words, Olo'eyktan," he said.

Somehow Jake felt slightly stung being addressed in this way. He did not sense any disrespect in Kyle's voice, though, and there was no defiance in his stance as the other man made his way back towards the branch-steps.

"Kyle!" Jake called after him, drawing Kyle up short. "Remember, you've never really flown before," Jake said.

Kyle looked back and frowned, tilting his head in puzzlement. I beg to differ, he thought silently to himself.

Jake smiled cryptically as he swung himself up into Tswayon's saddle. "After all, you don't have wings of your own, do you?"

Before Kyle could respond, Jake and Tswayon dove off of the branch as a fierce and joyful cry rang out. Kyle could not tell which of them had made the noise, and he was left to ponder Jake's parting words alone.

* * *

Hell's Gate was comfortably quiet when Jake arrived. There were a couple of Samsons outside getting ready to go out or come in; Jake could not tell, and it really did not matter. The men and women working on the machines waved at him cheerfully, and he waved right back. Jake directed Tswayon to land on the grass by the cabin - Tswayon greatly preferred the natural surface over landing on the hard tarmac, and Jake could not blame him. His own feet were tough enough to walk on the hot pavement, but he still did not like it.

_Go get some tapirus for yourself,_ Jake instructed fondly before breaking tsaheylu. _Gotta keep the population in check, you know._ Jake was suddenly struck by the semi-amusing idea of a tribble-like population bloom of tapirus, and he was inordinately grateful for Tswayon's efforts to prevent such a travesty.

Tswayon clacked his jaws in agreement before taking off again in pursuit of his solemn duty.

Hoshiro and Max were waiting outside of the airlock for him, and the three men warmly exchanged greetings as they began to make their way inside. "Any news?" Jake asked him. He did not mention it explicitly, but he was inquiring as to whether or not Dryers had provided any further information.

Hoshiro shook his head. "No, Olo'eyktan. I have questioned the prisoner...thoroughly. I am convinced that he has not withheld anything from us. It is obvious that he was a plant, as you had feared. He represented a significant security breach."

Jake nodded in agreement and breathed a relieved sigh that the man had been caught before he could do much harm. After he finished coughing from the atmosphere exchange within the airlock he asked Max, "What's the scoop on the next ship?"

Max gave him a significant look. "The ISV _Commerce Star._ If the last ship was for Grace, this next one is for Quaritch. All of the passengers are new Sec-Ops personnel. Cargo is mostly military hardware. Can you believe Quaritch actually got the go-ahead to bring a second Dragon to Pandora? Quaritch's replacement is also on board as well - he would have served for a year alongside the former colonel until formal command of the security forces would be handed over to him. This one might be trouble, Jake."

Jake sighed and closed his eyes as he tried to digest all of this. "Have you been in contact with them? The plan shouldn't be any different - don't bring the passengers out of cryo, refuel and return home."

An uncomfortable pause passed before Hoshiro answered tightly, "They have not responded to any of our hails."

"Jake, you do realize that we are still going to have to deal with humanity, right?" Max asked hesitantly as they entered the biolab.

Jake glanced over at the scientist with slightly narrowed eyes. "What the heck do you mean by that, Max?"

Max sighed. In an odd break from character, Hoshiro actually looked uncomfortable at Max's statement. "Well, for one, everyone on this base will eventually die, and sooner rather than later if we don't interact with Earth. There are certain pieces of equipment, certain things that we can't provide for ourselves that will eventually fail or run out. You know as well as anyone that humanity isn't exactly well suited to be here," Max said. "Logistics is really on our side with this one, but I think that Pandora is simply too valuable for the RDA to completely ignore."

Jake hissed softly to himself. He had realized this, of course. It was not from lack of brains that he had not advanced to a higher rank in the marines. He was...unruly. Not stupid, just unruly. Being Olo'eyktan was not exactly a fool's task, either. Jake was beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed with the burden of safeguarding an entire planet. Becoming Toruk Makto was a move born of desperation, not pride or ego.

His thoughts were interrupted when Max dug a small vial out of his lab coat pocket and tossed it towards Jake, who easily caught the minuscule item. Jake carefully held the tiny vial in his large hand, gazing curiously at the slightly pinkish liquid inside. "What's this?" Jake asked.

"The cure for Alzheimer's," Max answered easily.

Jake glanced quickly back at Max, his ears coming up to surprised attention. "What?" Not the most brilliant of responses, but it was the best he could come up with on the spot.

"No shit," Max confirmed. "We were able to develop it from trees similar to the willow at the Well of Souls." Jake's eyes settled back on the infinitely valuable object in his hand, and he swallowed nervously. "Grace was right," Max whispered after a moment in a reverent tone. "There is so much more here than Unobtanium. Jake, do you know how many lives we can save with that one medicine alone?"

Jake closed his eyes again; he knew right where Max was going with this one. And it was not in his heart to disagree.

"There's other medicines...cures and vaccines that some of the scientists are working on, too. But this was easy, it was almost right in the open for us to find. Jake, it was so incredibly simple to make that. Pandora has so many gifts to offer us, and they don't even involve picking up a shovel." The passion in Max's voice only increased as he spoke.

Max could tell that Jake was processing all of this. After a while Jake looked over at Max and said, "I agree with you. I cannot hold the kindness and generosity in your heart against you, Max. But right now, we're still going to be in the crosshairs for at least four or five more years. I'm only going to focus on that fact. You would do well to focus on that, too, because your science will be useless if we don't survive this." Jake carefully returned the vial to Max as he said this.

Hoshiro spoke up quietly. "Olo'eyktan, with your permission... I believe it would be wise to increase our armaments here. We may not need them, but it would be a poor choice to waste our defensive position."

Jake's jaw muscles twitched as he contemplated the idea. He gave Hoshiro a shrewd look and replied simply, "I trust you. Do it."

* * *

Norm had just finished "class" with the clan's children and was recording his notes on a data pad when his ears twitched as they detected the sound of foot steps approaching. Booted foot steps. He glanced up and saw that it was Amber, and his ears subconsciously lowered in apprehension. He felt them do so but was powerless to stop it - sometimes these bodies were too expressive, he thought silently to himself.

"I See you," Norm offered her cautiously.

Amber smiled; it appeared warm and genuinely friendly. "Oel ngati kameie, Dr. Spellman," she said. "Lessons going well?"

Norm nodded. "Yeah. They're bright kids. A real linguist will probably have to take over soon. They're really starting to outpace me." He strongly suspected that this was not the conversation she had in mind.

Amber offered a small chuckle of her own. "I know what you mean. I think humanity has really sold the Na'vi up short. I bet they're more intelligent than we are."

A distinctly awkward silence settled between them. "I just wanted to -" "Please don't think -" Both of them began speaking at once, then stopped in embarrassment when they realized they were overlapping. "After you -" "You first -"

Finally, despite his best efforts, Norm burst out laughing. He let the data pad drop to the ground beside him as he covered his face with his hands to muffle his amusement and embarrassment. Amber hid her own chuckling with a polite cough, and when Norm peeked between his fingers he found Amber grinning at him. She pantomimed zipping her mouth closed, then folded her arms across her chest as she waited for him to say something.

With a grunt Norm rose to his feet, dusting off the seat of his cargo pants as he did so. Norm looked down at his hands, fiddling with his own blue fingers as he formed his words. "Amber...I need to apologize. I did not behave like a gentleman that evening."

"Accepted," Amber replied quickly, much to Norm's relief. "I was not the most lady-like myself that night, either." Amber heaved a massive sigh, and Norm looked up in concern. She was staring down at her own hands now, the fingers of her right hand rubbing gentle circles around the fourth digit of her left hand. "Dr. Spellman, I just want to make sure we can maintain a professional relationship between one another," she began stiffly.

Norm felt unreasonably stung. He had noticed that Amber never referred to him as anything other than "Dr. Spellman," at least not after the fateful night of the Omaticaya's talioang celebration. Why did that bother him so much? His eyes were drawn to Amber's fiddling of a phantom wedding band; yeah, that made a whole lot of sense. Norm's mind went back to Trudy, and he felt a good deal of his blossoming feelings for Amber Ferris deflate like a ruptured balloon.

Norm finally realized that Amber had stopped talking and seemed to be waiting for a response from him. "Oh, yeah. Of course, Amber - Dr. Ferris. That's...logical..." Logical, Norm? Really?

Despite himself, Norm could not help but think that Amber looked completely adorable when her ears drooped upon hearing his words. Contrary to her body language, Amber managed a level sounding, "Alright then. I just felt like I needed to clear the air between us."

"Of course," Norm repeated.

"Right. Well, I've got some cataloging to do..." Amber trailed off and backpedaled a step.

With forced cheer Norm waved her away. "See you around, then," he said by way of farewell. "Back on base," he clarified quickly.

Amber opened her mouth as if to speak again, but froze. She settled for simply tilting her head in farewell as she turned to walk away. Amber struggled with her feelings with every step that she took, for she did not feel the sense of peace that she thought she would upon terminating her conversation with Dr. Norman Spellman.

Norm watched her go as he wrestled with his own thoughts. A dull pain bloomed within the left side of his chest, spreading down his left arm, and he rubbed it out absently. The phantom pains used to be a lot more intense, and frequent. Now they only made an appearance when his mind chose to dwell on...certain past events.

He plopped back down to the ground with a sigh and retrieved the data pad. Screw it, he decided as he let the device fall to the ground for a second time. Good thing they're built tough, he absently thought. His mind no longer possessed even a mild inkling to work on his scientific notes.

"Trudy, I really wish you were here," he moaned quietly. Norm would have traded his avatar for her in an instant if given the choice. In a way, that was the most frustrating thing. He never had a choice in the matter, and that really pissed him off.

* * *

They had been tracking this single hexapede all fricken day, and once they caught it Kyle could not decide whether or not to shake its hoof in congratulations or shoot the damn thing on the spot. Both Tsaro and he had pushed themselves near to the breaking point to track the stealthy and skittish creature. Neither man would have been able to do so alone, as they both discovered subtle clues with frustrating regularity that the other had missed.

_"I think for once I would rather return home empty handed, brother,"_ Tsaro groused.

Kyle smiled tightly. _"I am beginning to agree. Perhaps we could find a nest to raid on the way back. Fkio eggs surely would not be as stealthy as this yerik."_ Kyle said this with equal parts sarcasm and seriousness; if Tsaro agreed with him, he did not think he could summon the willpower to continue their current chase.

Despite the need for stealth, Tsaro allowed a snicker to escape him. He glanced at Kyle, his tired eyes suddenly dancing with mirth. _"Yes, I am sure that both of us would be welcomed as heros when we return with that which the children could have gathered. Perhaps we could save some face if we say that we risked our lives climbing to the highest nest?"_ he whispered.

Kyle rolled his eyes. _"That's not what I meant," _he grumbled. Great. Now he had Tsaro all fired up to stay out here all night, if that is what it would take to find their prey.

Tsaro shoved him playfully. _"Of course. I will try to forget your momentary lapse in strength."_

Both hunters paused when they simultaneously noticed the freshest, clearest sign yet of the yerik's passage. Kyle and Tsaro were not alone in their flagging strength - the day-long chase was sapping the yerik's stamina as well, and it was starting to get sloppy. Their eyes met, each communicating silently. The humor that they had shared just moments ago was gone in an instant, and in wordless hunt-speak Kyle signed his intentions to split off to the side. Perhaps they could pincer the yerik if it was as worn out as this newest sign indicated.

Tsaro silently agreed and the two men separated. Kyle checked his windage - they were still approaching from a good angle, and unless the yerik suddenly developed psychic abilities (if it had not already done so) they might yet get the jump on it. The forest understory was rapidly thickening with plant growth, so Kyle decided to climb up into some of the lower branches in order to get above the cover. Kyle's tail moved automatically to balance him as he unslung his bow from his back and held the weapon horizontally before him, and arrow sliding easily into place for quick firing as soon as the opportunity presented itself. The soft breeze changed directions briefly and Kyle caught the barest whiff of an animal smell.

Kyle chirped out the acknowledgement of a definitive sign. An answering chirp returned to him seconds later from Tsaro, and Kyle felt a steadily quickening rush of adrenaline drive back his fatigue. They were close. Very close.

With newfound boldness Kyle padded silently along the branches. He could discern a break in the foliage up ahead, and all of a sudden the yerik was simply right there, grazing upon the ground, straight before him in plain sight. Kyle's ears flared forward in surprise, shocked as he was by his sudden discovery. He blinked a few times to clear his mind - the yerik was still unaware of his presence, so he silently rose up and began to draw his bow. Kyle's heart was pounding in his chest. He did not have the shakes at all - on the contrary, Kyle was stunned by how steady he was, by how his focus narrowed down so rapidly on his prey.

Some sixth sense told him that Tsaro was nearby in a similar position. He could barely make out the form of his friend in the dappled light on the opposite side of the tiny clearing. Kyle could see Tsaro freeze, his own bow not yet drawn as he registered Kyle's own readiness. Kyle knew he had the go-ahead - this was going to be his kill.

Kyle drew back upon his bow, his body settling smoothly into a form that would have made Mal'ek proud. The yerik was only 25 yards away or so - it would not be a difficult shot. Still, Kyle pursed his lips in a small frown as he contemplated the step he was about to take. After this was Iknimaya. Beyond that was Uniltaron, and then he would be a man, an Omaticaya.

The dual conflicts of facing his fears of flying and his yearning to be Tanhi's mate collided, and Kyle did not just freeze, he allowed his bow to relax slightly._ How much more soul-searching do I have to do before I'm ready for this?_ he silently raged.

The atmosphere fairly crackled with silent frustration, from both Kyle and Tsaro. Kyle had the better position, but he almost imperceptibly shook his head, surrendering his shot to Tsaro. He would catch hell from his friend for his hesitation on this, he was quite sure.

Kyle watched as Tsaro impressively maneuvered his bow through the foliage that he was sheltering in. He did not strike a single leaf or branch as he positioned his bow before him, he did nothing to betray his position as he drew back on his arrow. The sounds of the forest continued uninterrupted. _ Come on, brother,_ Kyle silently encouraged. It would be a truly great accomplishment if Tsaro could pull this off.

Perhaps he sold his friend up short, because before Kyle thought it possible an arrow shot out of the forest cover and buried itself in the yerik's side. The animal was caught completely unawares, and the force of the impact took it off of its six feet and sent it skidding on its side across the ground. It kicked feebly and bleated once before it merely lay there panting. Tsaro sprang forward, his knife already drawn as he swiftly administered the blow of grace, setting the yerik's spirit free to soar with Eywa as he whispered the hunter's prayer.

Kyle hopped easily down from his branch and approached cautiously as Tsaro finished his duty. Kyle's own body trembled slightly as his adrenaline fell off. _"Congratulations," _he said sincerely._ "It was a fine kill after a difficult chase. This speaks well of your ability."_

Tsaro glanced up at Kyle after he withdrew his knife and cleaned the blade, his golden eyes flashing along with a sneer of fangs for a moment. _"You had the better shot, so I know that it was not an act of sympathy on your part for you to give this to me,"_ Tsaro stated bluntly.

Kyle swallowed nervously and glanced away as Tsaro yanked out his arrow. Kyle heard, rather than saw, as Tsaro swiftly applied a clotting agent to the two wounds on the yerik's body, stifling the bloody smell that might attract predators. They would haul the entire animal back to Kelutral so that all parts of its body might be put to use for the People.

Kyle quickly set about readying a carry-pole for Tsaro's kill. He worked with the dual intentions of helping his friend and avoiding further conversation. In a move that was very reminiscent of their first unpleasant dinner together, Tsaro kept speaking when Kyle really wished he would just stay silent.

_"You cannot remain timid forever, 'evengan," _Tsaro said bluntly, earning a wince from Kyle._ "It is strange to me how you can face down palulukan, but a yerik proves to be your undoing."_

Kyle was silent for a while as he worked with his knife to skin the small branches and twigs from their carry pole. _"It is not the yerik that scares me, brother,"_ he said softly after a while.

Tsaro knew Kyle well enough to read into what was unsaid. He finished binding the carcass's feet and sat back on his haunches with a sigh. _"You already have everything that it takes to claim your ikran, Kyle,"_ Tsaro said in a gentle tone._ "Except perhaps a little less faith in Eywa than is healthy."_

Kyle nodded simply, not wanting to press that train of thought. _"Let us return home with your success. You have much to be proud of when you present the work of your hands to the Olo'eyktan."_

Tsaro grunted noncommittally. _"It was not I alone,"_ he admitted honestly. _"I would not have been able to do this without you."_

Kyle nodded in silent acquiescence as he and Tsaro hoisted up the yerik carcass and began to make their way back home.

* * *

They did not talk much on the return trip, for which Kyle was grateful. He was mostly absorbed in his own mind, and he found himself plagued by thoughts of what-ifs and do-overs. There were few things in life that Kyle despised more than regret, and now he found himself sorely regretting his actions.

As if reading his mind, Tsaro broke their spell of silence and spoke from behind him. _"You will have your chance again soon," _he assured him softly.

They were hiking along a swiftly flowing river. The water tumbled and rushed over broken rocks, the sound of the stream just on the soft side of a roar. The gentle mist that would wash over Kyle every now and then was refreshing, serving to cool his frustrated thoughts. _I will not fail again,_ he silently promised himself.

Kyle still did not entirely know what to think of the Na'vi's deity. Eywa had been a somewhat mysterious figure to his still very scientific, very human mind. Still, Kyle had never been one to believe in simple coincidence. Or luck, for that matter. There was definitely no such thing as luck in Kyle's opinion.

Afterwards, Kyle would marvel at the circumstances. He and Tsaro had not exactly been moving silently any more, what with several hundred pounds of yerik strung between them. It must have been the sound of the river they were walking along that masked the noise of their approach, for around a tight bend and just across the cataracts was a healthy, full grown male yerik that was just raising its head after drinking from a still pool. The two parties seemed equally surprised to run across the other, and the crest on the yerik's head flared in alarm as the creature spun and bolted into the forest, a flurry of disturbed fan lizards marking its passing.

The angle made necessary a left-handed shot in order to preserve Kyle's line-of-sight, and without hesitation Kyle lowered his end of the carry pole, unshipped his bow, drew, and shot, all in one quick motion. The yerik was already out of sight owing to the thickness of the brush on the other side of the rushing river. Kyle had pivoted smoothly as he tracked the fleeing creature by sound, and his target was in fact no longer visible as he let fire his arrow into the plant cover.

A quick, pained bleat and the sound of an ungraceful fall was confirmation of a hit, and for a second Kyle stood rooted in place, tail twitching in surprise behind him as he contemplated his success. Tsaro lowered the end of his own kill down to the ground and thwacked Kyle on the head as he dashed by. _"Come on, skxawng!"_ he yelled as be bounded over the stream's rocks. Kyle was quickly on his tail, avatar knife already in hand as the two men pushed through the dense foliage on the other side of the rapids.

The fletching of Kyle's arrow stood up as a marker for the fallen yerik's position, displaying where it had crashed up against a tstxa'a plant. Kyle skidded to a stop on his knees beside the felled animal, arm drawn back to end its suffering. He paused, though, in surprise - the yerik was already dead. His arrow had speared it right between its forelegs, puncturing the heart and killing it with near-instancy.

Tsaro whooped joyfully as he hugged Kyle around the shoulders, who still remained frozen in shock where he knelt beside his kill. _"You did it! TWO fine kills today! You skxawng,"_ Tsaro repeated with an incredulous laugh. _"Now we have twice the amount to carry back to Kelutral!"_

The barest hint of a smile slowly turned up the corner of Kyle's mouth.

* * *

A flurry of activity down on the ground drew Jake's attention. _"Perhaps Tsaro and Kyle have finally come back home,"_ Neytiri told him as they exited the Tsahìk's alcove._ "They are the last of the hunters to return this day."_

Jake nodded. _"I hope it is with success,"_ he agreed with a sigh as he swiftly descended the spiral, Neytiri close by on his heels.

It was indeed Tsaro and Kyle. The cooks were practically fawning over not one, but two fine yerik specimens. Tsaro noticed Jake first, and his face broke into a proud grin. Kyle was otherwise distracted, wrapped in Tanhi's embrace as he was. Norm was beside him, the scientist happily bouncing on his feet and laughing as he congratulated his cousin.

Tsaro approached Jake and Neytiri, his head bowed respectfully. _"I See you, Olo'eyktan. I present this, Eywa's blessing of the fruits of my labor, to you and to the People." _It was customary to present your first kill to the Olo'eyktan, symbolically gifting it to all of the Omaticaya.

Jake offered a proud grin of his own as he placed both of his hands on Tsaro's shoulders. These were some of his favorite "duties," if they could be called that, as chieftain. _"You honor the People with the work of your hands. I would gladly accept, but I would rather return this blessing back to you so that you may gift it to your loved ones this day. You may provide for the People tomorrow."_ It was also customary for the Olo'eyktan to politely refuse, to give this, the hunter's first kill, back to him so that it might be enjoyed by him and his family.

Tsaro tried his best to look dignified, but he was fairly twitching with excited joyfulness. _"Thank you, Olo'eyktan!"_ he said before he dashed off to the congratulations of his proud parents.

Neytiri rose up and placed a kiss just below Jake's left ear. _"You look as pleased as if they are your own sons returning from the hunt,"_ she informed him with a warm smile.

Jake kissed the top of Neytiri's head in return. He lingered for a moment in her hair before drawing back and giving her soft smile. _"I hope we can experience that in time,"_ he said, his eyes twinkling.

_"In time," _Neytiri repeated confidently.

Someone softly cleared their throat before the couple and Jake turned back; Kyle was standing there, looking inordinately shy, his ears lowered slightly. Norm stood just behind him, his arms folded over his chest. He traded a knowing look with Jake as he grinned a wordless greeting. _"Yes, brother?" _Jake inquired to Kyle, doing his best to keep a knowing smirk off of his face.

Kyle met his eyes and smiled slightly. _"I See you, Olo'eyktan. I present this, Eywa's blessing of the fruits of my labor, to you and to the People," _Kyle said formally.

Jake schooled his features, but his eyes were still warm with pride as he set his hands on Kyle's shoulders. _"You honor the People with the work of your hands. I would gladly accept, but I would rather return this blessing back to you so that you may gift it to your loved ones this day. You may provide for the People tomorrow."_

Kyle bowed his head in acknowledgement. "My family is small, and there is much meat to go around," he said in English. "It would honor me to share with you, as my friend, that which Eywa has blessed me with."

Jake's eyes widened in surprise; this was most certainly unexpected. Neytiri hummed happily beside him and elbowed him in the ribs when he failed to respond quickly enough in her opinion. "Wow...thank you, Kyle. I accept. The honor would be mine."

Tanhi watched the formal exchange taking place between Kyle and Jake. She felt herself swell with pride as Kyle selflessly offered Jake a portion of his kill a second time. Tanhi had silently pondered how Kyle would handle such a situation. He was a rather unique case...only Norm fit the category of "official family." With a soft giggle Tanhi replayed Kyle's whispered promise in her ear of the best portion of meat in her mind. She had suspected he would do such a thing.

Her ears twitched back as she heard someone approach, and the special scent of her father reached her nose. She leaned back against him readily as Mal'ek gently rubbed her arms from behind._ "Look at how well you have taught him,"_ Tanhi whispered.

Tanhi could feel her father's chuckle deep in his chest. _"While I will take full credit for teaching the skxawng how to shoot a bow and arrow, I could never teach him generosity and kindness. That was his to begin with." _Mal'ek kissed the top of Tanhi's head and whispered for only her to hear, _"I am happy for you, 'ite."_

The clan's cooks immediately set out to prepare Kyle and Tsaro's yeriks for them in the tastiest way possible, and by dinnertime a fantastic private feast was set up in their honor. It was a service that the cooks were happy to provide, a "thank you" of their own as an acknowledgment of Kyle and Tsaro's new status as providers for the clan.

Kyle had never really met Tsaro's parents before. Perhaps it had something to do with his growing relationship with Tanhi; while Ateyo and Marali were generally polite, Kyle could still detect an unfortunate undercurrent of coldness. Tsaro sensed it too, much to his frustration. Still, Tsaro had insisted that he and Kyle share their meals together, if only to keep Kyle honest in front of the others concerning the means of his kill.

By way of silent agreement, Kyle and Tsaro remained mute regarding Kyle's initial hesitation to shoot. It was, however, Kyle's great pleasure to point out to all the way that Tsaro had readied his shot from a near impossible position without alerting the yerik. Kyle could see Ateyo swell with pride at his son's deeds, and Marali wore a look of great relief on her features. This is a big deal indeed for their family.

Not to be outdone, Tsaro was quick to highlight Kyle's own apparent skill. Not many hunters could pull off a snapshot on a moving non-visible target. Norm, Jake, and Mal'ek were quick to heap praise upon the embarrassed Kyle, thumping the younger man soundly upon his healed back with enough force that Kyle thought he might cough up a lung. Even Ateyo acknowledged all of this with a small smile of his own.

Meanwhile, Neytiri, Tanhi, and Marali simply traded subtle looks of mild feminine irritation. Men could be such boys.

"You mean you couldn't even _see_ it?" Norm tried to clarify in an incredulous tone. Jake and Mal'ek waited with noticeably bated breath for Kyle's response.

Kyle shot Tsaro a dirty look, who sniggered softly behind his hand. He did not look sorry about putting Kyle in such a position in the least. "Well, technically, I guess," Kyle hedged. By way of disclaimer he clarified, "I mean, I saw it clearly before it bolted, though. I could hear it plain as day, and wasn't really that hard to make an accurate guess as to where it was behind the leaves. I could tell the yerik was running in a straight line."

Jake laughed and shook his head in amazement. "Why, yes, I often take shots at that which I can't see as well. Don't you too, Mal'ek?"

Mal'ek regarded Kyle with newfound respect as he offered his future son in law a faint grin. "I cannot say I am that bold, Olo'eyktan," he responded.

Tanhi chuckled and rubbed Kyle's back as his tanhi flared for a moment. "It was a lucky shot," he mumbled.

Norm snorted and coughed on his bite of dinner. As soon as he had swallowed he gave Kyle a pointed look. "I didn't think you believed in luck, cousin," he said.

Kyle's ears flicked back and forth as he realized he had been caught. "Er, you're right, Norm," he admitted.

Tanhi, bless her, finally intervened on his behalf. "I am very proud of your accomplishments," she told him honestly. And with a playful look added, "And I am also proud of your humility on the matter."

Kyle glanced up to meet her fond gaze and offered her a crooked grin. One could not very well admit that they were humble now, could they? "As you say," he replied diplomatically. Rightly sensing the correctness of his response, all present laughed at this.

* * *

Later that evening, after the meal had concluded and all involved began to drift their separate ways, Norm excused himself, begging everyone's pardon for retiring early. Mal'ek had teased him good naturedly, saying that he had not had nearly enough to drink to earn such an early retirement. Norm heaved an exasperated sigh. "I still have plenty to do, just not in this body."

Afterwards, Kyle was surprised when Ateyo came up to him. Like Tsaro, he always seemed to wear a stern, unreadable, seemingly perpetually pissed expression. Unlike Tsaro, Kyle did not have the benefit of knowing him well at all. "Oel ngati kameie, Ateyo," he said in a respectful tone, the greeting accompanied by the hand motion.

_"And I See you, Kylefischer,"_ the man said. Kyle had the fleeting thought that it was fortunate his grasp of Na'vi had improved much as of late, for he was sure that Ateyo would not offer him the benefit of speaking in English. _"I offer you my congratulations on your successful hunt."_

_"Thank you,"_ Kyle responded softly.

At first it looked like that might be all Ateyo had to say, and Kyle shifted uncomfortably on his feet, hoping that this would not turn into one of his more awkward conversations. Ateyo's fists clenched at his sides, and with great effort he forced himself to relax. _"I should not hold the death of my son against you,"_ he said stiffly. _"I do owe you my gratitude, however. My mate and I both thank you...for ensuring that we did not lose another child."_

Kyle nodded wordlessly, and with a motion of farewell Ateyo joined hands with his mate and walked slowly into Kelutral. Kyle felt a soft touch on his hand, and he knew without looking that it was Tanhi. She slipped her hand into his, her four fingers nestling perfectly between his five. _"There is someone else who has something to say to you this night," _she murmured as she gave his hand a little squeeze.

"Hmm?" Kyle responded as he turned in the direction she indicated. Kyle's expression brightened as he noticed Va'ru standing at a respectful distance away. _"Va'ru! It is good to see you this evening."_

Kel'rey's father motioned his greeting with one hand, for in his other he held a carefully folded bundle. He was one of the clan's leather workers - only Lompo was more skilled than he. _"Congratulations, Taronyu, on your first successful hunt,"_ he said. _"Your gift is finished, and though it is perhaps early, Jakesully says that you are ready to receive it."_

Kyle's eyes widened slightly as he remembered. Beside him, Tanhi chuckled softly.

With a flourish, Va'ru unfolded the bundle, revealing a finely crafted weapons harness made out of black leather. "Whoa," Kyle whispered in awe as he accepted the waist guard. The leather was thick and soft on both sides, but as he carefully rolled it between his fingers he could tell that there was a definite...firmness, for lack of a better term, at the material's core. _"I do not recognize this... What animal did it come from?"_

Va'ru laughed. _"Are you sure you do not recognize it, Kylefischer? For better or worse, you were quite close to its former wearer."_

Kyle gulped. No way... _"Palulukan?"_ he gasped. How ironic, that it seemed he would get to wear the skin of the one who had quite nearly killed him.

Va'ru nodded and could not hide the pride that crept into his voice. _"It was quite difficult to work with. It was fortunate that I had plenty of...material to practice on before constructing the final piece."_ Va'ru knelt on one knee before Kyle and Tanhi and reached behind him to withdraw a square patch of palulukan leather; he then spread open the piece upon the upper surface of his thigh. _"May I see your knife, Kylefischer?"_

With a curious look, Kyle complied, unsheathing his knife and handing it to Va'ru hilt first.

Va'ru accepted the blade, spinning it skillfully in his hand so that he could place the tip against the leather on his leg. Then, without warning he pressed down hard, earning a surprised gasp from Tanhi. _"There is a definite reason that palulukan are difficult to kill," _he explained as he withdrew the knife and flipped it, returning it to Kyle in the manner that it had been received. The ceramic blade had barely marred the leather and came nowhere close to piercing it. _"None of Eywa's younger children have skin like that of palulukan. It has a unique texture, and it is very strong. There are not many things that can pierce it, not without exerting considerable strength."_

_"Thank you very much, Va'ru,"_ Kyle said. _"It is a great privilege indeed to be able to receive such a fine, and rare, piece of craftsmanship."_

Va'ru nodded. _"It was a privilege to work on such a project. And to give it as a gift, from one man to another, an item that will be of good use to its new owner."_

Kyle unfolded the garment and held it out before him. The hide was pitch black and seemed to eat the light from nearby camp fires, just as it had done when it had been covering its prior owner. Kyle shot Tanhi a calculating look. _"The straps are in the back and are difficult for me to reach. Do you think you could help me tie it?"_

Tanhi's return look was admirably straight-faced as she replied, _"Of course."_

Kyle wrapped the harness around his stomach, and he was only mildly shocked when Va'ru winked at him once Tanhi turned her focus to fastening the guard behind him, her fingers lingering perhaps a little longer than needed upon the skin of his back. He dutifully held his arms away from his body as Tanhi finished, and he jumped slightly as Tanhi gently caressed the base of his tail. _"Was that necessary?"_ he asked in a tone that was not entirely serious.

Tanhi stepped back beside him. _"My apologies. I am not normally that clumsy,"_ she excused, only barely containing her smirk.

Kyle regarded her coolly, his tail still twitching slightly and tingling from her brief touch. It was definitely a...unique sensation. He smiled, revealing the tip of one of his fangs. _"I am sure," _he replied dryly.

Va'ru chuckled softly as he observed Kyle's and Tanhi's exchange. _"Does it fit well? I guessed the size as best as I could."_

Kyle considered the question and gave a few experimental stretches. _"It is perfect,"_ he confirmed.

Va'ru nodded again, pleased with the assessment. He bowed slightly and after giving both Tanhi and Kyle a knowing look said, _"Then my work is concluded, and I shall cease being a bother to you this evening. Txon lefpom."_

Kyle and Tanhi bid Va'ru goodnight before finally turning their undivided attention to the other. They stepped close to one another, their hands almost automatically settling on the other's waist. _"You are speaking the People's language well,"_ Tanhi complimented him honestly.

_"Just practice,"_ Kyle replied softly. _"Nothing good or worthwhile in life comes without practice, or a little hard work."_

Tanhi leaned forward, making as if to kiss him on the lips. At the last second she diverted and gently pressed her lips against his chin. She withdrew, a faintly teasing smile gracing her expression. _"And I am sure that you are properly motivated,"_ she purred in a husky voice.

Kyle smiled as he brought one of his hands up to lovingly stroke the beautifully intricate lines of glowing spots on her face, the other lingering at her side to caress her waist. _"I think I am. So, do you call me Taronyu now?"_ he asked in a playful voice.

_"Perhaps,"_ Tanhi agreed. _"But I think I would rather call you Yawne,"_ she said as she leaned forward again, this time placing a wonderfully firm kiss against his lips.

_"I can get used to that,"_ Kyle managed between breaths.

* * *

Hoshiro entered the stereolithography plant's airlock and finally lifted his exopack up over his head. The air inside the plant was not really all that fresh, but at least it was not exopack air. Hoshiro smiled wanly. In this land of abundant life, of wild beauty, humanity never really got to take a breath of actual fresh air.

The security door was just up ahead, and Hoshiro tapped in his unique 12 digit code. Upon this confirmation he spoke the next 12 character code, a mix of numerals and letters. An optical scan and then he finally gained access to the plant proper. Once within he navigated the maze of machinery by memory, as the dim evening illumination was hardly deserving of the title.

Hoshiro reached the closet sized control booth. The control booth struck some people as rather anticlimactic, for from this room one could instruct the vast machinery beyond to construct almost any object imaginable. Before opening the door Hoshiro turned to the maze of piping, ducting, and wiring on the wall behind him and reached up as high as he could. Hidden within the rat's nest of wires was a small holo-camera. It's 24 hour memory would expire in exactly 17 minutes; Hoshiro exchanged the camera with a fresh one, taking care to place the new one in a different location from the former and to readjust the wiring around the hiding place until the small camera was invisible. Ever since the Time of Great Sorrow, Hoshiro had never reused a hiding place.

Once this task was complete, Hoshiro entered the control booth and began to tab through pages of information and data on one of the dusty touch-screen computers. He already had a set manufacturing program saved. Truth be told, he had created it even before he had gained Jake's permission to update their armory. In fact, he had all kinds of contingency plans created that he had yet to tell anyone about.

Hoshiro finally found the program he wanted, selected it, and pressed "Execute." It was as simple as that.

_"Let slip the dogs of war,"_ he murmured in Japanese as beyond the control room windows the stereolithography plant began to stir to life.


	22. Chapter 22

**Longest chapter yet! And to think that I left some stuff out...on purpose. Can't give you all the answers at once, could I? You'd never keep reading! Speaking of... 78 reviews? You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and to offer me your feedback. I love hearing from you all.**

**I will admit that there are some sections of the story that I've punted on for the sake of keeping things moving. This chapter, if I may say, is a home run. Actually, I think I knocked out a car window out in the parking lot. This is a chapter several people have asked about and I know have been waiting for. I hope I lived up to your expectations, my friends. Well, I'm done and am going to take a break. I think I'll go make some guacamole. Random? Hell, yeah. :-) It's my middle name!**

Chapter 22

Once all of the wonderfully frenetic activity surrounding his first successful hunt had abated, Kyle was left to ponder his next great step in life: Iknimaya.

Tanhi could tell that something about this pending event deeply disturbed Kyle. She could sense it, almost intuitively. In all other aspects of adapting to the Na'vi way of life, Kyle approached everything with a measure of cheerful determination. He seemed to genuinely enjoy immersing himself in his new existence. Kyle clearly derived great joy in mastering the art of archery and the hunt. He caught on quickly to the subtle nuances of her own role as healer as well. Even in meal preparation, something he still required near constant supervision for, he worked willingly and with a glad heart.

Something changed in him as soon as he picked up his bola, at least with the intention of taming his ikran. He grew serious, almost cold. Oh, to be sure, he approached this training with just as much intensity as everything else that he did, but one difference was blatantly clear to Tanhi: Kyle did not enjoy it in the least.

Tanhi slowly grew frustrated with Kyle concerning this issue, for he would deny any discomfort anytime she broached the subject with him. It was amazing for her to watch the change come over her Kyle as soon as she tried to talk with him about Iknimaya. He would suddenly become calm, cool, confident, and collected. It was an amazingly believable act, especially coming from one whom Tanhi knew usually wore his emotions out in the open. Weeks went by, and Kyle remained as mysterious to her as ever on this matter.

Rai'uk and Kyuna were soon ready to claim their ikrans as well, and all too quickly Kyle found himself awake before the dawn one morning, sitting patiently in a small alcove within Kelutral while Tanhi painted the orange symbols on his forehead that represented his upcoming journey.

"You are calm this day," she commented as she worked.

Kyle sighed with his eyes closed as Tanhi drew her finger in an arc down the bridge of his nose, then back up to his forehead. His ikran's wings, a symbol of faith, as they had yet to meet. Behind him, Tanhi could see Kyle's tail flick back and forth a little more quickly. "It would do no good to become anxious so early," he replied, his eyes still closed.

"You have already been anxious for many hands of days," Tanhi replied quietly as she dipped her fingers back into the orange paint.

Kyle's eyes snapped open, the golden orbs flashing warningly for just a moment before he caught himself, and he smiled slightly. "Just excited, I guess," Kyle evaded.

"Hmm," Tanhi hummed, not entirely convinced. "What will you name your ikran?" she asked him suddenly.

Kyle blinked several times as he processed the question. "I...have not thought about that. I am sure a name will come to me when the time is right."

Tanhi sighed as she finished painting Kyle's face. "Why are you so afraid?" she asked bluntly. She had never phrased her question so directly before, but time was rapidly running out for her to gain an answer.

Kyle cocked his head to the side and said easily, "I am not afraid, Tanhi."

With a soft growl and smack on his arm Tanhi shot back, "Why do you lie to me?"

The first sign that she might finally be getting somewhere was his drooping ears. After a few seconds the rest of his face fell, and Kyle bowed his head and sighed in defeat. "I do not want to do this," he admitted at last in a soft voice. "I do not want to fly. I...I am only doing this for you. It is the only way for us to be together." Tanhi saw Kyle's throat move slightly as he swallowed nervously, unsure of how his words would be received.

Tanhi was slightly taken aback by Kyle's admission. Unfortunately, it did not bring her much peace. "I hope that this is enough for your ikran to honor you by," she told him. Her heart clenched within her chest - if it was not, Kyle would probably fail. And failure concerning Iknimaya often meant death. "You were one who flew before you came to Eywa'eveng, were you not?" she asked him. She was grasping for some kind of hope, she realized. Kyle met her eyes and nodded once. "Then I believe you can do so again."

The mask slid back on again, and Kyle smiled confidently. "Of course."

Someone cleared their voice from the alcove entrance. _"It is time, Kylefischer. Are you ready?"_ It was Mal'ek, holding Kyle's bow in one hand, his own slung back behind him.

Kyle quickly stood and accepted the offered weapon. "Srane," he answered as he stepped past Mal'ek into the early morning light.

Mal'ek took note of his daughter's tight smile. _"Eywa sees all, my 'ite."_ he reminded her softly.

Tanhi sighed as she washed her hands in a bowl of fresh water. _"As you say, sempul,"_ she replied.

Many of the Na'vi were present to send their youths off. They were leaving as boys and girls, and would return as men and women. If you did not know Kyle all that well, you might have almost thought him at ease, even excited about what was about to transpire. He conversed easily with Tsaro, Rai'uk, and Kyuna. This event would bind all four of them close to one another. Even though there was still no love lost between Rai'uk and Kyle, they shared at least a certain measure of respect for the other.

Norm was there, of course, in his avatar. He was spending much of his time around the Omaticaya as of late. The dual lives would have been difficult for some, what with bouncing back and forth between such different ways of existing. For Norm, this was what kept him alive.

"You can do this," Norm murmured in Kyle's ear as the two men embraced.

Norm heard Kyle snort softly beside his head. Kyle drew back, his hands fisting against Norm's shoulders briefly before dropping away. Norm could see the stress lines in Kyle's Na'vi face as he smiled, and Norm's memory flashed briefly back to his cousin lying near death in the infirmary back at Hell's Gate. "I'll return successful," he said woodenly. "Or not at all."

Norm was not as surprised as he thought he would be upon hearing this. He pursed his lips in a slight frown before he punched Kyle none too lightly on the arm. To someone observing it might seem like friendly male gesturing, but Kyle knew how Norm meant it. "See you on the other side," Norm stated.

Kyle nodded, but remained silent.

"Be there," Norm repeated with a whispered, yet firm, hiss. "You'd better come back!"

"Alright, cousin," Kyle finally relented.

Norm took a step back and Tanhi appeared tentatively in his place. Kyle felt his heartbeat speed up - she was so, so beautiful. She stepped forward and placed her hands on his sides, rubbing him comfortingly through his weapons harness as she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. She tasted sweet, like some kind of faintly delicious fruit. He could smell her own scent mixing slightly with the smell of woodsmoke from the morning campfires. "I will be waiting for you, Brave One," she whispered as she drew back.

She only meant to give him one kiss, really, but suddenly Kyle's hands were at her lower back, pressing her close to him as he kissed her a second time, this time with much greater passion. Tanhi quickly brought her arms around his neck, digging her fingers possessively into his shoulders as their tongues wrestled almost desperately with one another. One of Tanhi's hands moved down his back, following one of the prominent scars on Kyle's skin until it disappeared beneath his harness. It was not an overtly gentle kiss; Tanhi felt the urgency in it, felt Kyle's fear that this might be their last one.

A pa'li snorted and whinnied close by, breaking Kyle's and Tanhi's focus on one another. _"May we leave now?"_ Mal'ek inquired dryly from on top of his mount.

Tanhi glanced down at the ground somewhat guiltily as she gently pushed Kyle away. The two lovers did not look at one another as Kyle turned, bringing his queue around to bond with his own pa'li. He swung himself easily up into the saddle; Tanhi watched him do so out of the corner of her eye, and she thought absently that his movement was so much more graceful now than the first time that he had rode. _"My apologies, Karyu," _she heard him say.

And then they were gone, the sound of joyful shouts and farewells ringing in Tanhi's ears as the Omaticaya bid their best wishes to those about to come of age. Tanhi felt a gentle touch on her back, not nearly low enough to be intimate, but loving nonetheless. _"He will surely surprise both of us,"_ she heard Normspellman whisper as they watched the group of young hunters disappear into the forest.

Tanhi shuddered. Irregardless of a young hunter's state of mind, Iknimaya was a hazardous undertaking, full of dangers from all quadrants. She silently thanked Eywa for her strength of heart. _"May your words prove true, Normspellman. Thank you."_ She drew away and walked slowly back towards Kelutral, intending to resort the healers' stocks of medicinal herbs and poultices. Coping by means of distraction, a tried but true trick.

* * *

Amber observed the goings on from a distance, recording her observations and impressions of the first Iknimaya that she had the privilege of watching. She wondered how Kyle would fair - Jake had tamed an ikran, after all, so it certainly seemed possible for the man to come back successful. There was no denying the tenseness of his farewell with Tanhi and Dr. Spellman, though.

Speaking of Dr. Spellman... The avatar in question was walking slowly by, head bowed in thought. His tail tip flicked quickly back and forth, a sign of intense concentration. "Hey," Amber said, causing him to jump slightly. He must not have noticed her before. "Everything alright?"

Norm looked up and glanced around quickly, as though surprised she was talking to him. "Yeah, just a bit nervous for Kyle." Norm smiled tightly, and Amber suspected that there was a whole lot more than just that going on behind his golden eyes.

Amber was suddenly self-conscious, as though she had overstepped some kind of hidden boundary in speaking with Dr. Spellman. "Oh, okay..." If you want to talk about anything... Thank God she caught that before it slipped out. Once again, words escaped her, and she unceremoniously motioned a farewell and buried her face back in her data pad. "I'm sure he'll be okay," she mumbled lamely.

She almost thought that maybe Dr. Spellman had not heard her. After a long while a murmured "Thank you," reached her ears. Amber lifted her eyes from her screen, but all she saw was Norm slowly climbing up one of Hometree's spirals, head still lowered, deep in thought.

* * *

Norm could not answer why it was today of all days that he finally decided to try to do that which he had put off for far too long. Perhaps it was the fear that Kyle would not make it back alive. Whatever the case, Norm was just plain sick of death, sick of mourning. He almost literally bumped into Jake as he approached Moat's alcove. "Hey, distracted much?" Jake asked him in a cheery voice.

"You could say that," Norm admitted.

Jake's ears lowered subconsciously as Norm's morose tone registered with him. "Norm, man, what's eating you?" Jake asked honestly as he placed a hand on Norm's shoulder, squeezing gently.

Surprising himself, Norm responded softly, "I really miss my girl."

Jake's eyes widened imperceptibly and he mouthed a curse when Norm was not looking. For a moment the two friends simply stood there, neither moving or talking. Finally Jake looked back over his shoulder and swallowed before saying, "Moat isn't busy. I'll give you guys some privacy. I...I have to be somewhere after midday, but would you want to go fishing sometime before then?"

Norm jerked his head up and gave Jake a look. "Really?" he blurted. Jake was a busy man. If he was not overseeing clan affairs, much of his free time was spent with Neytiri, as well it should be. It had become a rare thing for the two of them to simply waste time together.

Jake smiled easily. "Yes, really. Neytiri and I will be talking with the elders down below, but interrupt me if you need to. Really." Before Norm could object Jake gave him a gentle push in the direction of Moat's alcove and disappeared across the way and down a spiral.

Norm smiled slightly and shook his head in amazement. Fishing sounded really fun, actually. Norm stepped up to the alcove entrance and knocked softly to announce his presence. He felt only a little foolish - did Na'vi even knock?

"Fpxäkìm," Moat called out._ Enter. _As soon as Norm entered Moat rose to her feet, smiling warmly at him. "Normspellman! Oel ngati kameie. Are you well?" She stepped up to the scientist and gently cupped his head in her elderly hands, stroking her thumbs over the worry lines on his cheeks. "What ails you, 'itan?" she asked.

Norm screwed his eyes closed and took in a deep, shaky breath. _"I seek your permission concerning a matter,"_ he asked formally.

Moat flicked his ear in a motherly fashion. "Speak 'Ìnglìsi with me," she commanded. "You know that there is little that you must ask of the People anymore, Normspellman," Moat told him.

With a deep breath and a slow nod, Norm plowed on. "I would ask you permission to travel to Utral Aymokriya. I wish...to make tsaheylu there. I would seek Eywa on a matter of importance to me."

Moat tilted her head as she examined the nervous man before her, and Norm squirmed slightly under her perceptive gaze. "When I wish to speak with my Eytukan, I ask permission of no one," she told him quietly. "Go, now. You will not find whom you seek here."

Norm flinched. "As...as you say, Tsahìk," Norm said in a shaky voice.

The scientist exited and swiftly made his way down one of Kelutral's spirals. He took care to return every greeting that was extended to him, but he never stopped his purposeful strides, and it was all he could do not to break into a run as soon as he was on the path to Utral Aymokriya.

Norm pushed through the low outgrowths of the Tree of Voices, angling towards the main trunk in the center of the grove. The morning sunlight filtered down through the canopy far above, and insects and birds trilled out their songs. It was so peaceful...flowers blooming along the edge of the grove added their own sweet scent to the air.

With a strangled sob Norm pushed aside the delicate pink fronds of the tree until he reached the trunk in the middle, where he turned and sat back against it. He pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his knees. Even his tail wrapped close around him. Norm sobbed again, and he swiftly wiped the tears away with the back of his hand.

Feelings long suppressed finally began to emerge, and Norm's breath heaved deeply in and out as he struggled to keep his emotional state level and not totally break down. As though offering its own comfort, a single atokirina' floated down from above and hovered in front of his face, over his knee, pulsing gently to keep itself aloft.

Norm gasped, his eyes widening as he watched the seed. It was absolutely beautiful, like a cross between a snowflake and an ethereal jellyfish. Almost without thought, one of his hands slowly came up to touch it, and like a butterfly it gently lofted itself away, remaining always just out of reach.

Norm's eyes followed the seed as it ascended alongside the tree's trunk, and a subtle movement overhead finally caught his attention. He gasped again - sheltering within the branches of Utral Aymokriya were thousands upon thousands of atokirina', hovering beneath the fronds like a great school of fish. A gentle breeze kicked up, and like a great dandelion shedding its seeds all of the atokirina' blew and swirled out from the pink branches of the tree, dancing and twirling about in the forest clearing until at last they began to disperse. For a moment it was like a mini-blizzard, there were so many of the seeds floating overhead.

Norm leaned forward slightly, reaching back to grasp his braid, bringing the queue around to his front. With his other hand he reached out to gather some of the fragile pink tendrils hanging down around him. His mind began to tingle, an anticipatory buzzing forming as his body prepared itself for the bond.

"Here goes nothing," he murmured as he brought the tip of his queue into contact with the Tree of Voices.

Norm had made tsaheylu at the Well of Souls once before. He remembered the sense of open space, he remembered hearing the voices of countless Na'vi. Grace had reached out to him, for a brief second. She had only said a simple "Hi, Norm," but those two words were full of such love that he nearly broke down crying. It was true! Grace was still there, still very real.

After Trudy's death, Norm had avoided bonding with the Tree like it was the plague. For almost two years he had run from Eywa. He could not bear to think or hope that Trudy might still be there. Norm almost feared her presence more than her absence...what would he ever say to her, if given the chance? He did not think his fragile spirit could take it.

Norm jolted as his pupils dilated, his eyes flying wide and he inhaled sharply as the bond was made. His golden eyes rolled upwards, and he promptly passed out and slumped over on his side. Norm did not realize any of this, though, because his spirit was already far, far away.

* * *

Norm felt his eyes close, and then all he could see was a tunnel of spinning light, and a roar like a jet engine filled his ears. For a second he thought that something had somehow gone wrong, that he had broken link with his avatar. Then, nothing but blackness.

Finally, Norm came to lying on his side on the ground with ferns and grass tickling his face. With a groan he rolled over on his back; the inside of his mouth was horribly dry, and he felt achey all over. The sounds of the forest continued to ring merrily out as if in contrast to his sorry state. Norm moaned again and brought his hands up to rub his face.

Then he froze. His hands were small and pinkish. Human. With a strangled gasp he clapped his hands to his face - no exopack! Another inhaled breath proved safe, and the one after that. Okay...something really strange was going on here. "What the hell?" he asked aloud.

He heard someone snort derisively behind him, and Norm rolled over on his stomach to check who was there. Norm received yet another shock, for standing there observing him in her avatar was none other than Dr. Grace Augustine. He let out a most undignified squeak and swiftly climbed to his feet, his eyes wide with unreasonable fear as he backed away from the apparition before him.

Grace rolled her eyes and waved her hands at him in a dismissive gesture. "I never thought I'd say this, but that dumb marine actually has you beat. Who knew?"

"Wh...what?" Norm stuttered, earning a laugh from Grace.

"Jake never told you?" Grace asked, her eyebrows climbing in surprise. "Huh, so he can actually keep a secret. That man still surprises me. He and I have had many conversations, you know. I really could have used your backup, Norm. Sometimes I wonder if I actually got dumber from talking with that jarhead. He really can be quite dense." Despite her merciless teasing at Jake's expense, her smile was warm and caring.

Norm kept gaping. "Am I dead?" he finally managed.

Grace threw her hands up in exasperation. "No, silly! You just finally figured out how to use this," she told him as she held her queue forward in her hand.

"Are...are you real?" Norm asked, desperately. His mind was still spinning. This can't be real. It can't be!

Grace knelt down, her snarky attitude melting away. She extended her hand palm up towards her friend, as though reaching towards a skittish animal. "Yeah, Spellman, I'm real," she said softly. "It's good to see you again, Norm."

Norm took a hesitant step forward, his own hand outstretched. He failed to stop the tears from sliding down his face as his hand touched one of Grace's blue fingers. They were solid and warm. Real.

"I can't stay here for long," Grace said in a regretful tone. "I know you aren't here to see me. I heard you were in the area, so I couldn't resist stopping by to say 'hi,' though."

Grace stood back up and began to step away. "Wait!" Norm called after her.

Grace's tail flicked lightly back and forth as she glanced over her shoulder at him. "I can't, Norm. I can't take up too much of your time." She tilted her chin towards Norm. "Trudy's been waiting. You should go to her."

Norm spun in a circle, almost falling over in his haste. He caught a fleeting glimpse of someone disappearing into an octoshroom grove, a cute, feminine giggle ringing out. "Trudy?" Norm asked, his heart thudding in his chest. He looked behind him but Grace was gone, too. "Trudy! Wait!" he shouted as he turned back and bolted after her. Norm ran frantically through the grove, dodging between the 12 foot tall mushrooms as he desperately tried to keep track of the figure who always seemed just out of sight in front of him.

A strangled cry escaped him. Stop it, stop it! This is too much! "Trudy! Please! Oh, God..." Where did she go? Norm stopped running and tried to listen, but all he could hear was his own gasping breath and his heartbeat thudding in his ears.

"Gotcha!" Someone tackled him hard from the side, bringing him to the ground in a tangle of limbs and dark, flowing hair. Trudy's laughing, smiling face appeared in his vision as she slid smoothly onto his lap, straddling his hips.

Norm's eyes flew wide open as a joyful, unintelligible noise exploded out from him. He quickly wrapped his arms around Trudy and rolled them until they were lying side by side on the ground. She felt so real, so warm, in his hands. For the longest time he simply held her. Norm buried his face in her hair - she had let it out of the ponytail that she always kept in for flying, and now her dark locks fell unimpeded to her shoulders. Trudy's smell, long since faded from the clothes of hers that he had kept, flooded his nostrils once again. "Why did you do that?" he finally asked, his voice muffled against her neck.

"Do what?" she asked in a mischievous tone as she rubbed her fingers on his back - she knew damn well what he was talking about.

"Why did you run from me?" Norm murmured in her ear.

Trudy sniggered and she gently untangled herself from Norm and leaned back so she could look at him, her brown eyes dancing with mirth. "It was just like old times, right?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Norm asked as he let an incredulous laugh burst out.

Trudy leaned forward and captured his lips in a fierce and passionate kiss, a kiss that was almost two years overdue. Where ever they were, they still needed to breathe apparently, and eventually the two of them broke apart, gasping for air. "You chased me until I caught you," Trudy whispered.

Trudy always knew just what to say. Right now Norm could not decide whether to be happy or sad, and some part of his brain still held out that there was no way in hell that this could actually be Trudy. But that one silly, nonsensical statement of hers that she had come up with to describe their relationship, that was all the proof he needed. This time it was Norm who initiated their kiss, earning an impressed and appreciative giggle for his efforts.

"I've missed you, Normie," Trudy said as they pulled apart again, her hand lovingly caressing his hair.

Norm looked suddenly stricken. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't think... After you had..." He could not say it. Norm could not even bear to speak that Trudy had died.

"Shhh, it's alright. I'm here. We're here," Trudy said as she pressed her lips to Norm's forehead and snuggled closer to him. Norm felt her lips turn up in a smile against his skin. "That's the crazy thing about this place, Norm. Dead isn't really dead, you know."

Trudy felt Norm shudder against her. "I want to stay here with you," she heard him whisper.

"Hey, now," Trudy said as she leaned back so she could look at him better. Her brow was furrowed slightly. "You could do that...," she admitted, "But Honey, this isn't your time. You've still got your whole life ahead of you."

Norm closed his eyes. "You were my life," he told her. It might have sounded cheesy, but Trudy knew that Norm meant every word that he said.

With a laugh Trudy flopped over onto her back and stretched her arms languidly over her head. Norm began to trace small patterns on her stomach, just below her breasts, and she smiled. "You flatter me, really," she chuckled softly.

The gentle tracings turned into a tickling poke, causing Trudy to double up and roll over, laughing as she tried to escape. "Hey, you know I meant it!" Norm shot back, but he was smiling as he said it.

Norm finally stopped tickling her, and Trudy playfully punched him on the shoulder. "I know you did, Sweetie," she affirmed. "But I don't want to see you shut down. I want the best for you, even if I can't be with you. Right now," she added by way of disclaimer as she gently caressed his lips with her fingers. "And while I can't promise that things will be as...vivid...as this, you can always talk with me."

"I'm sorry I took so long," Norm told her in a small voice. "I'm sorry I was a coward."

Trudy frowned. "Hey, you are not a coward. I don't fall in love with cowards. You are forgiven for being dense, however." Norm finally smiled as Trudy told him this. He is always so much more handsome when he smiles, Trudy thought.

"Alright," Norm relented. "I promise I'll...stop by more often, or however it works around here," he told her.

Trudy hummed appreciatively at this. "Good. I'd like that," she told him honestly. Her eyes flashed mischievously as she said, "But you aren't going to be one of those freaks who's still pining after a dead girl, are you?"

The truth of that statement was tempered by the gentle teasing in Trudy's voice. "Um..." Norm managed with a somewhat guilty expression.

Now Trudy was actually leering at him, which should have been Norm's first clue that things were about to get slightly awkward. "I mean, who was that blond chick you were sucking face with at that party?" Norm visibly paled and could only sputter in response. Trudy laughed and plowed on. "I mean, if things were any different I'd probably shoot her and maim you," she told him primly. Trudy frowned thoughtfully and added, "At least your unimportant parts."

"I was drunk!" Norm finally managed a coherent sentence.

Trudy laughed. It was actually more of a cackle, this time. "Right," she said with a giggle. "Was it only the alcohol?"

"Um..." Norm hesitated just a fraction and Trudy took full advantage of the opening.

"I know there's more than enough of you to go around," she told him with a chuckle as she groped him unceremoniously between the legs, earning an appalled "Trudy!" in response. Growing serious, Trudy placed her hand on Norm's chest, over his heart. "There's certainly more than enough of you to go around," she murmured softly.

"I could never -" Norm began, but Trudy hushed him with a finger over his lips.

"Enough," she told him firmly. "I'm not around any more. What you do with your life is your own choice, and I will never hold anything against you. You're too good a guy to go single forever. I'm glad I snagged you when I had the chance, and I don't regret a second of what we had."

Norm sighed and admitted, "I just feel like a total ass for even thinking about having feelings for someone else."

Despite his statement, Trudy smiled. "Don't," she told him simply. "But enough of this talk. I've said my piece, and you can do with it what you will. I don't think you dropped by to talk about someone else, did you?"

"Definitely not," Norm said with a firm shake of his head.

"Good," Trudy said. "Because I haven't seen you in way too long, and I'd really like to spend some time with you."

Norm smiled, his expression full of warmth and love. "Yeah, I'd like that, too," he told her.

* * *

When the alarm from the link unit sounded out Max almost fell out of his chair. The fact that he had startled so bad that he had spilled his hot coffee on himself did not help things one bit. "Who is it?" he demanded as he jumped to his feet, plucking desperately at his soaked lab coat.

Mo Ye was already flicking through pages of information on her console. "It's Dr. Spellman!" she told him.

Max ran over to Norm's link unit and checked the information on its screen. The vital signs for Norm's avatar, and Norm's human body, were positively freaking out. What the hell was going on? Had he injured himself or something? It was almost reflexive for Max to bring his hand down on the large red "Abort" button. It was odd...from everything he was seeing, the link should have already terminated automatically. Why hadn't it?

He froze, his hand inches away from yanking Norm out of link. With a strangled gasp Max pulled up Norm's brainwaves on his data pad. They were far from normal, and with a shudder Max finally realized why the patterns looked vaguely familiar. He had seen this kind of activity once before. It had been many months ago, but Max knew he could never forget the day that Kyle had linked with his avatar for the first time.

"Get Dr. Ferris, right now." Max commanded. "We need to find out where Norm is."

* * *

Jake and Neytiri had just finished their meeting with the elders when Amber came running breathlessly up, face drawn with worry. "Where is Norm?" she demanded.

Jake was slightly taken aback by her tone and traded a perplexed look with his mate. "I think he is spending some time meditating at Utral Aymokriya. Why?"

Amber tapped her radio's earpiece. "Max just called me and said that something's going wrong with Norm's avatar. He could be hurt! We need to find him!"

"Come, Jake!" Neytiri said as she tugged on his hand, and the three of them sprinted off for the trail to the Tree of Voices.

"Is making tsaheylu with the Tree dangerous?" Jake panted as he ran. How had Norm managed to mess this one up?

Neytiri kept easy pace with him. "I have not heard of such a thing," she replied. Eywa would never harm one of her children, even her adopted ones. Neytiri only hoped that some predator had not caught Norm unawares.

They reached their destination within a few minutes, and Jake and Neytiri skidded to a halt at the edge of the clearing as their eyes darted about. Amber arrived moments later, gasping loudly for breath. "Norm?" Jake shouted. Where was he? A soft breeze gently rustled the fronds of the great tree, and Jake finally caught a glimpse of his friend lying comatose on the ground beside the trunk. "Norm!"

Jake was at Norm's side in an instant. He did not respond as Jake shook him; his head only lolled limply. "Is he alright? What's happening?" Amber asked as she fidgeted nervously behind Jake and Neytiri. "Do I need to call for a chopper?"

"Shit," Jake murmured as he noticed that Norm's queue was still attached to the tree. "Neytiri? Is this even normal?"

"I do not yet know, my Jake," Neytiri replied nervously as she leaned over Norm's body. Her own mind was spinning as she struggled to recall all that her mother had taught her.

Jake growled in frustration as he unsheathed his knife from its place on his chest. "That does it," he said as he brought the blade up to the tendrils above Norm's braid.

"Wait!" Neytiri hissed. She leaned down close to Norm's face, and she could feel his slow breaths gently puffing across her cheek. Neytiri gently lifted one of Norm's eyelids and discovered that his eyes were still rolled back; what she had only dared to suspect was indeed occurring. "He is with Eywa," she murmured in awe.

"What?" Jake and Amber demanded at the same time in equally incredulous voices.

Neytiri gently grasped Jake's knife hand and pulled his blade away from the tree's branches. "His spirit is with Eywa right now, Jake. If you cut him free his spirit will be trapped there with no way to return to his body."

Jake gulped. "Well that's no good," he murmured as he slowly replaced his knife in its sheath.

"Neytiri, what are you saying?" Amber asked in a worried tone.

Neytiri glanced up and placed a comforting hand on Amber's wrist. "This is not common. I...did not expect Norm to be able to do this. It is rare for this to happen for any Na'vi, to be able to go into so deep a trance. Eywa must have something important indeed to tell him for this to happen."

Jake looked at his mate, his face suddenly sympathetic. "I saw him before he spoke with Moat. He... He said he missed Trudy."

Neytiri sighed and nodded. "Then this is a good thing for him," she said.

Amber's eyes darted from Norm's frighteningly still form to Neytiri, then Jake, then back to Neytiri again. "Who's Trudy?" she blurted.

With a groan Jake settled back on his haunches as he rubbed his face. "Trudy was Norm's girlfriend, his lover. They probably would have gotten married, but... Trudy was killed during the Great Battle. She was one of the bravest people I know. It absolutely broke Norm's heart." Jake grew thoughtful for a moment before he asked, "Amber, can I borrow your radio? We need to tell Max."

"Oh..." Amber responded slowly, her ears flicking with her oddly conflicting emotions as she complied, unfastening the throat mic from around her neck and handing Jake the earpiece as well. It would seem that there were still plenty of unknowns at Hell's Gate, despite the close proximity everyone lived in. Norm - Dr. Spellman had never mentioned another woman...

Jake hooked the speaker around his ear and held the mic to his neck without bothering to tie it. "Max, you there?" he asked.

Jake smiled as he heard frantic scuffling over the radio before Max's voice finally spoke. "Yeah, Jake! Is Norm hurt?"

"He's fine, don't worry. He made tsaheylu with the Tree of Voices, and...it was a little intense for him, let's just say that," Jake told him.

Back at Hell's Gate, Max sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose where his glasses normally rested. It was definitely a nervous fidget for him. "Jake, Norm's brain patterns...they looked like Kyle's when he transferred his consciousness to his avatar. Are you sure... Are you sure he is alright?"

Jake glanced sharply at Norm's non-responsive form. He was debating how much to tell Max about what was really going on, but it appeared that the scientist already had part of the picture - best give him the whole story. "Yeah, well... Neytiri says his spirit is with Eywa right now. Don't terminate the link, Max, or you'll kill him," Jake instructed bluntly.

Max's face noticeably blanched of color. "Right. We'll keep everything running here, then. Thank you for checking on him, guys. We were really worried for a bit over here."

Jake shrugged. "Kea tìkin, Max. We look out for each other. Norm will be alright, just give him some time." After bidding Max farewell Jake signed off and returned the radio to Amber. She had been listening intently, and Jake could see the question in her face.

"All this talk of Eywa... Is she actually real?" Jake could hear the doubt in Amber's voice; he could also sense the reality before her slowly chipping away at her preconceptions.

Jake and Neytiri simply traded knowing looks as Jake reached back for his queue. "Yes, Amberferris," Neytiri told her. "The All Mother is very real. You may See this for yourself, if you wish."

Jake brought his queue up to the tree's pink tendrils, taking great care to choose different fronds from the ones that Norm was bonded to. Amber watched with wide eyes as the fragile, beautifully intricate extensions of his nervous system joined with Utral Aymokriya. She almost reached back for her own braid, but she stopped herself. No, this was a step too far...at least right now.

"Remember what I told you when you first came here, Amber," Jake said in a somewhat distracted voice. "Science will not be able to explain everything. This is one of those things." Jake closed his eyes and hissed softly, and his ears folded back for a brief second. "Ow," he muttered. "Grace chewed me a new one for that stunt I almost pulled."

Neytiri chuckled softly as she slid over along the ground to sit beside her mate. She rubbed his upper back lovingly and said, "I am sure that Toktor Augustine means all that she says in love, my Jake."

Jake smiled as his queue dropped free and gave Neytiri a loving kiss on the cheek. "Yeah, she does. Norm will be okay. Grace is watching over him."

Amber gasped quietly. Did Jake just mention Dr. Augustine? She looked at Norm's still body with an incredulous expression as she tried to comprehend just what the man had done. His avatar's face had grown peaceful - he looked just like he was sleeping. Amber turned away, hiding her face from Jake and Neytiri for a moment as she contemplated what it might be like to be able to speak with someone who had died. She shivered and rubbed her arms as she tried to comfort herself - she was positive she would _kill_ for the chance to say just a few more words to David.

Caring hands gently gripped her shoulders from behind. Neytiri whispered softly, "This is difficult for you to understand, Amberferris." There was no harshness in Neytiri's words, only gentle understanding. Neytiri's educated guess about what was going through Amber's mind was not far off the mark. At the very least Jake had showed her that Sky People's blindness was mostly born from ignorance, rather than willful stupidity. Sometimes it just took some time for them to See.

Amber nodded slowly, not trusting her voice to hold steady should she speak. "When will Norm wake up?" she finally asked.

Neytiri gently squeezed her shoulders. "When he is ready. You do not need to fear for him."

* * *

Kyle had volunteered to take up the rear guard for their little convoy. Mal'ek had given him a shrewd look but offered no disagreement. Watching for danger was a pleasant distraction for Kyle - really, it was his pa'li that did most of the work, with its better sense of smell. The gentle loping gait of the horselike creature was relaxing, and Kyle tried his damnedest to let it comfort him. Every now and then, despite his best efforts, a nervous thought would fracture away from his mind and filter down through the bond, causing his pa'li to jump a bit and nicker nervously. _Sorry,_ Kyle offered as he patted his mount on the neck.

Up ahead, Tsaro's ears flicked as he heard Kyle's mount snort and stamp with agitation for a moment. He bit his tongue and resisted the urge to turn and check on his friend. Tsaro knew Kyle would be less than forthcoming about whatever it was that was bothering him - Eywa knows what effort Tanhi had to exert to get Kyle to crack, and that had been at the last minute.

Kyle was definitely lost in thought when their group exited the cover of the forest. He squinted as he was suddenly assaulted by bright sunlight from overhead, and he heard Rai'uk and Kyuna murmuring excitedly. Kyle's vision cleared and for a moment all of his tumultuous thoughts fled him as he took in the panorama laid out before them.

"Whoa..." he murmured. Spread out in front of him was an utterly alien landscape, a creation that seemed to defy everything that Kyle thought was natural. Jungle gave way to a gradually sinking depression of craggy rocks and mountains, great vertically carved peaks that were covered in bearded green growths. Mist covered much of the valley floor before them, giving the terrain an almost bottomless quality.

Far overhead Kyle could see peaks and mountaintops sticking up high above the clouds. Before them a massive growth of vines, more like a flexible woody horizontal tree, extended out over space before curving upwards to some unknown terminus. It was an awe-inspiring sight, a humbling reminder of how great this alien world was.

A gentle breeze kicked up and suddenly the air moistened. Kyle could smell the greenery, smell the earth, on the gently eddying currents of air. A strange sound reached his ears which perked forward with interest. A deep rumbling, a grinding and groaning noise sounded out. It seemed as though Pandora itself were speaking from deep in her planetary chest, and her voice was sensed more in Kyle's bones more so than heard by his ears. Strange pops and clanks rang out in the distance, along with gentle tinkles like softly ringing bells. What on earth...?

The mist began to clear with the wind, and for a second the shifting landscape played havoc with Kyle's vision. His eyes narrowed slightly: Kyle swore he could see some of the mountains moving in the distance, but surely it was a trick of the eyes, a trick caused by the thick clouds creeping along with a life of their own. The vine bridge in front of them began to creak and sway slightly as though it was attached to some great and unseen ship riding at anchor.

Then, like an artist unveiling a finely crafted sculpture, Eywa'eveng bared her greatest masterpiece. Kyle's golden eyes widened in shocked amazement and his mouth opened slackly. The mountains _were_ floating! They were not attached to anything, they drifted freely through the sky like icebergs in an atmospheric sea. Some were the size of small cities, kilometer long islands in the sky replete with their own waterfalls that thundered down their sides. Huge vines and plants hung down the edges of some of the mountains, their tendrils waving gently in the air like earthy jellyfish.

The strange sounds became clear to Kyle: Every now and then one mountain would bump into another, a tectonic fender-bender, a slow-motion crash that would send the smaller party gently off on a different course. Debris from their collision would trickle and cascade down their sides, a small avalanche that fell to the ground far below.

And in an absolutely mind-bending twist, some of the detritus would fall _up,_ bumping and tumbling upwards along the flank of the rocky glacier that had birthed it until it reached its own unknowable equilibrium, floating away like so much space dust.

Pandora's legendary Floating Mountains were not named in exaggeration. "Iknimaya" translated as "Pathway to Heaven," and Kyle had always thought it a beautiful name, if not most likely poetically licensed. With a sharp gasp, Kyle realized the name was quite literal.

Far away, strange animal cries and calls could be heard. Along the great vertical side of one of the largest mountains in the distance Kyle could see the tiny shapes of ikran in flight, wheeling and soaring along the thermals. Overhead, Mal'ek's own ikran circled and called out every now and then as though keeping watch over their progress.

"Now what?" he murmured breathlessly as he dismounted along with everyone else. He felt himself begin to tingle with anticipation.

_"Ask your pa'li to return home. We will not come this way again,"_ Mal'ek said for all to hear. He gave Kyle an intense look and said simply, _"Now we climb."_

_

* * *

_

Norm reposed back against the large octoshroom, its giant bell serving as the perfect shade umbrella. Trudy rested peacefully in his lap, leaning back against his chest. She's the perfect height, Norm thought absently with a smile as he rested his chin against her head.

"You'll need to go soon," she murmured softly, and Norm felt her sigh. They had talked about everything and nothing, they had laughed and cried together, as they caught up from much too long of an absence. It had felt like hours to Norm, but the hours had been too short. He would have preferred weeks. Or years, better yet.

After placing a kiss on her head Norm said with a soft chuckle, "Trying to get rid of me so soon?"

Trudy huffed and slapped his knee. "No, goofus. You're starting to scare our friends, and I actually have to be somewhere," she informed him.

Norm nuzzled the side of her head and breathed in. He knew it tickled her ear when he did that and he smiled when Trudy squirmed in his arms. "Got a hot date? What's his name, I'll go kick his ass."

Trudy laughed and actually snorted, something Norm knew embarrassed her terribly. Of course this made Norm start to laugh as well. There were several ways Trudy could have responded to his comment, but discretion is the greater part of valor, as they say. Let Norm find out himself, Trudy thought with a grin as her laughter finally died down. "I love it when you get all possessive," Trudy said as she kissed the palm of his hand.

"I'd say you're worth fighting for," Norm replied seriously.

With a sigh, Trudy heaved herself to her feet. She turned back to face the still seated Norm, hands on her hips, head cocked coyly to the side. Trudy smirked as she caught Norm's appreciative gaze. "I'm damn sexy, right?"

Norm threw his head back and laughed. Even after taking a mental reality check, Norm found that yes, he could still find the humor in the situation. Trudy was gone from his world, and this was a pale imitation of the life he would like to have with her. Even so... "Yep, sexy as hell," Norm confirmed with a grin as he stood and brushed off the seat of his pants.

They embraced one last time, simultaneously drawing strength from and offering strength to the other. "You gotta go now, baby," Trudy said with a sigh. "Don't be a stranger now, you hear?"

"I won't, I promise," Norm answered. She would probably kick him for saying it again, but... "I'm sorry it took so long."

Surprisingly, Trudy shrugged and simply offered him a small smile. "It was worth the wait," she responded honestly. With a wink she added, "Just don't do it again."

Norm's responding promise was cut short by a rush of exhaustion that made him stumble, and it was only Trudy's grip on his arms that kept him from falling down. "Whoa, that comes on quick," he mumbled as Trudy helped him sit back down.

Trudy knelt beside Norm, and for the first time allowed herself to look vulnerable for him. Norm reached up to brush away the single tear that glistened on her cheek. "Don't cry," he managed to slur. She had been strong for him at the beginning - he would be strong for her at the end.

Trudy sniffed and wiped at her nose with the back of her hand as she nodded. She could tell Norm was fading fast - they did not have much time. "Alright," she relented. She quickly leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "See you again soon. I love you, Norm."

Norm's eyes fluttered. The world was starting to spin, and it was getting difficult to hear Trudy's words through the growing roar around him. "I love you too, Trudy," he whispered as he felt the tunnel of scintillating light envelope him. His last conscious thoughts were spent gently swirling Trudy's words around in his mind, tasting and savoring them like a fine wine.

* * *

For the second time that day Norm awoke on his side. This time, however, he was far less comfortable. He recognized the pink fronds of the Omaticaya's Utral Aymokriya hanging around him. He was back right where he left off, in his avatar. With a groan Norm sat back up as he rubbed his stiff neck; he made a mental note to not pass out on a tree root next time.

"Norm?" a female voice asked, concerned. His ears twitched at the sound.

"Yeah...?" he moaned in answer. Norm positioned his braid back behind him as he turned to see who had addressed him. "Dr. Ferris?" he asked, surprised.

Amber was just sitting up herself and she was quickly smoothing down her shirt - it was rumpled and creased as though she had been lying down on it. Her brow was knit close with concern and her pointed ears flickered forward uncertainly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Norm answered groggily. "What... What are you doing here?" he asked.

Amber quickly became uncomfortable, and her ears drooped tellingly. "Max called and said that your avatar was crashing. He wanted to make sure you were safe. I got Jake and Neytiri...we found you here unconscious under the tree."

Norm quickly looked around them. "Where are they?" he inquired. He felt mildly embarrassed to have been responsible for such an uproar.

"They left," Amber said simply. "Jake says you guys can go fishing tomorrow - he had somewhere to be, didn't say where. Neytiri said you would be fine, once she figured out what had happened to you. She said... She said that your spirit had gone to be with Eywa..." This all came out in a rush before her voice trailed off, and Norm could hear the near-disbelief mixing with curiosity.

It all came hurtling back to him. Grace. Trudy... Norm sighed and smiled in memory. He really had been a fool for not doing this sooner. He shook his head and blinked some more as he suddenly realized that though the day's brightness had not faded, the shadows had changed direction. "Whoa, how long was I out for?"

Amber looked out into the forest as she answered. "About eight hours."

* * *

Kyle's mind went back to his first run with Neytiri through the forest. She had not gone easy on him. And truth be told, she did not have to. "You are much faster than my Jake when he first came to the Omaticaya!" she had laughed. It was only his tender feet that had slowed him down then, and apparently Neytiri had gotten all of her rough edges knocked off at Jake's expense, for she would not push him to the point of injury. Exhaustion, yes, but not injury, and his feet gave out long before his lungs and heart did.

Despite being in excellent physical shape, the Iknimaya climb felt like it would be the end of him. Tsaro, Kyuna, and Rai'uk were huffing and puffing right along with him, though absolutely no one offered a complaint. Mal'ek, on the other hand, might well have broken out into song for as much as he seemed to be exerting himself.

It was a good thing, then, that he had so many new and wonderful sights with which to preoccupy his mind. They had followed a seemingly untraceable path through the air, and to Kyle it was akin to trying to create and follow some kind of weird 3D jigsaw puzzle without any directions. How Mal'ek could ever recall this path between trips was a mystery, as it always seemed to be changing. Blessedly, they never had to double back for anything - they had used vine bridges, run across small islands in the sky, shimmied hundreds of yards up hanging vines, climbed up odd structures of vines and rock... The variety was endless, and awe inspiring. It was also a good thing that Kyle did not have a fear of heights, though he did possess a healthy respect for the consequences of a slip up at this altitude.

If getting there was half the fun, as the saying goes, actually taming an ikran seemed guaranteed to be a bitch, Kyle surmised. Fan-fricking-tastic.

They were almost to Mons Veritatis, one of the largest of the floating mountains in the region and the main nesting ground for the Mountain Banshee. Everyone had gathered on top of a massive floating boulder, the tallest point of a crazy daisy-chain of interconnected floating rocks. It felt entirely too crowded for Kyle's taste, but all too soon Mal'ek was off again, jumping out over open space to grasp onto a hanging vine. Well, moving on... Kyle though wryly as he leapt to follow.

Everyone gathered at the mouth of a stony tunnel that curved upwards through the floating mountain. As soon as the last one of them was safely on firm ground a cry rang out from nearby - Jake soared by with Tswayon and offered an encouraging wave. It looked like he wanted to land, but the ledge was much too narrow for an ikran. This did not seem to bother him in the slightest, and as Tswayon circled by a second time Jake nimbly hopped up until he was crouching on top of the saddle. When the moment was right he simply took a flying sideways leap off of his ikran and landed gracefully before them.

Mal'ek stepped forward. _"I See you, Olo'eyktan. You honor us with your presence here."_

Jake grinned as he looked at each young hunter in turn greeting them by name. They had all straightened subtly upon his appearance and were doing their best to look dignified, but their bright eyes and nervously twitching tails betrayed the excitement that they were surely feeling. Kyle was more subdued, which did not surprise Jake in the least._ "The honor is mine, to be present to see all of you take this great step in life. I felt I would be remiss if I did not stand witness here for you all." _Tsaro, Rai'uk, and Kyuna swelled with pride at Jake's words.

Rai'uk nodded his head respectfully and said, _"Even so, it is a privilege to be accompanied by Toruk Makto."_

_"I shall endeavor to not be too much of a distraction. Lead the way, Mal'ek. I will follow behind,"_ Jake told them.

Mal'ek nodded and barked a sharp command, urging everyone up the tunnel. Kyle stepped past Jake last of all, the two men trading a wordless glance as they passed. The tunnel brightened up ahead near its exit, which was a wide opening in the vertical mountainside that was half covered by a raging waterfall. Kyle's ears twitched - the sound of the rushing water was not enough to mask the riot of animal noises that could be heard just around the bend. This was it.

Jake stood well back, quietly observing, as Mal'ek simply asked, _"Who shall lead the way?"_

Rai'uk quickly volunteered, and Mal'ek held his bow for him. Everyone began to file out, creeping along a ledge barely wider than their feet that ran behind the waterfall. Kyle felt a touch on his shoulder and turned his head to see what Tsaro wanted. _"It matters not to me when you choose to go, I would only ask that I may go before you,"_ Tsaro said quietly.

Kyle gave him a slightly confused look and shrugged._ "As you say,"_ he replied. Tsaro would never admit it, but even though he would not lift a finger to help Kyle, he wanted every advantage possible should something go...drastically wrong.

As soon as they cleared the waterfall the tumultuousness of the ikran rookery assaulted Kyle's senses. The din of the great aerial creatures going about their day was almost uncomfortable, and new and strange smells assailed Kyle's nose. Ikran were clean creatures by nature, but it was clear that a great number of them lived here. Everyone held back as Rai'uk proceeded out into the colony alone, bola in hand.

It only took him two tries to find an ikran that would accept his challenge. It was a fine specimen indeed, its green and purple-swirled skin glowing with health. It seemed young and boisterous, a fitting match for its would-be hunter. It was not a difficult stretch at all for Kyle to get caught up in the moment as he shouted encouragement to his fellow hunter-in-training. The ikran definitely tried its best to kill Rai'uk, but the young Na'vi proved to be quite skilled at dodging strikes from both the ikran's teeth and its wing-claws.

After only two strikes Rai'uk was able to get a measure of the ikran's reach, and on the third he deftly snapped his bola around the beast's head, binding its jaws shut and blinding it. As soon as its eyes were covered the creature noticeably stilled, and it was quick work for him to snag one of its tswin and form the bond. Mal'ek and Jake praised Rai'uk greatly; it had been one of the swiftest ikran captures they had seen. Mal'ek helped the young hunter mount up, and with a joyful cry from the newly made pair they ascended to make their first flight together.

One down.

Kyle was still caught up in Rai'uk's victory when Kyuna stepped forward to go next. Tsaro gave him an unreadable look and Kyle could not help but smile sheepishly. _"You are up next, brother," _he said unnecessarily.

Kyuna's battle with her red and orange and yellow mount was more protracted. Her chosen ikran was colored like a mini-Toruk, and it had a fiery personality to match its markings. The longer timeframe notwithstanding, Kyuna soon proved herself successful, and the Omaticaya gained another capable huntress.

Kyle thumped Tsaro encouragingly on the back as he accepted his friend's bow. "Go get 'em," Kyle told him in a firm tone.

Tsaro smiled fiercely and offered a slight hiss in return. "I intend to," he replied. Tsaro moved slowly into the rookery, and he whispered a quick prayer to Eywa that his ikran would be just as brave as his brother's had been. Despite the bittersweetness of the memory he smiled, for surely his brother was looking out for him.

Tsaro felt unreasonably surprised when the first ikran that he challenged wheeled around and promptly tried to bite his head off. It seemed that his prayer was to be answered swiftly, indeed. This ikran had a color scheme that seemed to agree with its fierce nature - all of its skin was a rich, royal blue with even darker blue stripes and whorls. The only other color was a backswept slash of brilliant red that ran from the underside of its jaw up over its eyes, terminating at the base of its tswin.

It had been born with warpaint pre-applied, and it was bent on killing the presumptuous Na'vi before it. Truthfully, Tsaro wished it no other way. The ikran and Tsaro began to circle one another, and it slowly drew its head back as a menacing hiss formed deep in its chest - Kyle received the distinct impressions that he was watching someone cock a gun as he watched the beast's neck curl up into an "S" shape. He almost said something, torn between crying a warning out to his friend and not wanting to distract him. Mal'ek solved the dilemma with a firm hand on his shoulder. _"Tsaro knows,"_ he said simply.

The ikran sprang forward, uncoiling like snake as it struck at Tsaro with mouth wide open and teeth fully racked out. Tsaro did not even blink, he merely jumped just far enough to the side to avoid being decapitated and almost casually flipped his bola up around the ikran's head in an underhanded toss.

Tsaro's throw was true, but the ikran was quicker still. At the last possible second it diverted, changing the object of its attack from Tsaro himself to his bola. Its teeth easily captured the fibrous bola and with a quick snap of the head it easily yanked it out of Tsaro's grasp, its end hanging and swinging wildly from the end of its mouth.

If Tsaro was dismayed by this unfortunate turn of events, he did not show it. He snarled in retaliation as he dodged a swipe from the ikran's thumb claw. The ikran head-butted him hard, sending him to the ground, and with a roar of triumph the creature brought its other wing up, intending to impale Tsaro on its claw. Tsaro rolled at the last second, but the claw still carved a painful gash across his left shoulder.

Kyle hissed in anger and drew his bow - if it came down to it he had no qualms about dispatching one of these magnificent creatures if it meant saving his friend. Mal'ek shoved his arrow down. _"Not yet!"_ he hissed, but it did not escape Kyle's notice that he already had an arrow nocked as well. A swift glance in Jake's direction revealed that the Olo'eyktan was in a similar state of readiness, and his face was intense as he watched the battle unfold before them.

Tsaro had his knife out by the time the ikran was ready to try to take another bite out of him, but before the furious creature could manage to get ahold of Tsaro's shoulder the young hunter struck it hard on the side of the mouth with the hilt of the blade. He had put all the strength of his body into the blow and Kyle watched a glittering object go spinning away from the other side of the animal's head. With wide eyes Kyle realized Tsaro had knocked one of the ikran's teeth out.

After shaking off its punch to the face the ikran landed another wild blow upon Tsaro's back from one of its wings, sending him sprawling to the ground, and once again he was on the defensive, rolling and dodging every which way to avoid the creature's snapping jaws. It was during one of these rolls, when Tsaro found himself pressed up against a narrow lip of rock, that the bare framework of a desperate plan formed. Tsaro implicitly understood that the situation he was in called for nothing less than victory - even if he were to try and run, he would be killed the instant he turned his back on the ikran. Just beside Tsaro's head was a scraggly dead growth of tree, the husk of some plant that had long since lost its own battle for survival. The next time the ikran lunged down at him Tsaro grabbed the end of his hanging bola and twisted the sticky, velcro-like frond around the end of the dead tree.

The ikran shrieked in rage as it tried to pull away, but the bola was hung up on its rearward slanting teeth, and the tough bola held true and refused to break - the frail tree it was tied to, however, creaked ominously. Taking full advantage of the distraction, however brief it may be, Tsaro stood and jumped bodily straight over the ikran's head. He landed harshly on his stomach on the beast's back, facing the ikran's tail. Awkward though it was, Tsaro landed right beside the ikran's tswin, and with a strangled yell grasped the nearest one and jammed it against the end of his own queue.

Kyle felt he might faint from relief as soon as Tsaro made tsaheylu with the ikran, and beside him Mal'ek and Jake breathed out thankful sighs of their own. Tsaro carefully slid off of his ikran's back, collapsing onto the ground beside his mount as the both of them heaved exhausted breaths. Tsaro stood back up on shaky feet as he lovingly caressed the neck of the animal that seconds ago had been bent on killing him. _"Wiya,"_ he murmured. _"You fight hard."_

Kyle approached his friend almost tentatively. He felt like he had run a marathon just from watching Tsaro's struggle. "Holy shit, that was intense," he breathed. "Is your shoulder alright?"

"Yes," Tsaro gasped, "It is nothing." Count on Tsaro to make it an understatement.

Kyle shook his head in amazement and laughed giddily. "He almost got the better of you, Tsaro. You scared me half to death!"

Tsaro nodded, but then froze, his head cocked to the side as though listening to something. A smile spread over his tired face and he said, "Tirea'ong is female," he informed his friend.

Kyle grinned right back. "Hmmm, a fitting and beautiful name for her. You did well, brother."

Tsaro smiled tiredly and nodded as he carefully untangled the bola from around Tirea'ong's teeth, who willingly held her mouth open for Tsaro. "Thank you. Tirea'ong is saying that we must fly now, though... And besides, now it is your turn."

Kyle's smile froze for a split second - he had momentarily forgotten that he was up next. Crap, this really was it, wasn't it? Jake gently grasped Kyle's shoulder and pulled him back as Mal'ek helped Tsaro mount up on his new ikran. Tsaro was still grinning when he and Tirea'ong dove off of the side of the cliff, shouting out joyfully together.

* * *

_"Are you ready, Kylefischer?"_ Mal'ek asked.

_No. _"Yes," Kyle responded as Jake gently squeezed his shoulder before releasing him. It was the only measure of special attention he received from the chieftain. Let's get this over with.

Jake and Mal'ek stepped back, leaving Kyle to his own methods. He unslung his bola from his hip and let its weighted end roll loose as he began to creep into the rookery. They had told him that he would "feel" which ikran was right...and that it would try to kill him as a means of testing him. I knocked off a palulukan, Kyle thought dryly. How much harder could it be to capture an ikran? Not counting Tsaro's inordinately difficult experience, Kyle fully expected to be able to capture a mount of his own without undue struggle - he had trained well for it, after all.

It was more the whole flying thing at the end that was tying his stomach into a nervous knot.

Every ikran that he approached would give him a supremely irritated look before flapping off, squawking in annoyance at his disturbance. Kyle had challenged six so far and not one had taken him up on it, and he was starting to get even more nervous. Was this a subtle clue from Eywa that he should just turn tail and leave?

Kyle was dwelling on this morose thought when the seventh ikran, a brilliant blue and gold one, accepted his challenge and snapped menacingly at him. A growl formed in Kyle's throat and his ears flattened back as he began to twirl his bola and circle the ikran, checking to see if he could catch it from the side. The ikran would have none of this, and it lunged its neck forward and snapped its jaws at him, hissing furiously. Impressively Kyle held his ground as the razor sharp teeth slammed shut right in front of his face, as he could see that he was just outside of the creature's reach.

When the ikran lunged at him a second time Kyle snarled and snapped his bola around its head. Perfect throw! Silently thanking Rai'uk for the idea, Kyle dove forward and managed to snag one of the ikran's neural whips as the ikran busied itself trying to uncover its eyes. The ikran tried swiping at him with one of its wing-claws but Kyle was able to twist away and get inside the ikran's reach where it could not strike him.

Jake and Mal'ek were yelling encouragement at him as he grabbed his braid with his right hand. Almost there... The ikran had almost managed to work the bola off of its eyes, and all he had to do was make the bond. If only the damn thing would hold still! Kyle growled in frustration as the ikran turned and almost pulled him off his feet, and in a calculated move to temporarily stun the ikran, he struck it hard on the nose with his fist, right over the line of sensor pits that lined the ikran's face in front of its eyes.

Kyle was mere feet away from forming tsaheylu when a form eclipsed the sun overhead. He payed it no mind - there had been plenty of winged creatures flying around above him casting their shadows on the ground.

Something slammed into him and the ikran he was fighting with from above. Kyle was knocked forcefully to the ground and with an angry yell he rolled away as a tumbling ball of furiously fighting beasts almost rolled right over him, and he only barely avoided a pair of madly snapping jaws and slashing talons. Kyle finally gained his feet and squinted in amazement at the spectacle unfolding before him.

Another ikran had thrown itself into the fray between Kyle and his would-be mount, and now the two beasts looked to be fighting it out to the death. It was a painfully one sided conflict: The first ikran still had its jaws locked shut by Kyle's bola, and this new ikran was positively huge - it was at least 15-20 percent larger than most of the ikran of the colony, and only Toruk itself was of greater size. This was not a sleek beast - it bulged with obvious muscle mass, and its sides were creased and lined with numerous scars, evidence of plenty of other battles won.

Within seconds the blue and gold ikran came to the wise conclusion that this was not a fight worth sticking around for, and it went from trying to gouge out its opponents eyes with its claws to trying to disengage itself without getting any more of its wings shredded. Its vocalizations changed, becoming submissive and desperate, and the larger beast relented its attack and allowed the blue and gold ikran to wing off to nurse its wounds.

Kyle watched the ikran retreat with definite mixed feelings. That had been the only one to accept his challenge...and his bola was still wrapped around its jaws. "Fuck this," Kyle muttered as he unsheathed his knife. The giant before him whipped its angular head around, pinning Kyle with an intense gaze as it hissed in warning. The animal was mostly green, with brown and tan tiger stripes. Kyle got the impression that a primeval jet fighter had landed before him, and he had some not-unreasonable doubts that it was a creature he could tackle and expect to win, especially less one of his key tools.

The ikran hopped towards him, head held close to the ground. All four of its eyes were locked on Kyle, who nervously backpedaled. "Guys...?" he asked, his voice wavering.

Mal'ek could have sworn that things were going perfectly for Kylefischer. The man, anxious though he was, had selected a fine ikran, had done everything right. It was shaping up to be one of the smoothest captures he had seen. How could this have gone so wrong? Mal'ek did not think it possible for someone to outdo Tsaro's drama, but what was happening now seemed poised to do so.

There was no question. Kyle would not be able to capture this beast, this alpha. No Na'vi could, it was simply too strong, and Kyle did not even have his bola anymore! This was one of the flock leaders, and Mal'ek had no idea why it drove off Kyle's challenge...or why it had not yet killed him outright. Mal'ek swiftly nocked in an arrow, sighting just over Kyle's shoulder - he would hit the monster right in its left breathing spiracle, drive his arrow right into its lung.

Jake's hand suddenly grasped his arrow, holding it just before its fletching. _"Do not..."_ he hissed lowly.

Mal'ek whipped his head around and snarled in disagreement. _"Jakesully, are you mad?" _he snapped incredulously. It was perhaps the strongest he had ever disagreed with his Olo'eyktan.

Kyle called out again, his voice edged with fear, and Mal'ek cranked back harder on his bow. _"Wait, Mal'ek,"_ Jake repeated firmly, shaking the arrow he still held for emphasis. Moat had dreamt this. She said that they were not to interfere with Eywa's business, and it was Jake's duty, however difficult, to see this through. Jake gritted his teeth in frustration, his tail lashing and curling behind him as he steamed helplessly. Norm and Tanhi will kill me if this turns bad, he thought morosely.

Kyle felt like a helpless rabbit pinned under a hawk's gaze. He knew he was dead to rights - the ikran would not so much as run him down if he tried to flee, but _fly_ him down. Kyle had been wading in treacherous waters and the bottom had just fallen out, leaving him sputtering and dog-paddling frantically for some semblance of solid ground to stand on.

He was still gasping from exertion when the giant in front of him did the strangest thing: it bowed down low, its lower-jaw crest almost brushing the ground, and it extended one of its tswin towards him, beckoning like an old friend.

Jake felt Mal'ek stiffen beside him. Indeed, he had gone rigid himself as he watched with wide eyes. This he had not been expecting! _"Has this happened before, my friend?"_ Jake asked warily as he watched Kyle and the giant ikran. The two were trapped in each others gaze, totally oblivious to the rest of the world. Jake was no expert yet on his People's songs, but he had yet to hear of an ikran offering itself to a hunter before, not without a fight.

_"I have not heard of such a thing,"_ Mal'ek breathed out beside him. _"Kyle! Tsaheylu!"_

Mal'ek's hissed command broke through his addled thoughts, and Kyle blinked rapidly. The giant ikran was still bowing before him, eyes watching with a burning intelligence, beckoning with its tswin. After sheathing his knife he shrugged his shoulder and let his braid slip down his front so that he could grasp it with his right hand. All Kyle could hear anymore was his heart pounding like a great tree-drum in his ears. He could feel a buzzing sensation forming at the base of his skull as he watched his own neural tendrils emerge from their protective sheath.

Kyle found himself frozen, his panicky mind locking his body up. The massive green ikran merely huffed and leaned forward, closing the last foot between them.

* * *

Kyle jolted from the shock of tsaheylu, and would have cried out if he had the breath to spare. He could sense, could feel the ikran's body like it was his own. And its mind... The giant was a riot of instincts and intellect. Kyle was breathless with wonder at the ancient intelligence that was suddenly with his own.

_Are you my rider?_ The question formed with startling clarity, and Kyle almost foolishly looked over his shoulder to see who had asked it. Kyle had the crazy thought of wondering where the hell the ikran had learned to speak English. Then he realized, it was not English - the ikran's thoughts coalesced in Kyle's mind as clearly as if Kyle had thought them himself. The ikran could have "spoken" whatever language its rider did. A distinctly amused sensation flowed over his mind through the bond.

"I...I guess so," Kyle whispered.

The ikran rumbled in contentment, and the feeling was so strong that Kyle almost smiled himself. _Of course you are,_ it said. Kyle blinked at the tone; he felt almost toyed with._ Now, are you as she says...?_ the ikran inquired.

Kyle felt the creature start to move into his mind, start to step past the doorstep of conversation and begin to walk with curiosity down the halls of his character, looking with interest into the rooms of his memories. Kyle's fists clenched at his side. _Stop that!_ he snapped as he slammed door after door in the ikran's face. _My mind. Stay out!_

The ikran snorted and tossed its head, and Kyle could tell the beast was not sorry at all for its near-invasion. _We shall see, Two Legs. Mind of My Mind,_ it said cryptically before Kyle felt equalness resume within the bond.

Kyle shivered subconsciously as he began to fully appreciate his position in life. It felt like he had a rabid nantang by the tswin, and he did not know if it would be worse to keep holding on, or to let go. Kyle. Kyle... "Kyle?" A touch on his shoulder almost made him jump out of his skin.

The great green ikran, still linked with him, stood up straighter and began to preen one of its wings contentedly as though everything were perfectly normal._ I would have told you he was behind you if you'd let me,_ the creature thought smugly, and Kyle shot him an incredulous look. The ikran was definitely male and rather full of attitude.

Mal'ek actually looked almost contrite for startling him, and both he and Jake were staring at him with something akin to awe. _"You need to fly now, Kyle. It will seal the bond, make it true between you and your mount."_

Kyle felt a flare of anxiety flicker through his gut and it took every ounce of self-control to keep it contained. "You can do this, Kyle," Jake reassured him, and Kyle nodded gratefully.

Without having to be asked, Kyle's ikran crouched down so that he could mount up. The pair of eyes on the left side of its dragon-like head tracked Kyle as he walked by, and with Mal'ek's assistance he positioned himself on the beast's back. He could hear and feel the ikran's steady breathing, and the first thing that Kyle thought as he ran his hands in amazement over the animal's neck was that the ikran was _hot._ Its metabolic furnace must be set to near-nuclear, because the animal was incredibly warm. _Must fly soon, need to cool down,_ Kyle heard by way of explanation.

Kyle did not bother with a response as the ikran shuffled awkwardly over the ground, turning until it faced the wind. He could feel his mount's relief as its forward spiracles opened up, welcoming in the sweet, cooling airflow.

"You've got this, Kyle!" Jake shouted as the ikran snapped its wings open and began to lean over the edge of the cliff. Kyle could feel the edges of a panic attack already and he whimpered quietly - don't freak out, don't freak out, don'tfreakout, don'tfreaoutdon'tfreakout, he intoned in his mind.

There was no warning other than the impending flashes of action that Kyle sensed through tsaheylu before his ikran launched them into the air.

* * *

_"Is it...different, being mated to one who was a Sky Person before?"_ Tanhi asked Neytiri tentatively. Neytiri could see Tanhi's anxiety, and she had invited her clan sister to help her fletch hunting arrows.

Neytiri frowned as she examined the bowl before her that held a multitude of beautiful, rainbow colored feathers. _"I do not know, sister. I have never been mated to anyone else."_

Tanhi's cheeks darkened slightly and Neytiri laughed good naturedly.

_"I understand the question, do not worry."_ Neytiri was silent for a while. She finally selected a feather and began to carefully trim it to size with the tip of her knife. _"I suppose my Jake is different. It can be strange, sometimes... When I See him now I can sometimes forget where he has come from. He is good at masking it. No, that is not the right word... He has grown up. He grows more and more like the People every hour."_ Neytiri frowned again in displeasure as she remembered her last fight with Jake. She still felt slightly guilty for hitting him. _"I love him, Tanhi, that will never change. And though my Jake is a good man, a brave warrior, and an honorable Olo'eyktan, I think he may always be a Sky Person in his heart, even as he becomes more and more Na'vi every day."_

Tanhi nodded as she listened to Neytiri speak.

_"This is not bad,"_ Neytiri told her. _"I did not fall in love with him because he was a good Na'vi." _Neytiri threw her head back and laughed. _"He still has such an accent! No, I fell in love with his heart. What is stranger, Tanhi? That I love one who was a Sky Person? Or that a Sky Person fell in love with one of the People?"_

Tanhi paused at this new perspective. She knew why she loved Kyle, and she thought she knew why he loved her. She certainly knew he was genuine in his love...at least, as certain as she could be without tsaheylu. That particular idea caused her stomach to tighten with desire. _"I had not thought of it that way," _she admitted.

Neytiri sighed. _"Not many do. Always remember, Tanhi, that you are just as strange to your soon-to-be mate as he is to you. Kyle will think differently than you expect him to, and whether this is because he is male or because he was once Tawtute is for you to find out!"_

Tanhi laughed at this idea. _"I have already experienced this,"_ she chuckled.

Neytiri stared down the length of her arrow to make sure that she had fastened its feathery guide on straight. She grunted in approval and went for the bowl again for more feathers. _"Sometimes Jake hides things from me,"_ she admitted.

Tanhi stopped her own act of fastening a feather to her arrow's shaft. _"What do you mean by that?"_ she asked in a carefully neutral voice. Neytiri did not sound like she was talking about a friendly game of hide-and-seek.

Neytiri's eyes met briefly with hers and she could see the understanding in her gaze. _"It sounds as if you have already experienced this, Tanhi. I have found that Tawtute...lie...for two very different reasons. They might do this when they seek to hurt another. Deception is part of their war-making."_ Her ears were slowly lowering as she said this. _"Jake has also not been truthful with me when he seeks to protect me from hurt."_

Frowning, Tanhi asked, _"Why would he do this? This does not make any sense to me."_

_"A good question, sister,"_ Neytiri admitted. _"You would think that you cannot hide anything through tsaheylu. Kyle will be very different from a pa'li, though."_

Tanhi snorted. _"That is obvious, Neytiri."_

Neytiri laughed, not offended at all by Tanhi's tone. _"I am glad that you know this! Kyle and Jake are like you and I. They are like us, equal in mind and body,"_ Neytiri grinned wolfishly as she clarified. _"Except where they are not. Tell me, sister, do you understand yourself?"_

_"I... I think I do...,"_ Tanhi hedged. It would seem that Neytiri would make an excellent Tsahìk when it was her time.

_"I think you do not,"_ Neytiri told her honestly. _"I know there are times I do not know myself, and I know there are times when Jake does not know himself. How can you offer yourself to another if you do not know what it is that you give?"_ She laughed, _"Or how can you freely receive such a gift?"_

Tanhi blinked rapidly as she digested this. With a bit of a groan she realized at least some of the truth of what Neytiri was talking about.

_"It is like this with any mated pair,"_ Neytiri told Tanhi. _"Just look at our parents! Were they always of one mind?" _Neytiri knew she could speak candidly of this with Tanhi. Neytiri was less her father, and Tanhi her mother. Tanhi smiled with fond memory. Oh, yes, her parents had some spectacular misunderstandings in their time. _"How much more then will it be like this for us, when we love two men who are not born of the People?"_

_"We are doomed,"_ Tanhi said as she covered her face with her hands and groaned.

Neytiri laughed uproariously at this and she leaned forward to place a comforting hand on Tanhi's arm._ "Perhaps, sister, but you may always come back to me, and I you, when we wish to have a reasonable conversation."_

The sound of a commotion reached the two women's ears, which flicked with interest. They both sprang to their feet, tails twitching excitedly when Sorewn breathlessly informed them, _"The hunters are returning!"_

Most of Kelutral was abuzz with excitement, but only the hunters' immediate families ascended up to the ikran roosts. The hunters' new mounts would still be getting used to their new riders and their new home, and it would do no good to upset them unnecessarily. There would be plenty of time for boisterous congratulations later.

Neytiri practically threw herself into Jake's arms when they reached the main branch and Tanhi could not help but smile as she watched them. Jake's different birth notwithstanding, there was no shortage of affection between the two. Neytiri watched Rai'uk and Kyuna's families congratulate their children. Kyuna's new mount in particular was especially striking. Its color was quite unique, and when Kyuna met Tanhi's eyes she nodded her congratulations. The young huntress had never looked happier.

Tsaro landed next on his dark blue ikran. He was fairly beaming with pride, and Tanhi's experienced healer's gaze could tell that his struggle had been particularly intense. He was covered in small scrapes and a noticeable gash on his shoulder had been field dressed. They motioned a greeting to one another and Tanhi could not help but smile and laugh with him as his ikran messily licked his face. The two had fought hard, and they seemed to love each other with just as much passion now.

Tanhi's eyes darted about, but she did not see Kyle. Tsaro, who was hugging Marali, noticed her worried expression and simply pointed out into the distance. Tanhi shaded her eyes against the setting sun and could see two more ikran approaching Kelutral, flying in close formation. One was markedly larger than the other, and Tanhi naturally assumed that it was her father - he had always been bigger than life to her, after all.

Tanhi was thus quite surprised when the pair landed at the opposite end of the branch. Kyle's ikran was _huge! _Its imposing presence sent a noticeable ripple out through the other flying creatures that were there, and many of the Na'vi who were present murmured in appreciative amazement. Kyle's mount gazed around with hard eyes as it examined its new home, and Tanhi could not help but wonder how anyone could have tamed such a magnificent beast. It reared up, tall and silent and imposing as it took in all of the activity around it with the fierce eyes of a predator. She knew she should not stare into its eyes, but suddenly it was staring hard right at her and Tanhi could not bring herself to look away.

Mal'ek made to help Kyle down, but he carefully refused. He seemed pale and Tanhi noticed the slight shake in his hands that he was trying so hard to hide. He exchanged a few words with her father as he broke tsaheylu with his mount, and Kyle's eyes were soon searching the faces of those present; he was looking for her, Tanhi knew, and she began to carefully thread her way through the small crowd on the branch, her tail swishing with happiness and anticipation. He had made it!

Kyle caught sight of her and his face broke into a weary smile. Tanhi could see that he was pale and sweaty, but he did an admirable job at covering his weariness as she drew near to him. "You did it," she murmured as she reached up to brush away some of his sweat-dampened bangs from his forehead.

Swallowing tightly, Kyle replied in a whisper, "I'm just glad it's over." His eyes were stressed and darted nervously about before settling on her face. He almost looked sick.

Tanhi gently grasped one of his hands in hers, and she could feel his grip spasm before it became firm. "How was your first flight? Was it as wondrous as it is claimed to be? I know you were nervous about this."

Kyle's lips twitched up into a forced smile. "It was great," he said, and Tanhi watched in dismay as the mask went up behind his golden eyes.


	23. Chapter 23

**I give special thanks to Amaya Shinkuyoake for this chapter. She'll know when she gets there, as there is a certain indispensable part of this story that she helped me greatly with. ;-) Read on, read on, and enjoy!**

Chapter 23

Kyle had finally gained a modicum of privacy near his p'ah s'ivil chey, the rack near his nivi that held his meager worldly belongings. It was never close to being full at any given time. Kyle leaned against the wall for support as another tremor racked his stomach. The contraction passed, leaving Kyle gasping as he struggled to reinflate his lungs. His weapons harness suddenly seemed two sizes too small, and with a strangled groan reached back and tried to unfasten it. He moved desperately, as though its presence around him was keeping him from breathing.

Unfortunately his hands were shaking so badly that he could hardly feel the leather fastenings, and the completely irrational fear that he would suffocate rose up in his throat.

"Let me help," a voice whispered and suddenly Tanhi was beside him, working swiftly to help him remove the harness. If it had been different circumstances he might have found it amusing that she was helping him undress.

The harness fell away and Kyle gasped and inhaled greedily, like a baby taking its first breath, his chest expanding to its fullest capacity. Tanhi winced subconsciously as he turned away from her. The cruel scars along his back stood out in stark relief, illuminated just right by the soft glow of nearby bladder lanterns. He wore his waist guard almost all the time now, and the scars were only noticeable then if you really looked; Tanhi was unprepared to see them like this. "Thank you," she heard him whisper.

"Here," Tanhi murmured holding out a small water pouch. "You need to drink."

Kyle paused, his ears swiveling slightly as he took in her tone. He accepted the drinking bladder and drank deeply, coughing slightly as the liquid passed his tongue. It was not just water...

"I put some herbs in it to help settle your stomach," Tanhi informed him in a voice that seemed devoid of emotion. Kyle looked at her, torn between feeling grateful and...something else. Finally, it dawned on him. He was not talking to Tanhi, the woman he loved and desired as his mate - he was talking to Tanhi, the healer. Right now they were two very different people.

Kyle drew back every so slightly, his ears lowering just a little. "Thank you, ma'am," he said in an edged tone that was not entirely neutral.

Tanhi's eyes narrowed. "Nìprrte'," she shot back before she whirled around and disappeared into a gap in the trunk that lead to Kelutral's interior, leaving a stunned and irritated Kyle to process alone whatever had just transpired.

"Nice going genius," Kyle growled to himself. Another tremor gripped his body as his stomach dry-heaved as though bent on turning itself inside out. Kyle fell to one knee on the branch, his eyes tightly shut as he held his braid away just in case something did actually make it out of his mouth. For better or worse, he did not throw up.

Kyle moaned again and took another heavy swig from the drinking bladder, reveling in the dull, comforting warmth that the liquid spread through his stomach.

* * *

Tanhi was by one of the campfires some time later, a completely different person. She laughed, oohed, and awed as she listened with rapt fascination to each of the stories of the young hunters' Iknimaya. Rai'uk had no trouble expounding upon how great it was that he claimed his ikran in the shortest amount of time. After much cajoling Tsaro finally told his own story. He made it sound much less dramatic than it was, and as Kyuna and Tanhi pointed out various scrapes and bruises on him a little more of the titanic struggle would finally come out.

_"How did Kyle claim his ikran? Such a magnificent creature would not have submitted lightly,"_ Tanhi inquired in a careful tone.

The three hunters quickly grew quiet and looked almost uncomfortable. _"He has not told you his story?"_ Kyuna asked.

Tanhi swallowed. _"He has not. He is tired...and is resting now. I did not question this, after the difficult day that all of you have had."_

The others nodded, and Kyuna spoke again. She had heard... None of them had seen, but they had heard rumors. Jake and Mal'ek had been less than forthcoming, of course, but like Tanhi had just said, Kyle's ikran was a beast. And he was completely unmarked. _"You should let him tell you of this. It is his right as hunter."_

By silent agreement they all spoke no more of Kyle. With a bit of a churning in her gut, Tanhi realized that she had...well, lied, to cover for Kyle's absence. He was more than just tired...and in a fit of frustration Tanhi had left him alone. Alright fine, he had acted like a txìm and he had really pissed her off, but still...she should not have left him. Tanhi bid her friends goodnight and stepped away.

As Tanhi made her way back into Kelutral a strong hand gripped her wrist, startling her. She gasped and turned to find that it was Tsaro, who always seemed to sneak up on people almost without meaning to. _"Sorry,"_ he said when he realized he had scared her. _"I may be saying this out of turn... I overheard Jakesully and Mal'ek speaking. They are saying that Kyle did not choose his ikran. They say that it chose him."_

Tanhi's eyes widened as she heard this. _"What would this mean, Tsaro?"_ she asked in wonder.

Tsaro smiled tightly. _"I do not know. I do know that he is not only tired."_ Tanhi's bioluminescent spots flashed brighter for a moment. _"I also know that the flight back to Kelutral was very difficult for him."_ That was a supreme understatement. Jake had been Kyle's constant wingman, and Tsaro wondered if that was all that kept Kyle from bailing out right then and there in mid flight.

That skxawng! Why did he not speak of this? Tanhi thanked Tsaro and took off for one of Kelutral's spirals. Were all males so evasive? Or was it only Kyle? Tanhi eventually made her way back to the sleeping area, padding softly out of respect for her clan mates who had already bedded down for the night. She arrived at Kyle's nivi, but found him absent.

"Damnit," she hissed without thought. It seemed appropriate to curse in English in honor of Kyle. Tanhi carefully backtracked, breathing through her nose - Kyle's scent was faintly discernible amongst many others. She blinked in slight surprise when she realized that he had not come down from his nivi. Kyle's scent trail had doubled back up to the ikran roosts.

* * *

Kyle knew in his heart of hearts that he was not thinking clearly. "I'll just tell him to go home," he growled to himself as he weaved almost drunkenly up the narrow stairway. Eventually he had to start climbing individual branches. It's not like I'm going to be doing a whole lot of flying, right? I should just tell him - it - to go away. It would be cruel to keep such a creature here, away from his home.

Kyle shook his head and blinked furiously. Stop anthropomorphizing!

It was most disturbing for Kyle to find his giant ikran already waiting for him when he arrived on the main platform. The creature was crouched on the branch, wings folded up and back dragon-like, silently watching the passageway like some kind of guard dog, waiting for master to come home. Its skin glittered with dots and lines of bioluminescence, like a small constellation of stars trapped within a mortal body. Both pairs of eyes were staring intently at Kyle when he arrived, and they glimmered like cat eyes in the darkness. The aft pair shone a dull red in contrast to the soft green of the forward pair, and Kyle absently wondered if this was because of their ability to see deeper into the infrared spectrum.

Either way, it was creepy as hell.

"Shit, stop doing that," Kyle hissed irritably. The ikran blinked and snorted softly before casually stretching each of his wings. The great membranes extended taut with a snap like someone unfurling a sail before the ikran carefully resettled them, preening and adjusting each wing as it retracted. This action complete, it promptly resumed staring at Kyle.

Kyle's lips turned down in a frown. Damn thing was probably doing that on purpose, he thought as he reached back for his queue.

Upon seeing this action the ikran gurgled happily, an oddly childlike noise for such a massive creature, and offered him his own tswin. Kyle almost reached forward to rub the beast's dinosaurian head before he caught himself. It was not a pet, he was supposed to be telling it to go home. Right?

Their neural fibers reached out for one another, questing about in the air as they sought to make the bond. Kyle shivered and looked away when his braid connected with the ikran's tswin. It was so unlike a pa'li, this intelligence that was suddenly with his own. Kyle really did not feel comfortable with it.

_We fly again?_ the ikran asked, almost eagerly. No, definitely eagerly.

He had not felt much during the flight back from he mountains. Kyle made damn sure to keep the wall between them well maintained. Even so, he had felt splashes of joy and satisfaction coming up and over the wall, like great ocean waves pounding away at his resistance. _No,_ he thought. _I just wanted to let you know...you can go home, if you want. You don't need to stay here._

Kyle felt the ikran's puzzlement at this statement. _Home is where my hunter is,_ the creature countered.

Kyle sighed in exasperation and closed his eyes. He almost felt bad, like he was kicking some cute puppy that had followed him home. _I'm not your hunter. I won't be flying with you anymore._

The ikran leaned forward and bumped him gently with his head, and Kyle was so entranced in the bond that he almost fell over. _Why will you not fly with me?_ He felt the probing start again, and Kyle hissed and held his mental ground, not giving the ikran an inch beyond their conversation.

_Because I don't do flying anymore,_ Kyle gritted out in response.

He felt the hot flash of anger through the bond just before the ikran snapped his not-inconsiderable set of jaws right in Kyle's face, and Kyle gasped and took a step back before their physical connection drew him up short. For a second he thought the beast was going to turn on him - Kyle never had the benefit of a struggle with the creature, he had never proved himself to it like Tsaro had done with his ikran. Kyle had watched the obvious affection between those two with near-jealousy, and the feeling was conspicuous in its absence here. _You are as stupid as she said you would be,_ the ikran snarled through the link.

Kyle's heart was still pounding from his scare. _Wh...who said?_ he mentally squeaked.

_Trudychacon says, "Don't be a fucking coward,"_ the ikran relayed, the link still writhing with the animal's anger.

Kyle froze in place, his eyes flying wide as a shiver ran down his spine, all the way into his tail. Once Kyle got over the shock of being cursed at he began to quickly rifle through his brain, searching desperately for the reason that name sounded so familiar, and it did not take him long to reach a conclusion. No way. No fucking way...

That's it. Let the damn pterodactyl rot out here on this branch. _I'm going now,_ Kyle snapped through their bond as he grasped his braid and pulled. It had been a courtesy for him to set the thing free. He did not want the ikran, he never had.

Nothing happened. He was still bonded in tsaheylu.

Fuck! _Let go!_

_No!_ the ikran countered.

Kyle gave his braid a mighty tug backwards and immediately cried out in agony. It felt like he had tried to slide his brain out through the back of his skull, and the ikran let out a similar physical snarl of pain and actually hopped forward to relieve the strain between them. _Stop that, you idiot!_ the beast chastised.

He was still gasping from pain when he clenched his fists and stomped his bare foot on the branch. _What the hell? Who's the idiot here? I told you to let go, didn't I?_

Incredulously, the ikran spread his wings and bowed down. Kyle could see his long, fan-tipped tail stretching out behind him, wagging in anticipation. _We must go on First Flight now,_ he said.

Kyle blinked in surprise. _We already flew once. And I already told you, you damned lizard, I don't want to fly! Once was more than enough! _Were they seriously having this conversation?

The ikran huffed and Kyle was shocked to realize it was with amusement. _That was not First Flight! You were scared, like a helpless chick about to be eaten by Toruk!_

Kyle was appalled. _I...I wasn't scared,_ he said, but he regretted the lie the instant he thought it.

Another wave of anger fell over him and Kyle felt his own body and mind reciprocate. His ears lowered and his tail lashed behind him in response to the ikran's own gnashing jaws. Both of the tanhi adorning their bodies flashed brighter for a second; the ikran's skin illuminated in repeating aggressive waves of light. _Is this what I left my flock for? I brought myself down to you...for this? The All Mother must not have Seen the depth of your cowardice, of your ignorance. You are a fool to refuse to fly with me. You do not know what gift it is that you shun!_

Kyle almost slugged the beast on the nose before reason reasserted itself and he realized the questionable wisdom of assaulting an animal that could easily kill him. _I HAVE flown before, thank you very much! And I have no desire to do so again!_

The ikran cocked his head, a ridiculously intelligent gesture. _Where are your wings, Two Legs?_

Kyle mentally sputtered._ I...what? I don't have wings. It doesn't mean I don't know how to fly!_

_Show me,_ the creature demanded.

Kyle rolled his eyes and pulled up the necessary memories. He casually threw the flight binder at the ikran, pages upon pages of information and knowledge rustling about in the mental breeze. _There, I told you I knew what I was talking about,_ Kyle said disdainfully.

The ikran examined the proffered information eagerly and Kyle smiled slightly at the uptick of respect he felt from the creature. The Two Legs did not have wings of his own, but he knew about the wonder that was flying. He knew all about weight and lift, drag and thrust. Roll, pitch, and yaw. It was all there, but it was so needlessly complicated. And dispassionate. _You were one who kept the flying stones in the air,_ the ikran shot back.

Kyle frowned. _I guess you could put it like that..._

The ikran snorted again, and suddenly Kyle could see through its own eyes, its own memories. He was rushing downward with thousands of other ikran at...a squadron of helicopters? Kyle gasped - he could see a Valkyrie! Suddenly he landed hard on a Samson gunship, his wing-claws scrabbling for purchase against the cold metal surface. Kyle could see the pilot's terrified face; he watched in fascination as the man drew a sidearm and fired at him up through the windscreen.

That was what killed him - the pilot, that is.

Kyle hissed in sympathetic pain as he felt bullets graze his leathery, reptilian neck. In a fit of rage he reared back and plunged his head through the chopper's compromised windshield, wincing as he tasted the temporary rush of foreign air, like he had popped a balloon full of poison. He felt an inordinate amount of satisfaction as he felt his sharp teeth pierce pitifully fragile flesh. And then he was off searching the sky for more prey, the now pilotless Samson spinning downwards. _I have eaten little pink Two Legs like you,_ the ikran informed him coldly.

Kyle gulped. _Oh...,_ he said. _You were there?_

The ikran gave him a harsh mental laugh. _Was I there? I heard the All Mother's cry to battle! I was her general! Oh, yes, I was there._ The ikran sent Kyle soothing feelings as it sensed just how much it had disturbed the man by showing him this. _Tell me why it is that you fear that which you loved, even when it was only a faded shadow to you._

Kyle dropped to his knees before the ikran, his mind a complete befuddled mess. The ikran chirred comfortingly as it carefully stepped forward, supporting its upper body with its wing-claws. He curled his neck around Kyle in a protective gesture, gently rubbing his shoulder with his lower jaw. Kyle's eyes started watering and he angrily wiped at them. _I fell. I failed. I crashed, and I killed good people because of it._

The ikran could tell that Kyle was rapidly losing control of his emotions; he could feel his hunter's tumultuous feelings and every now and then a brief snippet, a flash of memory would play out before his eyes. _Show me,_ he repeated, softly this time.

Kyle could feel the beast's genuine curiosity. He sensed no judgement from the ikran. It was so strange...in some ways it was like talking with a six year old child, and in other ways it was like conversing with a wizened old man. Suddenly the ikran's presence was deep in his mind with him - how it had gotten past the front door Kyle had no idea, but he was too weak to keep fighting it. _How old are you? _Kyle asked. He was truly curious, and also wanted to desperately avoid the original question.

The response was quick. _I have seen the sun rise and set 43,257 times since I hatched,_ he said. _Do not change the subject._

Kyle's amazement at the ikran's answer swiftly faded. _I don't want to see it again, _Kyle moaned quietly.

_You face alone what you should face with your flock,_ the ikran observed after a moment. He gave a mental sigh and shake of his head. Sometimes Two Legs could be so dense. He had never had a rider of his own but, well, he had heard stories...

Then memories were rushing out, because try though he did, Kyle was unable to keep the flood of them contained any longer. Kyle felt anew the helpless rage that had coursed through his veins when he realized just how damaged his ship was up in orbit. He felt the pain and burning heat of reentry. Kyle cried out in fear as he watched the ground approaching - he was seeing this for the first time, actually, for his mind had kept these last moments of the crash locked away from him. How he had ever managed that landing was beyond him... Just a few feet. Just a few feet to either side, and all would have been lost.

The jolt of the Valkyrie striking the water stole his physical breath away. Beneath the ikran's sheltering wings Kyle's eyes grew wide with terror as his hands dug into the rough bark of the branch below him. The shuttle slid over the ground and Kyle cried out again as a horrifying vision of solid greenery filled his eyes. He hit the tree and the world began to spin and twist crazily, and suddenly the windshield was blown inwards, pelting him with hundreds of pieces of glass. Something struck him hard in the head, shattering his helmet, and now he was breathing poison; Kyle's Na'vi lungs choked at the memory, and for a moment he felt like he was suffocating. He felt the ikran's sympathetic shudder at this distinctly unpleasant sensation.

Kyle realized he was lying on his side on the hard bark of the giant tree limb, his breaths coming in short gasping pants as the vision faded. _Is that the whole of the story?_ the ikran asked him softly.

It was not. A brilliant pain ignited in Kyle's side as though he had just been stuck by a hot poker. Not only had someone stabbed him in the side with it, but now they were twisting the blazing firebrand around inside of him, pulverizing muscle and organs. The agony transferred through the bond of tsaheylu and the ikran let out a sharp shriek and collapsed almost on top of him. Its great reptilian head landed with a harsh thud right beside Kyle's, their faces only a few feet apart as they both gazed at each other with pain filled eyes.

Kyle groaned and gave his braid a weak but ultimately ineffectual tug. For whatever reason the bond was still unbreakable. _Sorry...,_ he mentally gasped. Not only had Kyle's ship, his baby, been mortally wounded, but he had been as well. These dual deaths had broken his heart and crushed his spirit.

The ikran's body quaked and shook as the phantom pain faded for both of them. _You face this alone no longer. Fly with me now, and know freedom like you have never known before._

Kyle growled and clenched his fists as he curled up into an undignified ball on the ground. _I...can't! Didn't you see that? Didn't you see what happened?_

Rather than being mad at his stubbornness, the ikran felt sympathy for this strange person with a broken spirit. _It is rare, but sometimes a chick is hatched that does not want to fly. Do you know what we do to such a one?_

Kyle blinked groggily and uncurled from position enough to look at the ikran. The creature's head was still resting on the branch beside him, and its eyes regarded him with cool, easy intelligence. He could feel something tickling the edges of his mind as he felt pieces of his shattered psyche slowly come back together. Whether it was his own doing or the ikran's, Kyle was not sure. _No...?_ The strange change of subject was enough to temporarily rouse him from his own self-pity and distract him from the odd sensations in his brain.

The ikran huffed and Kyle watched its eyes drifted shut with memory. _After enough time has passed, one of the parents will gather the chick in its mouth and cast it out of the nest._ The rather shocking mental image of a parent ikran, teeth carefully folded back, literally flinging a hatchling off the side of a cliff accompanied the explanation.

Kyle gasped in surprise, because for a brief second he felt that unique falling sensation rise up in the pit of his stomach. _That...seems rather cruel. What happens next?_

_It is not cruel, it is the best thing for the parent to do. What good is an ikran that will not fly? It would be better for such a thing to become meat for Eywa's other children. The chick must fly...or die._ Kyle felt a mild flash of embarrassment through their bond and he gasped softly as he understood. The ikran gave a mental chuckle in acknowledgment. _I am clearly one who managed to learn to fly._

Kyle and the ikran both winced as another phantom pain gripped both of them simultaneously. _Are you going to throw me off this branch? _Kyle inquired dryly once the discomfort had passed.

_Not my place,_ the ikran answered. _Trudychacon sent me to you. She asked me to teach you what you have forgotten. If you do not desire to learn, I will honor your wish and return to my place among my People._

Kyle's eyes flared wide in surprise, but before he could respond his queue separated from the ikran's tswin and he was left reeling from the sensation of being alone within his own mind again. Once freed, the giant rose up and shook itself out, panting softly from the exertion of their conversation and memory-sharing. The aerial creature settled back on his haunches and yawned lazily, the compound hinge of his jaw creaking slightly from the motion.

"Kyle? What are you doing?" a voice spoke from behind him, wavering slightly with uncertainty.

Kyle grunted in surprise and rolled over onto his back to face the tree's trunk. Tanhi was watching him from the entryway with wide, concerned eyes. "Tanhi? How long have you been there?" he asked as he flushed with embarrassment.

Tanhi swallowed nervously. "Long enough to be afraid for you. Are...are you well?" She had heard both Kyle and his ikran cry out, and truthfully she was absolutely terrified for him. Neither Kyle or his giant of an ikran seemed to be in a stable state of mind, and though it tore at her heart to hear him in pain, Tanhi had held her ground. She felt it the safest course of action for all involved.

Kyle continued to rest on the branch, panting softly as he considered her question. After a while he nodded slowly. "I think so," he replied quietly. He turned away from her and locked eyes with the enormous ikran. "I think I need to go flying now," he murmured.

He heard Tanhi gasp softly. "It is not safe to do so after nightfall," she said. "You are a hunter, Kyle. You know to respect the darkness." After a pause Tanhi pleaded, "Come back to your nivi. You need your rest after such a long and difficult day."

She was right. Still... "I will be safe," he said. The ikran snorted and tossed its head. Kyle suspected he would not stick around forever. Kyle rose up on shaky feet and grasped his braid in his hand, which he held out willingly this time. The ikran cackled softly and tilted his head, swinging around one of his tswin to meet up with Kyle's queue. "I'll be back, I promise," Kyle said as he climbed onto the ikran's back, rubbing his great leathery neck fondly. Mal'ek's riding instructions came swiftly back to him, and he settled down into the appropriate position.

"Kyle! I am sorry... I am sorry for being angry with you earlier," Tanhi said quickly.

Kyle gave her a swift look. "There is nothing to forgive. I was an ass. It is I who am sorry, Tanhi. I will come back soon. I'll be okay, I promise," he repeated as he felt the ikran shuffle restlessly beneath him. _Please do not throw me off the branch,_ he silently pleaded.

He could feel the ikran readying itself for flight, could feel the muscles tingling with anticipation, could feel the great bellow-like lungs expanding eagerly within the creature's chest. It huffed in what Kyle could now recognize as ikran amusement. _You have already jumped,_ he said. Muscles in the ikran's rear set of wings coiled and tightened like a spring, and its claws dug into the tree limb.

_Ready yourself._

Kyle was barely able to contain his near-panicked cry as the ikran dove out of the tree.

* * *

_I__f you squeeze any tighter, I may consider casting you off to relieve my discomfort,_ the ikran told Kyle in a completely serious tone of...mind.

_Sorry,_ Kyle replied sheepishly as he loosened his grip around the ikran's neck. He kept his eyes firmly closed and tried not to focus too hard on the sensation of the wind swirling around his body, whipping through his hair and pulling his tail straight out behind him. How the hell anyone found this experience enjoyable was completely beyond Kyle, and he found himself beginning to regret his impulsive move.

_You are still trying to fly when you do not have wings! Of course you are scared, without me you would fall to your death!_ the ikran scolded.

Kyle still had the presence of mind to feel irritated. _You know just what to say,_ he groused. Kyle suddenly felt a mental whirlpool grip him and he felt himself sliding through the link into the ikran's mind. _Whoa...hey!_

The ikran snorted in exasperation. _Calm, little one. Just...feel. Stop your squirming, and just feel._

So Kyle did. He stopped fighting to remain in his own mind and instead did as the ikran asked; he simply felt all that the ikran did.

And what a change it was! Suddenly the whole world opened up to Kyle, and he gasped from atop the ikran's back. He could see through the other's eyes...all four of them. The ikran's vision would put a terran eagle to shame. Even at night, Kyle could see _everything_ through the ikran's eyes, every flicker of movement from leaves rustling in the breeze, every tiny arboreal creature flitting about in the beautifully bioluminescent treetops... And the aft pair, sensitive as they were to infrared, revealed everything in shades of heat. No living thing remained unknown for long to the ikran.

The breeze rushing by the ikran's head was _alive_ with information. The sensor pits lining the ikran's face were similar to the pitot tube of an aircraft...and yet, they were so much more. Airspeed (vertical and horizontal), density, temperature, moisture content. All of that information was available to Kyle, too. He focused intently on the sensations coming from the sensor organs and was completely amazed at the mental gymnastics that his ikran was constantly up to as he analyzed, processed, and applied the information. Minuscule nuances in the breeze were understood and translating to a subtle roll of the body, twist of the wing tips, or flick of the tail.

They were already prepared for the next motion of air the instant the first tendrils of breeze caressed their face. _My God..._ Kyle breathed in amazement. The ikran was the perfect flying instrument, wholly suited to a life in the air. Now Kyle understood what the ikran had meant when it called his understanding of flying a "faded shadow." Despite all his years of experience, Kyle realized he had not the slightest clue as to what he had been missing.

_No, it is only me, _the ikran purred with pride, and Kyle could not help but smile. _Keep feeling,_ his mount encouraged through a joyful rush of pure satisfaction.

Kyle reveled in the effortless motion of the ikran's wings, he bathed himself in the feeling of power that washed over him when the air was bent to their will with each flap. And when they chose not to exert themselves, they rode with deceptive ease upon the gentle currents of heated air that still rose up from the jungle below as the earth continued to shed the heat it had pleasantly gained throughout the day. No atmospheric breath, however slight it might be, was wasted. Each was taken advantage of and put to full use to propel them along their way.

The ikran passed gentle instructions up through the link to his rider. Hold your body this way...lean left when I bank like so...rock back...lean forward... Soon the two of them were having a wordless conversation as the ikran carefully instructed Kyle on how to best hold his own body in flight so that the two would not contradict one another. It was the short work of a few minute's instruction before the two of them were working together with one mind and one body.

After a while Kyle felt a more basic sensation underneath the ikran's intelligence. Kyle realized he was hungry, and he answered the unspoken question with, _Of course._

They flew low over the river and Kyle soon found himself searching along with his mount for prey, his own stomach beginning to rumble with sympathetic hunger pangs. They dropped lower until Kyle could swear he felt gentle tickles on his belly as they brushed the surface of the river. Every now and then the ikran would flap once or twice to provide just enough lift to keep them aloft; they were low enough that the tips of the ikran's wings would brush the water with each flap, and twin ripples of light would spread out behind them on the river in their wake.

Each touch against the water's surface was like a gentle caress against Kyle's own fingertips, and he could not help but smile at the sensation.

_There!_ the ikran exclaimed. Up ahead Kyle could see a school of large fish just below the surface of the water, their sleek bodies only slightly warmer than their watery home - it was just enough of a difference for the ikran's sharp eyes to notice. Still, Kyle puzzled over just exactly how his ikran intended to catch a fish mid flight...

The question was answered as they overflew the school. The ikran carefully lowered the very tip of his lower jaw crest into the water, the action casting a fine spray up and over the ikran's back. Kyle sputtered and laughed and crouched closer down against the ikran's neck. The fish sensed the disturbance too late and at the last second the ikran dipped his head fractionally lower, catching a fish on the upper surface of his crest. A quick flick of the head was all it took to loft his prey into his mouth, and the unfortunate fish was quickly grasped by the ikran's rearward slanting teeth.

Altitude was gained with a few strong wingbeats, and with another deft flick of the head Kyle's ikran swallowed the entire fish whole in one gulp. Instantly, both of them felt markedly more satisfied. _I will eat more later,_ the ikran informed Kyle. _We have more flying to do, yes?_ Kyle heartily agreed with this sentiment.

Time passed. Maybe it was hours, or only minutes, Kyle had no idea. But it was enough. Kyle felt a joyful laugh bubble up from within him as he finally found a sense of peace and rest within his spirit that he long ago given up hope of discovering. The weight he had been trudging along with was gone, its burden noticeable only now in its absence.

No longer was the wind fighting to fling him away to his doom; it had ceased to be something for him to fear once he began to understand it. It still rushed in a rather irritating way over his face - he was without a riding visor and he had to squint into the airstream to use his own eyes. So with a mental shrug he kept his eyes peacefully closed and allowed the ikran to see for both of them.

_Now you are beginning to understand,_ the ikran rumbled with approval.

Kyle breathed in the fresh air deeply. _Thank you for helping me See that which I've been blind to,_ he replied honestly. A memory tickled the back of his mind, making him frown slightly. What will you name your ikran? Kyle blushed - he had put zero thought into such a concept, for one way or another he never expected to need one. _You are worthy of a great title, but I have none to give you,_ Kyle admitted after a moment.

_Hmmm,_ the creature hummed, and Kyle could feel his mental gears churning in his mind. _I will be Txopuluke,_ the giant declared.

Kyle mulled the word over in his mind. _It is a fitting name for one so magnificent,_ Kyle replied honestly. _Fearless is surely what you are._

Txopuluke gave a mental shrug as he accepted the compliment. _P__erhaps. It was you who gave me the idea. You are Fearless, too._

_

* * *

_

Tanhi waited, fidgeting anxiously for Kyle to return. Something big had transpired, and she had no idea whether or not it was a good or bad thing. All she had sensed from Kyle since his return from Iknimaya was fear and anxiety. His normally dashing confidence was gone, and Tanhi shuddered as she realized how much she herself leaned on that strength.

Her prayers to Eywa had been answered, but at what cost? The man that had returned to her was markedly different from the one who had left, and Tanhi was not convinced it was a change for the better. The surge of irritation that she felt might have been amusing if its subject had not been so serious: damnit all, they were only just recovering from Kyle's near-death experience...and now this!

The sound of stealthily fluttering wings reached Tanhi's ears and she felt the _thump_ of something large landing on the same branch that she was standing on. They were back! Not even counting the fact that Kyle was the only hunter absent at this hour, the huge ikran crouched on the branch before her was unmistakable.

As was the handsome, now serene face of its rider. Tanhi gasped softly - Kyle looked the same, yet different. Tanhi puzzled over this as she watched him crouch down over the ikran's neck, stroking its hide lovingly and whispering silent words to it. He dismounted in a single fluid motion, as though he had been doing so his entire life. Kyle and the ikran moved as one - the subtle dip of the ikran's shoulder, the precise twist of Kyle's body as he landed soundlessly on the branch beside his mount. Even the way that they always seemed to be glancing almost imperceptibly in different directions, three pairs of eyes always on the alert, always seeing and knowing.

Tanhi froze when those three sets of eyes landed on her and pinned her firmly. And then Kyle smiled, his face lighting up with affection and affirmation, and Tanhi knew with certainty that the man she loved was back. He extended his arm, hand up, beckoning. So of course Tanhi instantly dashed to him and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce and possessive hug.

He held her just as fiercely, and Tanhi relaxed as she reveled in the strength of his arms. "Did you find that which you were seeking?" she asked Kyle softly.

"Yes," came the quick, positive response. Tanhi pulled back so that she could look at his face, inches as it was from her's. Kyle radiated an unshakable resolve that Tanhi had only felt hints of before, and she pondered what could have brought about such a change in him.

Tanhi smiled, faint lines of amusement crinkling her face. "My yawntu left tonight. I was afraid for him, for he was not well. Have you seen him, brave hunter?"

Kyle frowned thoughtfully even as his eyes glinted with mischievous humor. "I have not seen him," he answered in a conspiratorial whisper as he squeezed his arms around her just a little tighter. "But, if you would permit it, I would keep you company until he returns. One as beautiful as you should not ever have to be alone."

Tanhi snorted softly with suppressed laughter, but she grew quite still as Kyle leaned forward, his lips brushing the tip of her nose. Kyle was just about to claim her mouth with a kiss when a voice rudely interrupted him, blooming unbidden within his mind. _Who is this? Is this female your mate? She does not smell nearly enough like you for her to be your mate. You should spend more time with her, make her smell like you do._

Kyle croaked ungracefully and jumped a little in Tanhi's arms. He had completely forgotten that he was still bonded in tsaheylu with Txopuluke. He turned and glared at the ikran, which would have been grinning impishly had it the lips to do so. "That's none of your damn business," he growled, but Tanhi could detect no animosity in his voice.

Before Txopuluke could respond Kyle separated his queue and pushed on the ikran's head. Surprisingly, the great beast yielded, shuffling backwards as it cackled softly. After pounding out a flurry of strong wing beats, he ascended up out of sight amongst the branches that held the rest of the clan's ikran.

Tanhi chuckled as she watched the one sided exchange. "What did he say?" she asked once the wind from the creature's departure had abated.

Kyle blushed, his tanhi brightening noticeably along his face and neck. "Nothing. I'll...I'll tell you later," he stuttered. Much later.

The transition from dashing and confident to embarrassed and stuttering was inordinately humorous to Tanhi. It made her love Kyle all the more, the fact that the man was capable of such a wide range of emotions. With a contented sigh she realized he was not hiding anything anymore. "Tell me now?" she pressed with a smile as she began to outline some of the dark stripes on his chest with her fingers.

"Stop it," Kyle murmured, though the purring noise that he had just been making seemed to contradict his words. He carefully took hold of her hand, halting her motions. "You're gonna get me in big trouble if you keep doing that."

Tanhi chuckled, but her humor turned into a sharp gasp as she felt Kyle's other hand gently move up beneath her necklace to caress the underside of the firm swell of her breast. She quickly gripped his wrist and gave him a stern look. "Behave," she said, even as she fought against the tingles of arousal that made her shiver slightly.

Kyle smirked, his eyes dancing with mirth. "See what I mean? It's your fault. You started it."

"I shall end it, then," Tanhi replied. Despite her words she was breathing heavily and one of Kyle's eyebrows quirked up, evidence that he had definitely noticed.

Showing supreme self control, Kyle gently extracted his hands from Tanhi's grip and placed them chastely on her upper arms. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers as his eyes drifted shut. "Crap, I don't think I can kiss you right now without going too far." Behind him his tail lashed and curled with frustration.

Tanhi smiled slightly at the stressed look on his face. They were close, so close to finally being together. She swiftly pressed her lips against the corner of his mouth and felt quite pleased at the shocked look on Kyle's face, at the way his ears stood up to attention and the way his eyes flared open with surprise. "Then do not kiss me," she said with a laugh. She stepped back and gripped one of his hands within hers, pulling him along. "It is late. Are you going to sleep up here?"

Kyle chuckled as well and let her lead him to the branches that descended to Kelutral's lower levels.

"Do you have a name for your ikran yet?" Tanhi called out over her shoulder. She stopped on a branch and Kyle, who had been busy trying to catch her tail, almost ran right into her.

The two of them laughed as they held onto each other to avoid falling right off of the limb, and this had the unintentional but not undesirable consequence of bringing their bodies into close contact once again. Kyle steadied Tanhi with an arm around her waist, and with his other hand he brushed aside some of the braided strands of hair that had fallen across her face. "His name is Txopuluke," Kyle answered quietly.

Tanhi's golden eyes sparkled as a smile spread over her face. "It is a good, strong name for him. Perhaps it is a fitting name for you now, too?"

Kyle tilted his head slightly as a quizzical grin tugged at his lips. "Funny, he said the same thing to me tonight."

Tanhi's smile widened and she lovingly squeezed Kyle's waist before releasing him. "Then it must be true," she told him in a soft voice.

* * *

_"What is it that you are thinking of, my Jake?"_ Neytiri asked as soon as she had finished covering every square inch of his face with kisses. Her naked body rested on top of his equally nude one, and she smiled at the comforting sensation of her rising and falling with each of his strong breaths.

Jake smiled up at her as well, his face still dampened with sweat. _"I am thinking that you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I am also trying to figure out what amazing thing it was that I did to deserve a mate like you."_

Neytiri snorted softly with amusement. She could sense through tsaheylu that Jake was not exactly that full of himself. _"I could think of several things,"_ she whispered, playing along. One of Jake's hands slid down Neytiri's side to rub at the edge of her taut stomach, and she knew his question before he ever spoke it. _"I will be with child when Eywa is ready,"_ she told him quietly.

"Eywa is taking too damn long," Jake growled in frustrated English.

His own burst of frustration freed up one of Neytiri's old doubts, and this time it was Jake who answered the question before she could utter it aloud.

_"We are able, my Love. It is as you say. Eywa will provide, when she deems it time,"_ he said with a sigh. Jake supposed he could deal with it if it was only a matter of patience. Still...almost two years? Many other parents in the clan had born children. The Omaticaya needed to renew their numbers, and it tore at Jake's heart on multiple levels that he and Neytiri seemed unable to do their part.

That had been a supremely awkward conversation to have with Max and Janelle. Um, does my junk still work right? Jake's avatar had only spent one night at Hell's Gate, and they had not yet implanted the sterility device that the RDA deemed necessary. And even if they had, Max had promised, it was not permanent.

Jake had borne this fear with greater strength than Neytiri had, ironically enough. It was a strange reversal of roles; after all, it was Jake's body that was potentially defective, not Neytiri's. Neytiri had only discovered just how much this fear had disturbed Jake after the fact. It was one of the more less-than-desirable secrets he had buried deep down in his mind.

Of course, Max had explained, just because Jake's body might be _allowed_ to procreate did not mean it was necessarily _able_ to. There was a distinct difference, unfortunately. Janelle had run some tests at Jake's request, and the results had been positive. There was no reason, medically at least, that Jake should be unable to bear children. It was simply unknown territory, though.

_"You will make a fine father, Jake,"_ Neytiri told him. That was the darndest thing about tsaheylu. It was an amazing conversation facilitator, to say the least. Jake felt her sincerity through the bond as she added her own mental fortitude to her words. _I would not say it if I did not mean it._

They continued to simply lay in one another's arms in silence for a while. Their minds wandered aimlessly within their interconnected world, and it was during one of these casual forays that Neytiri declared with only slight frustration, _"Our children are not all that concerns you."_

Jake sighed, resigned. He did not try to hide things from Neytiri anymore. That did not mean he needed to volunteer all of his thoughts to her, did it? That question's answer varied wildly depending on who you asked it to, however. "I'm worried about the next ship, Neytiri. I'm afraid for us. I don't want more fighting," Jake admitted.

Neytiri let her head rest against Jake's broad chest with a sigh. Her Jake was a powerful and clever warrior. He was good at making war...but he did not enjoy it, which ultimately spoke well of him. She had never suspected that he was capable of such violence. When she had first laid eyes on him, when he was stumbling around blindly through the forest like a child...he had seemed so innocent and, well, stupid. Neytiri was rather ashamed to admit that there were many times in the past that she had failed to See him. _"We will find a way to overcome, Jake. We will do so together. You do not face this alone."_

Suddenly Neytiri shivered, as though the end of her queue had been dipped in ice water. Jake's emotions changed with startling rapidity, like a great slumbering beast tossing and turning in its sleep as it came frightfully close to waking up. The fact that Neytiri knew such feelings could never be directed at her was of small comfort. "Of course we will, Neytiri," Jake said. "I only hope we find a way to overcome that does not cost too many lives. Because if they push it, I will kill them all. I'll kill every last one of them."

Neytiri could detect not a trace of a lie in Jake's words.

* * *

Anthony Silva read the orders on the data pad. He sighed and craned his head back, stretching out the kinks in his neck. Unfortunately this put his face squarely in the fluorescent lights' line of fire and he winced as their cold glare exacerbated his headache. "Bitch," he muttered to no one in particular. With a groan he let his chin settle to his chest and he rubbed his eyes, tiredly searching for some kind of relief.

He reread the words on the data pad, and to his dismay he found them unchanged. He had in fact understood the words from RDA Central correctly the first time. "Captain?" a voice carefully intruded on his thoughts, for which he was grateful.

Silva blinked and grunted noncommittally. "Yes, Tyler?" Tyler Hall, the ISV _Commerce Star's_ second-in-command. Young, sometimes impulsive, and eager to prove himself. Prove himself to who, Silva did not always know. Out here, Silva could easily take on a God-complex. Who else's opinion in the entire universe could possibly matter more than mine? He thought back to the orders on the data pad and cursed silently; the micromanaging _never_ seemed to stop.

Hall gave Silva a shrewd look. Silva was not much older than he was, and it was the captain's first "solo" run. The captain was rail thin, and the stress that piled on the man only seemed to subtract from his body mass. It did not, however, subtract from his steely personality. The weak of mind had a snowball's chance in hell to serve as an ISV captain. "We're flipped and 100 percent lined up. Ready to commence the deceleration burn at your command."

Silva grunted again before responding. "You checked the figures?"

One of Hall's eyebrows rose. "Yes," he responded succinctly.

A faint smile turned up one corner of Silva's mouth. It had seemed a stroke of genius to put his Second in charge of lining up the ship for deceleration. Hall was doubly motivated to do the job correctly - it would look good to any one of importance to have his stamp of approval on the complex calculations involved. And secondly, well, if he had fucked up by even a thousandth of a degree, the _Commerce Star_ would tear herself apart the instant her matter-antimatter drive ignited. That would be no good for anyone's career. No, Silva was quite confident that Hall had made the necessary accurate calculations.

"You have the conn, Hall," Silva said in an almost absent tone of voice. He had checked Hall's figures without his knowledge and had found them more than satisfactory. After all, he intended to be around well after this Pandoran run in order to enjoy his considerable paycheck.

Hall straightened imperceptibly. "I have the conn," he announced, and he tried not to swell too noticeably upon hearing the affirmative responses of the rest of the bridge crew. Hall tapped his transmitter, dialing it into the ship's 1MC. "Rig ship for zero gravity. All stations report when complete." Hall's voice, impressively devoid of emotion, sounded out for all to hear.

Throughout the crew module, personnel scrambled to prepare for the approaching absence of gravity. Before the ISV could begin to slow down the duty modules had to cease rotating, for they would need to fold down parallel with the length of the ship. Gravity would soon return to the tune of nearly 150 percent earth-normal at its peak as the interstellar engines fired for the braking maneuver. The period of excessive gravity would not be long, but it would be noticeable. For a few months everyone would be feeling much heavier than they had been used to.

Hall watched a lighted control board, informally called the "Christmas Tree," slowly change from red indications to all green. Once all stations reported in affirmatively, Hall gave the order for the dual crew modules to cease rotation. Within minutes the comforting pull of gravity was gone and Silva calmly braced himself against the ceiling as he watched Hall work.

Next the order was given to fold the crew modules down along the ship's longitudinal axis. After several minutes of mechanical whirring, the motion was complete. Almost casually Silva inquired, "Oh, did you happen to check to ensure that Valkyrie 38 was all buttoned down?" Several weeks earlier they had needed to take the shuttle out to do some exterior inspections. If it had not been properly re-secured it would tear free of its mountings as soon as the engines ignited. Such an event was one of numerous catastrophic occurrences that could potentially kill all of them.

To Silva's immense satisfaction Hall's response was a quick and sure, "Yes, sir."

"Carry on," Silva murmured.

The two men's eyes met as Hall gave the final order to the helm to activate the matter-antimatter engines. Hall had been in command of the 180 degree rotation that the _Commerce Star _needed to perform in order to line up for deceleration. The entire ship was essentially a human-habitable section attached to a tractor engine by a nearly kilometer long tow rope. The truss connecting the engines to the rest of the ship possessed the bare amount of torsional rigidity for such a maneuver, and Hall had executed that difficult task with near perfection. This would be the final demonstration of Hall's success.

"Commence burn on my mark," Hall said, his eyes never leaving Silva's. The captain's gaze was calm and inscrutable. If he was going to step in, if Hall had screwed up somehow, he gave no sign of it. After checking all of the necessary readouts and with a final look at his watch Hall said simply, "Mark."

Far away up in the _Commerce Star's _bow, hydrogen and anti-hydrogen were released to mix together, and the two opposing forms of matter promptly annihilated one another upon contact. The massive release of cosmic energy was directed via ultra-powerful magnetic fields into an exhaust plume that blasted out of the twin engines, transforming into a brilliant plasma flare millions of times brighter than a welding arc.

The flare quickly drew out to its full and impressive length of 30 kilometers. Inside the bridge Hall watched a holographic display tick down their speed as the _Commerce Star _began to lose headway from the 210,000 kilometer per second rate she had been traveling at for the past 5.83 years. The _Commerce Star _began to creak and groan as she began to experience stresses and strains that had not taxed her frame in many years. She was built well, though, and everything held true. Not a single warning lamp illuminated. The RDA, of course, had spared no expense.

Almost imperceptibly, weight began to return to him and Silva let himself drift downwards towards the bridge's decking; he landed easily on his feet like some kind of superman. Across from him Hall was doing the same thing. "Well done, Tyler," Silva complimented after a moment. They had not died, not that Silva had really expected them to.

Hall dipped his head in an unusually humble motion. "Do you wish to take over again, sir?"

Silva sighed and shook his head. "No, you are still in command. I'm going to go thaw out Colonel Barnes and a few other Sec-Ops men. We've got some work to do before things get too heavy around here. Certainly before we make orbit over Pandora."

Hall frowned thoughtfully. "Can we afford the extra drain on resources so early?"

Silva snorted and rolled his eyes. This would cut deeply into their reserves. It would all but eliminate them, in fact. "Start taking shallow breaths," Silva responded dryly.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the, ah, situation we're flying into, would it?" Hall asked carefully.

Silva gave him a look. What a dumb-assed question. "What else would it be about?"

* * *

In the dim control room at Hell's Gate, Hoshiro and Max silently observed the picture hovering over the holo-table. The _Commerce Star_ had just reached the edge of the Alpha Centauri system, moving like a small, manmade comet. "Standard braking maneuver," Miles murmured from where he was casually slouched in a chair. "They've continued ignoring all our hails, haven't they," Miles stated more than asked.

Hoshiro nodded silently.

"How long do we have?" Max quietly asked.

Hoshiro and Miles answered at the same time. "Four months."

Norm sighed from his own chair beside Miles'. "This isn't going to go over as smoothly as the last ISV, is it?" he asked in a grouchy tone.

Max snorted. "Was the last time around particularly easy? I sure didn't think so."

"I fear this will not be a...pleasant event," Hoshiro murmured quietly. Everyone else fell silent as they thought their own private thoughts and stared raptly at the hologram, which somehow mesmerized all present like some kind of timeless flickering campfire.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

If there was one single notable benefit to having the population of Hell's Gate be so depleted, it was the overabundance of coffee.

Not the fake crap, mind you, but the real deal; genuine, all organic, wholesome beans straight from the New Republic of Papua New Guinea. Granted, being freeze dried in order to preserve it for a nearly six year space flight took some of the kick out of it, but if that was the cost, Norm would pay it gladly a thousand times over. This was the kind of coffee that seemed to endow a person with superhuman endurance by simply smelling its tantalizing aroma. God bless the RDA for recognizing the proper necessity of importing at great expense the real thing, even if it had only originally been intended for those with a pay grade above your average peon avatar driver.

And if ever there was something that Norm actually looked forward to about waking up in his human form, it was coffee. In a strange (Norm thought it cruel, actually) twist of fate, it turns out that avatars and Na'vi do not respond too well to the uniquely terran brew. The results were similar to a human slamming back too much vodka too quickly. But not only would the avatar driver act more than a little drunk, he would act hyper as well, as though the caffeine had transmogrified straight into pure adrenaline. And a 10 foot tall, incredibly strong, hyper-drunk individual was generally not a good thing.

As Norm walked down the hallway towards the biolab, cradling his steaming mug of coffee with the kind of tenderness and care one usually reserves for a baby, he smiled slightly to himself. This was perhaps the single thing he pitied the Na'vi for in life - they could never experience the wonder, the amazement, the wholesome, soul-warming goodness that was coffee.

Norm was not afraid or ashamed to admit that he missed a good latte, or cappuccino, or his personal favorite, the mocha. Dark chocolate mocha, thank you very much. Fresh milk, regrettably, would not survive the trip from Earth. The reconstituted junk that they had to use at Hell's Gate was useless for making any kind of steamed, frothy drink, and to Norm it would have been a heinous crime to proceed with such a frankensteinian creation without the proper ingredients.

Tom had always teased him about his weakness. "We gonna have to stop and grab one of your girly foo-foo drinks again?" he would say back when they were in training.

Norm would look positively horrified, as if Tom had just implied that the Earth might stop orbiting the sun. "Yes!" he would say. "The day would be wasted if we did not!"

Thus they would have to get up extra early so that they could stop at the no-name, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop that Norm had discovered in San Diego. No ubiquitous, impersonal chain cafe for me, thank you kindly. "Good grief, this is a crime, Norm! They're robbing you blind, can't you see? You should just sell the barista your avatar. It might cover the cost for your addiction for the next three weeks," Tom had said as he squinted at the menu that was displayed by the door.

"This is quality though, Tom! Do you know how many additives are in the slop they pawn off as food these days? Do you think they can seriously just _give_ this kind of goodness away?" Norm had tried explaining this to Tom, but it seemed like it was the same conversation every damn morning. For all of his brilliance, Tom Sully was clueless about good coffee.

"Why can't you just get a cup from a vending machine when we get there? It'd be a heck of a lot cheaper," Tom asked.

Tom's intentions may have been good, but Norm recoiled with the same sense of urgency as a vampire from holy water. "Tom. Are you actively _trying_ to have me killed?"

They stepped into the shop and waited patiently in line. Or rather, Norm waited patiently while Tom complained endlessly. Norm picked his poison, a double-shot dark chocolate mocha with coconut and hazelnut flavors. Tom's eyes almost bugged out of his head when he saw Norm's total. "Norman. If you pay 21 dollars for that, I will end you. Right here, right now. Our friendship is finished. My respect for you will be shattered."

Norm scowled at Tom and surrendered his credit card to the cashier. "Deal with it," he groused.

_"Maybe if you offered her some kind of sexual favor she might take a portion off of the amount,"_ Tom deadpanned in perfect Na'vi just as the cashier's hand brushed Norm's. How he had ever learned to talk dirty using such a beautiful language was a complete mystery to Norm.

"What did he just say?" the pretty redhead behind the counter asked curiously as she processed Norm's payment.

Norm jolted as though shocked and turned a remarkable shade of crimson. It almost matched the clearly artificial red of the cashier's hair, in fact. _"Be quiet, moron," _he shot back. Not the most brilliant of retorts, but Norm could not say what he wished to in Na'vi. And he could not say it in English, either - he did not have his drink yet, and he did not want to get kicked out of the shop for being vulgar without his coffee, damnit.

Tom sniggered. _"You are speaking too formal. I feel like I was just scolded by my mother. I'm terrified!"_

The baristas, for their part, watched the exchange of gibberish between the two men with expressions ranging from puzzled to concerned.

Norm whirled around to face the cashier again. "Wait. Please add a small black coffee to that. We need to take slow, cautious steps for the skxawng here."

The girl blinked at him like a deer caught in the headlights. "Small regular. Right..." she said as she gamely went about pouring a second cup.

Tom sputtered as he waved his hands in the air as if he were trying to signal a plane to divert. "Wait! Norm, that's still 11 bucks! You don't have to do that!"

"You need a conversion experience, Tom," Norm declared. "I won't waste the good stuff on you just yet, but alas, we need to start somewhere." Norm accepted his drink with barely contained glee and thrust Tom's precious five ounces of black gold into his hand. "Shut up, drink, and be happy," Norm commanded as they trotted down the cafe's steps and reentered the flow of humanity on the sidewalk.

Norm watched out of the corner of his eye as Tom took a dubious sip. Tom's eyes flared wide and he suddenly stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk, earning a fair amount of complaints from busy commuters who almost ran right into him. Tom gasped (Norm would later swear he saw tears of happiness in his eyes, which Tom would firmly deny) and took another sip. "Fuck me sideways, this is brilliant, simply...heavenly! Why have you been keeping this a secret, Norm? I thought you were my friend!"

Norm's mouth fell open as he stared at Tom as though he had turned blue and sprouted a tail right there in public. "I...what? Tom, you bastard!" Norm threw his hand in the air - the one that did not contain his precious latte - and stormed away muttering something about the ungrateful stupidity of some people. Tom's laughter carried down the sidewalk after him, irking him all the more.

Norm smiled at this memory as the biolab door slid open. He was holding Tom's drink in his hand, with the only modifier being a teaspoon of imitation sugar to assuage Norm's sweet-tooth. Tom never graduated to anything beyond basic black coffee - "Too damned expensive," he had grumbled. Norm gave him credit, though, for Tom would refuse to drink anything of inferior quality.

"G'morning," Norm greeted the various scientists who were already there. Norm weaved his way between counters and benches as he approached his own work station. His doctorate was in anthropology, and to be sure he put that line of study to good use through his time spent with the Omaticaya. He found himself dabbling in botany more and more, however, which was due in no small part to a sense of obligation that he felt to Grace.

"'Morning, Dr. Spellman," a woman's voice spoke, surprising Norm. Amber smiled as she caught the fleeting look of abject terror on Norm's face as his coffee sloshed dangerously close to the edge of his mug. "Don't spill," she said dryly.

Norm had not noticed Amber sitting at the station adjacent to the one he normally used. "Oh. Good morning, Dr. Ferris," he managed as he set his mug safely down on the counter. "You scared me! I though you would be in link already."

Amber shrugged and leaned back in her chair as she took a break from her own work. "Not yet. I wanted to wait for you, actually."

Norm blinked. "Oh...?" he said slowly.

Amber smiled and rolled her eyes. "Kyle passed his Iknimaya. You unlinked before they got back yesterday...I didn't know if you had found out or not yet, but I figured you would like to know."

As Norm settled into his own chair he sighed with relief. "I didn't know, actually. It's not that I forgot, it's just that with everything that happened yesterday... Hell, it'll do me no good to dwell on something that I can't control." Norm shrugged. "I figured Kyle would be alright. He's never been one to let anything stand between him and what he wants."

Amber frowned a bit in confusion. "He really didn't seem like he was looking forward to his Iknimaya," she said.

Norm snorted. "That's not exactly what I was talking about," he responded.

Amber caught onto Norm's meaning and blushed slightly. "Right," she said, and cleared her throat nervously to signal a change of subject. "About what happened yesterday, at Utral Aymokriya..."

"Thank you for staying with me," Norm said quickly. He swallowed nervously and ran his finger around the rim of his coffee mug.

Amber blinked a few times. "You're welcome," she said slowly. She had not been fishing for gratitude on that one. Amber was terribly curious about what had transpired while he had been linked to the tree... He had been out for almost eight hours! What had happened to him? She remembered what Jake had told her, that he might well have been somehow communing with his dead girlfriend. Amber shuddered a bit. That was only a little creepy...

"I am going to try to catch up on some cataloging before I link. See you at Hometree in a bit?" Norm asked suddenly.

Amber correctly sensed that their inevitable awkwardness had reached its apogee and it was probably time to make her exit. She smiled wanly and nodded as she rose. "See you in a bit."

Norm let out a relieved breath that he did not know he had been holding as Amber left. He resisted the urge to watch her leave, to watch the way her length of blond hair swayed against her back. Other than a necessary trim or two, she had not cut it since she had arrived on Pandora. Amber had gathered all of her long blond hair and braided it into a single plait, a blond queue that flowed down to below her mid back. Norm thought it made her look all the more like some kind of beautiful Norse goddess version of her avatar.

Get back to cataloging. It was boring and mindless, something easy that he could do with his limited experience with botany, but was still quite helpful to the other scientists. Besides, he thought as he took another sip of his coffee, I get to enjoy this treat a little longer.

The sound of a crash, of glass breaking and of a pained yelp jolted Norm out of his boredom several minutes later. He quickly stood to see what the commotion was about when he heard Amber's pained cursing.

The individual in question was clutching her left hand, which was dripping a profuse amount of blood onto the counter, which was in turn littered with the shattered remains of some type of lab glassware. Without thought Norm dashed to her side, scooping up a clean lab rag as he went.

"I'm sorry!" Dr. Ramirez was saying. "Crap, let me get a trauma kit."

"No, it's fine," Amber gritted out through clenched teeth. "Damn beaker jumped right out of my hand. It was my own fault."

"I got it," Norm heard himself saying, pausing Dr. Ramirez in his steps. "Here, let me see," he said softly as he tenderly grasped Amber's bloody hand. There was still an impressive shard of glass imbedded in her fourth finger and she reflexively reached up to pull it out. "Don't!" Norm said quickly as he pressed the rag down around some of the other cuts to help stem the bleeding.

"Should I get Dr. Mirhadi?" Dr. Ramirez asked hesitantly. "Shit, you were helping me. It's all my fault!"

Norm looked up at the concerned man and for the first time noticed that nearly everyone in the room was watching. Would he have jumped that quickly to anyone else's aid? He honestly could not find the answer to that question. "No, I got it," Norm repeated as he struggled to keep his cheeks from darkening. He quickly lead Amber by the hand over to a deep sink in a more private corner of the lab, listing out the names of a few plant specimens that he wanted Dr. Ramirez to get for him as he went.

"Here," the other scientist said a few minutes later as he laid out the requested samples for Norm on the counter. He was still hovering nervously about and it took a second reassurance from Norm that everything would be fine to get him to leave.

"Turn on the water," Norm instructed Amber as he pulled away the bloody rag from her hand. "Can you tell if there's any more glass in your hand?" he asked.

Amber grimaced. "No, I think it's just that big assed piece under my ring."

Norm smiled despite himself at her attitude. He examined her hand and gave an impressed whistle. "Whoa, you did quite a number on yourself." The shard had slid along the length of her finger and would have probably split it open all the way to the tip if it had not gotten stuck under Amber's wedding band.

After washing his hands under the running water Norm gathered a handful of tubers and crushed them in his hand. Without giving her the benefit of any advanced warning Norm unceremoniously yanked the glass out of Amber's finger and quickly spread the plant paste on her cuts. "Ouch! Bastard, you could have told me before you did that!" Amber hissed. "That fricken stings!"

"Sorry," Norm muttered. "We need to take your ring off," he said quietly. "The bleeding's stopped, but we still need to bandage it."

Amber checked her hand and was surprised to find no fresh blood welling up from her various cuts, even the deep one in her finger. Whatever Norm had spread on her hand had caused her wounds to clot almost instantly. In fact, her whole hand had gone pleasantly numb. "Go ahead," she muttered.

Norm was easily able to twist her band off, slimed as it was by plant goo and blood. He carefully set the ring on the counter a safe distance away from the sink and began to wash Amber's hand under the still flowing water. Once it was clean and then dried, Norm had Amber hold a couple of leaves from a second kind of plant over her cuts. He rummaged around inside an open trauma kit and produced some tape, and together they were able to wrap enough of it around her hand to keep the leaves in place.

Amber held up her arm and examined the finished product. "Shit, Spellman, I look like a cross between a burn victim and the Swamp Thing here."

Norm blushed and sputtered. "Sorry," he finally mumbled. "At least it won't scar too bad. I promise it'll heal in half the time that it would if you got it stitched."

Damn, he sounds sweet when he stutters like that, she thought with a smile. "No, it's fine," she said with sincerity; she surprised herself by how easily her voice softened, and by how grateful she felt. "I'm just giving you a hard time. Where did you learn how to do all that?"

Norm shrugged self-consciously as he washed his own hands again. "Tanhi showed me that one. I've picked up some randomly useful facts from Grace, and from the Omaticaya. It helps to pay attention." Norm smiled sheepishly. "I didn't know it would sting that bad, though. Sorry."

Amber gazed at him with newfound respect as he began to carefully clean her wedding band. "No, really, it's okay," she said. She snorted and shook her head as she laughed, earning a perplexed look from Norm. "Figures. Right after I figure out how to be not clumsy in my avatar, I turn into a total klutz in my human body."

Norm's eyes twinkled with good humor and he remained purposely silent, earning him a "Hey!" and a playful smack on the arm. "You said it, not me," he chuckled softly. "Are you going to link up now? I'm sure it'd be safer for you."

Amber simply stared at him, her mouth slack with surprise. She was quite unprepared for his witty remarks, but before she could say anything in response Norm handed her ring back. Amber silently accepted and she puzzled over what to do with it for a moment - there was no way it would fit back onto her finger, so she hastily shoved it into pocket; Norm dutifully looked away as she did so. "I'll go in as soon as you do," Amber said suddenly, surprising the both of them.

Norm glanced quickly at her, his expression a strange mix of suspicious and hopeful. He was silent for a few beats, as if giving her time to renege. When she did not he slowly nodded and said, "Alright. I'll go get Max to prep two links for us, then."

Norm trotted off to find Max. His coffee was left cooling on his desk, completely forgotten.

* * *

Tsaro was quietly eating his breakfast and enjoying the time of relative solitude. He found his mind drifting quite often several hundred yards upwards to where Tirea'ong waited for him. Tsaro had known all his life about the wonderful bond between ikran and hunter, but he had no idea that it would be this intense. Hearing about something and actually experiencing it were two totally different things. Tirea'ong was the embodiment of grace, beauty, and passion. It was just as his brother had said - the only being you will love more than your ikran will be your mate.

Just as he was scratching at his scalp a figure sat down beside him on the log that he was resting on, making him jump a bit. Once he realized it was Kyle, who now wore a triumphant grin on his face, his expression broke down into a more typical scowl. _"Was your head in the clouds?"_ Kyle asked, blinking innocently.

Tsaro grunted and popped another tasty berry into his mouth so that he could chew to mask his grin. _"Yes,"_ he admitted. _"I will make you regret it if you tell anyone that you snuck up on me,"_ he said, threatening his friend with bodily harm as easily as if he were reporting the movement of forest animals.

Kyle laughed at this, recognizing Tsaro's statement as hubris. Or mostly hubris. _"The first time was by chance, I am sure. I will begin to boast if I can manage to do so on a regular basis."_

Tsaro's expression was gravely serious. _"Agreed,"_ he said as he gave his friend an appraising look. Kyle seemed like a totally different person this morning as he eagerly dug into his food wrap. _"Tell me, brother. Did you not just complete your Iknimaya only yesterday? Were you successful?"_

Kyle paused mid-bite as a faintly sheepish smile spread over his face. _"It ended well, yes,"_ he said before he resumed eating.

_"You could have fooled me,"_ Tsaro told him candidly before taking another bite himself.

Kyle's ears flicked a few times as he examined his food thoughtfully. Perhaps Tsaro's blunt tone would have been offensive if Kyle did not know him as well as he did. _"I almost threw away my gift," _he admitted. _"Sometimes I can be such a moron. It is a good thing that I have friends who look out for me."_ Kyle smiled slightly as he remembered some of what Txopuluke had told him. _"Even from beyond Eywa's embrace."_

Tsaro blinked in mute surprise as he processed this. He gave Kyle a questioning look, plainly curious.

Kyle sighed and pursed his lips before responding. _"My ikran told me that Trudychacon sent him to me. She...knew of the fear in my spirit, of how more than my Tawtute body was taken from me when I came to this place. And she felt she needed to do something about it. She has helped me two times, now. The first was when my spirit was transferred to my avatar."_

Tsaro received this strange news with a simple shrug. _"You are lucky to have so many people who care for you, my friend."_

Kyle smiled almost shyly. _"I do not believe in luck. I am simply blessed beyond what I deserve. Far beyond what I deserve."_

_"I did not realize you were capable of such wisdom,"_ Tsaro said after a moment as he gazed thoughtfully into the distance, refusing to acknowledge Kyle's friendly glare. After a moment Tsaro reflected, _"If you were still living in the body of your birth, we would never have met."_

_"There are many whom I would have never met, and I would have been worse off because of it,"_ Kyle replied in agreement. Tsaro detected the distracted note in Kyle's voice and noticed him staring at something. Or someone, rather - Tanhi was just getting breakfast herself along with Sorewn and Kyuna. She laughed at something Sorewn said, the sound of her amusement as beautiful as any musical instrument. Tanhi must have felt Kyle's gaze for every now and then she would cast a fleeting look in his direction through shyly lowered eyes.

_"You love her, and she loves you," _Tsaro murmured after a spell. _"You will be good together."_

Tsaro's declaration was enough to break his focus on Tanhi. He glanced sharply at his friend, fully realizing the implications of Tsaro telling this to him, of the depth of this admission. _"It means a lot to me to hear you say this,"_ Kyle replied softly.

Tsaro turned to Kyle and gave him one of his rare smiles. _"I would only speak the truth to you, brother,"_ he replied easily. Tsaro resumed his teasing tone as he admonished, _"Be sure that she does not become too much of a distraction."_

_"Too late,"_ Kyle groaned as memories from last night replayed in his mind with succulent detail. He rubbed his face with his hands, earning a snicker from Tsaro. _"Remind me again what this day holds for us?"_

Tsaro rolled his eyes in good-natured exasperation. _"We must complete the work on our ikran saddles. We will also need to make a queue harness for our new partners."_ Tsaro cast a sideways glance at Kyle. _"You will have more work to do, for your ikran is...considerably larger than most."_

Now Kyle rolled his eyes, even though he was still grinning. _"Perfect."_ He rose and said, _"Let us get started then, shall we?"_

The two friends began to make their way over to where the leatherworkers had set up shop. The basics of an ikran saddle had been constructed for each of them ahead of time, but it was up to the rider to put the finishing touches and final personalizations on them. They had to walk past Tanhi and her friends, and after a quick glance to make sure that no one was looking (and a brief but appreciative gaze at his target) Kyle gave the end of Tanhi's tail a brief tug as he passed by.

Tanhi jumped and shot him a quick glare. Kyle's only admission of guilt was a wink over his shoulder in her direction, his own tail twitching with satisfaction behind him as he walked away.

Tanhi, for her part, quickly got over the surprise of having her tail pulled and settled for admiring the retreating form of her future mate. She would figure out how to get him back later.

* * *

The means for Tanhi's retaliation conveniently presented themselves later that afternoon, when Tsaro and Kyle had returned to Kelutral from an afternoon spent out hunting. Neither of them had made a kill, but that did not mean they were devoid of any sort of bounty. Kyle was grinning like an idiot after being the fortunate finder of a fallen banana fruit, or Utu mauti. It was a fortunate find indeed, as these rare fruit only grew high up in the forest canopy and were quite impossible to reach on purpose. The only way a Na'vi could enjoy them would be if one were found that had fallen from its lofty perch on its own. Many other forest creatures enjoyed the tasty fruit as well, and as a result any fallen samples were often swiftly scooped up by a passing prolemuris or tapirus.

It was considered good manners to offer the banana fruit to a friend. Tsaro, of course, was quick to volunteer his services in this capacity. Kyle refused, saying that he would rather offer it to one who was much prettier than Tsaro. Tsaro tried his best to look offended, but he could understand Kyle's logic.

Tanhi, who was just exiting the healers' alcove, was pleasantly surprised to see Kyle and Tsaro just stepping out of the spiral, and she called out in greeting to them. Her eyes widened when she saw the banana fruit in Kyle's hand. _This will be perfect,_ she thought mischievously.

_"Look what I found!"_ Kyle exclaimed in excited Na'vi. He was getting to the point where he could switch fluidly between languages, though he still preferred to speak English, especially with those closest to him. For this occasion, however, Kyle felt it best to use the People's language.

_"Eywa must be looking out for you this day!" _Tanhi confirmed with a laugh.

Kyle's eyes glittered with good humor. _"I understand that it is tradition to offer one's Utu mauti to a dear friend. Would you like to have it?"_

It was also tradition to politely refuse such a tasty offer. After all, Eywa surely must have meant for Kyle to find it, right? Of course, one could always play it up and pretend to accept, so Kyle was not too surprised when Tanhi exclaimed, _"Why, thank you!"_ and quickly snatched the offered fruit out of his hand. She examined the banana fruit with clear anticipation. _"Kyle, you are too kind."_

And then she did the unthinkable. Tanhi took a bite off of the end, grinning impishly at the utterly shocked looks that fell over Kyle's and Tsaro's face. Kyle looked distinctly wounded and whispered to Tsaro out of the corner of his mouth in a disappointed voice, _"I did not think she was supposed to actually eat it."_

Tsaro glared at Tanhi for her transgression and replied, _"She was not. I think it would be best if you handle this, though."_

Tanhi's grin spread wider as she listened to their exchange. She positioned the delicious piece of fruit in her mouth, holding it between her front teeth as she spoke in a muffled voice around it. _"I have yet to eat it, Kyle. Perhaps you would like to win it back?"_ By Eywa, it was _so_ difficult to resist chewing and swallowing. It had been _forever_ since Tanhi had found a banana fruit of her own.

Kyle frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing as he struggled to figure out just where Tanhi was going with this. _"And how would I do that?"_ he asked in a suspicious tone.

Tanhi winked at him and leaned forward slightly, bending at the waist. _"Guess,"_ she said in a strangely muffled purr, her tail waving and curling behind her in amusement. A trickle of juice escaped the corner of Tanhi's mouth and Kyle followed its path along her cobalt skin with his eyes as recognition began to dawn over him.

Tsaro groaned and palmed his forehead.

A distinctly feral grin spread over Kyle's face, and for a moment Tanhi thought that, just maybe, she had taken things a step too far. So she wants to play _this_ game, Kyle thought as he stepped forward and lovingly - but firmly - gripped her head in his hands, his fingers tangling into her braids; Tanhi's own hands quickly settled on his hips, and she could not decide whether or not to push him away or draw him in closer. Kyle tilted his head slightly as he began to lean slowly nearer. At the last second he paused, deriving great pleasure from the way that Tanhi's eyes widened.

Then he quickly claimed Tanhi's lips with his own, growling with satisfaction as he swiftly thrust his tongue into her mouth, bypassing entirely the piece of fruit that he was supposed to be going for. Tanhi closed her eyes and practically melted against him as they kissed, her hands almost painfully tightening their hold on his waist. As if it had a mind of its own, Tanhi's tail curled around so that the tip could brush against Kyle's leg. The gentle touch against his hip was almost enough for Kyle to become distracted from his kiss.

Tanhi closed her mouth slightly without meaning to, splitting open the piece of fruit that was still clasped between her teeth and causing more rivulets of sticky, tasty juice to leak down both of their chins; some rational, dispassionate part of her mind bemoaned the sticky mess that this would make, but at this point Tanhi decided she really did not give a damn about that anymore. Tanhi's hands left Kyle's waist so that she could hold his own face in a manner equal to the way that he was holding hers.

Kyle's tongue fought with her own, moving and thrusting with a skill that Tanhi did not know he possessed. The unique flavors of the fruit, and of Tanhi, exploded across his sense of taste as if he had licked a live wire. Tanhi must have been sensing the same pleasure, as both of them moaned at the same time. At last Kyle slipped his tongue against the fractured piece of banana fruit, pressing it up against Tanhi's teeth and fully separating it. He drew half of it into his own mouth and pulled away, a triumphant grin adorning his face as he chewed and swallowed the spoils of his victory.

_"Hmmm, delicious," _he purred as he gazed longingly at the raptured look on Tanhi's face. He brought one of his fingers up and lovingly caressed Tanhi's chin, carefully gathering some of the juice that had collected there. _"Maybe we could eat the rest of it that way?"_ he asked after he had licked his finger clean.

_"I think I feel ill,"_ Tsaro groaned, reminding the two lovers that he was still very present.

Kyle chuckled as he watched Tanhi's cheeks darken noticeably, and he lovingly stroked his thumb over some of the freckles decorating her skin. _"I think this is why I did not offer the fruit to you, brother,"_ Kyle said, his eyes never wavering from Tanhi's. _"I doubt the experience would have been this...enjoyable, if I had."_

Tanhi regained enough of her senses to chew and swallow the piece of fruit that remained in her own mouth. She gently tilted Kyle's head up with her hands and leaned forward to lick the sticky mess on his own chin clean, and Tanhi heard him hiss softly with pleasure as her tongue caressed his skin and lips. _"Thank you for the treat, Yawne," _she told Kyle in a distinctly seductive tone of voice when she had finished.

Kyle groaned helplessly. _Damn, she recovers fast,_ he thought with admiration. _"You have but to ask, Tanhi,"_ he replied in a husky growl.

Neither of them saw Tsaro roll his eyes in exasperation.

Kyle and Tanhi jumped apart as a new voice spoke, startling them. "Hey Kyle, Jake wanted to ask you - hey, what'd you smear all over your face?" Norm inquired. Tanhi quickly turned away, feigning a coughing fit as she struggled to wipe her face clean of her own condition. Kyle, for his part, stared at his cousin like a hexapede caught in the headlights. "Hey, Tanhi found a banana fruit!" Norm exclaimed happily when he saw what Tanhi still held in her hand.

Jake was standing just behind the scientist, quietly observing Tanhi's coughing fit and Kyle's dazed and flushed expression. Tsaro, on the other hand, looked like he might literally explode with laughter at any moment. Kyle's eyes shifted onto Jake's, and they widened as a guilty look spread over his features and his ears drooped piteously. Jake simply grinned wickedly at him. "I hope we aren't interrupting anything," he said in a cheery voice.

* * *

Jake's inquiry involved taking a trip to Hell's Gate the next morning, which is why Kyle found himself readying Txopuluke's brand new saddle for his journey along with Jake and Mal'ek. "What's up, Jake? Why the trip?" Kyle asked as he double checked his saddle straps. It was not that he was opposed to traveling to Hell's Gate...it was just that he felt no burning desire to go. With a start Kyle realized how much Kelutral had truly become home to him. The fact that Norm practically lived here in his avatar certainly helped that perception.

"May I...?" Jake asked as he took a single step closer to Kyle and his mount. Once Kyle gave the affirmative Jake came up beside him, running his hand reverently along Txopuluke's neck. "You are magnificent," he murmured softly to the ikran.

Kyle smiled and felt inordinately flattered by Jake's compliment. "Yes. That he is," Kyle responded quietly.

Txopuluke's breathing was steady and unhurried as Jake crouched down beside him to check his saddle. Kyle was rather surprised at the sense of peace he was feeling through tsaheylu, as he was still very aware of the amount of...violence that the ikran was capable of committing.

"Looks good, Kyle. Nice work." Jake stood and gave Txopuluke one last pat on the neck before he turned to Kyle and sighed, examining his own five fingered hand as he spoke. "Hoshiro's got some things he wants to show me. Neytiri would be accompanying us, but she is training with Moat today. As my Second, Mal'ek is going because he needs, and wants, to know what I know. I asked you to accompany us because...though you are nearly Omaticaya, you still possess a fair amount of knowledge regarding where both of us came from."

Kyle stiffened slightly. "The next ISV," he said simply as his ears began to slowly lower with apprehension, and anger. He was rather surprised at the quick upwelling of aggressive feelings that this concept triggered in him. Many things vied for his protective nature, all of them worthy to be sure, but at the forefront of the list was Tanhi. Even if they were not yet mated, Kyle's hand curled into a fist at the thought of something bad happening to her. He still remembered the likes of Major Zinda, and what people like him were capable of doing.

A twisted smile formed on Kyle's lips. Maybe he should be thanking Zinda; after all, if the Major had not shot him, he would have never needed an avatar, and would probably have never met Tanhi. It was strange indeed how all that worked.

Jake offered a faint smile in response. "Yes, Kyle. This ship's cargo and passengers are a little more...militarized than what you were carrying." Jake frowned slightly before admitting, "We could be facing a very real threat with this one. We need to be prepared."

Kyle chewed his lower lip as he processed this. "What do you need from me?" he asked simply. He did not see Mal'ek smile slightly from behind him.

Jake nodded, quite pleased with Kyle's response. "I only want your help in defending the People, and our home. Will you do this?"

Kyle held Jake's gaze easily. "Srane, Olo'eyktan," he replied. "Tslolam."

Jake grinned, flashing the tips of his fangs. "Txantsan," he replied and spun on his heel, braid already in hand as he approached Tswayon. _Perfect._

* * *

Kyle found himself flying through the air with Txopuluke shortly thereafter, Jake and Mal'ek on either side of him. It was amazing what a difference a proper saddle meant as opposed to flying bareback. A flying visor certainly helped, too, as it was much easier for Kyle to look around now with his own eyes.

The thought concerning the saddle resulted in a mild flash of irritation from Txopuluke. _Is it too tight?_ Kyle quickly asked him. Tsaro had been right - Txopuluke's saddle had required markedly more work than normal, and Kyle was a bit nervous that he had done something incorrectly either in its construction or its fitting, despite Jake's confirmation on the matter.

A mental shrug was Txopuluke's response. _I__t fits properly. I have simply never had to wear one before._ There was more that Txopuluke was not saying, and with a bit of amusement of his own Kyle pressed down through the link as he sought to figure out the rest of the story.

Kyle quickly found the answer - probably because Txopuluke got tired of the mental probing and just decided to show him - and he felt slightly embarrassed. It was a pride thing, apparently. Txopuluke was quite literally the baddest ikran in the flock; no Na'vi could have ever won a fight with him and yet here he was, chafing at the foreign sensation of a brand new saddle, even if it was perfectly fitted to his considerably larger frame.

_I'm sorry,_ Kyle told him, not really knowing what else to say. _Do... Do you regret choosing me as your hunter?_

Txopuluke quickly snorted at this thought. _Never. You and I are One, now. There is much that we will teach each other, I am sure._ Kyle felt a familiar rush of pride that bordered on cockiness. _Besides...you need me._

Kyle rolled his eyes at this. _Your majesty is matched only by your humility,_ Kyle thought dryly.

Then Kyle flinched as he felt the ikran mentally poke him in return. _Aha, _Txopuluke said. _Do you regret not having the chance to fight me? Perhaps we could still do so, if you wish, _he teased. _There is a small chance that you might survive such a battle._ Despite his last friendly jibe, Kyle could feel the sincerity of the question.

_Yes, sometimes I do resent that,_ Kyle answered honestly after a moment. To Txopuluke's credit he did not search Kyle's mind for the answer as he had done for the question. Besides, why would Kyle have lied? The ikran would have figured it out in an instant.

Txopuluke was quiet for a spell, and for several minutes all Kyle could feel from him was the relatively sedate impulses of his brain as he kept flying onward, working blissfully on autopilot. His next thoughts formed with startling quickness in Kyle's mind, shaking him out of his own reverie. _Do not regret this. The All Mother did not force me to heed Trudychacon's request. I did so freely, of my own will. What I have chosen, you have accepted. And tsaheylu has made it firm. We are bonded, Kyle. Nothing will change that but death. You do not need to fear me, just as I do not fear you._

This announcement was accompanied by such a feeling of loyalty and finality that Kyle began to tear up. Tsaheylu with Txopuluke was like nothing he had ever experienced in his life. There was no uncertainty in the ikran's words, and Kyle could feel it as clearly as the wind against his face. _Thank you,_ he finally managed.

Txopuluke mentally smiled. _You do not have to thank. Only accept._

Kyle smiled himself at this and remained silent; he simply rubbed Txopuluke's tough hide with fond affection as recognition of his words.

Jake chirped out an alert in hunt-speak, drawing Kyle's attention to the exterior world. Jake met his eyes and simply pointed downward. Kyle puzzled over this - they had not yet reached Hell's Gate. In fact, they were over the abandoned unobtanium mine. Still, Jake and Mal'ek began to circle down to land and with little more than a mental inkling Txopuluke winged over to follow.

Kyle and Txopuluke's eyes locked onto the form of a landed Samson at the same time, and Kyle felt the ikran rankle with irritation. _Hey, I know them, _Kyle admonished. _They're good people, and are my friends. Behave._

_Fine,_ Txopuluke snorted. _I will not eat them at your request._

Kyle shuddered slightly. Txopuluke was not kidding.

Kyle, Jake, and Mal'ek all landed several dozen yards away from the Samson, the downdraft from the ikrans' wings flatting the grass around them. Collins climbed to his feet from where he had been lounging in the open cargo bay, and Hoshiro stood calmly in the shade created by the rotors, hands formally clasped behind his back. He was probably born at attention, Jake thought dryly as he dismounted from Tswayon. "I See you, friends," the Olo'eyktan greeted.

Hoshiro dipped his head ever so slightly and Collins offered his perpetually sloppy salute in greeting. "'Sup, Kyle," Collins greeted his friend. "How've you been?" He examined Kyle's mount discreetly out of the corner of his eye and whistled softly in amazement. Kyle's banshee was a huge son of a bitch, and Collins quickly came to the conclusion that he would _never_ want to meet a beast like that in the air.

Kyle dismounted in an easy motion, grinning broadly. "Hey, Collins. Long time no see," he said. Kyle's ikran suddenly hissed, its sharp teeth fully unfolded like a snake ready to strike. "Hey! What did I just tell you? Don't be so damn rude!" Kyle pushed on the ikran's head and rubbed its lower jaw crest as he tried to calm Txopuluke down.

Neither Collins nor Hoshiro had moved, both of them possessing enough respect for the Na'vi's fierce mounts to know better than to do something so foolish. "Holy crap, Fischer. How'd you tame a monster like that?" Collins muttered as he reflexively checked the position of the Wasp revolver in the holster on his leg.

He had not really expected an answer, but Kyle heard him and responded anyway. "Um, I actually didn't tame him at all. It's kind of a long story. Sorry, he really doesn't like you, or the chopper. Feel free to say 'hello' to another veteran of the Battle for the Well of Souls, though. Who knows, maybe you guys have crossed paths before."

Collins noticeably paled, and Jake chuckled at the pilot's discomfort. "Kyle, Mal'ek, it would probably be best if our ikrans took off on their own for a while. They might not appreciate some of what may be coming."

Mal'ek remained silent, and Kyle wondered to himself what Jake was talking about. Come to think of it, he still only had the barest of ideas why they were here. The Na'vi passed on their silent instructions to their mounts and one by one broke tsaheylu. _Gladly,_ Txopuluke mentally muttered at Kyle's suggestion to spend some time away.

Kyle chuckled softly. _You will come back, right?_ he asked.

_Yes, for you,_ Txopuluke responded. _The flying rock and the little pink Two Legs had better behave._ And with that Txopuluke separated his tswin and ascended upwards into the sky, ruffling Kyle's hair with the strong downdraft from his wings.

Once their ikrans had left the three Na'vi stepped closer, padding softly on the carpet of short green grass that covered the mine floor. "Thank you for coming, Olo'eyktan," Hoshiro said.

Jake shrugged. "No thanks is necessary. I am a little curious to see what you've cooked up, I have to admit."

Hoshiro nodded, the faintest of smiles ghosting across his lips. _"And you, Tsamsiyu,"_ Hoshiro said as he turned to Mal'ek. _"Do you wish to learn about the weapons of the Tawtute as well?"_

Mal'ek sneered slightly, baring his fangs as he reached up to touch where the string of his bow ran diagonally across his chest as though to remind himself of its presence._ "I would rather not, Hoshirotanaka. But it is wise to understand one's enemies."_

_"Of course,"_ Hoshiro soothed. _"After all, if ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril. And besides,"_ Hoshiro said as he motioned towards Mal'ek's own impressive weapon. _"I can die just as easily from an arrow as a bullet."_

Mal'ek smirked. _"You speak truly,"_ he replied.

Jake chuckled as he listened to Mal'ek and Hoshiro's exchange. Eywa forbid that Hoshiro should ever receive an avatar. The two of them would probably fight it out to the death, just for the fun of it, to see which one was stronger. The several long, dark green crates resting in the Samson's cargo bay did not escape his attention, and his ears perked forward with interest. "Alright, enough posturing you two. Hoshiro, what do you have for us?"

Hoshiro chuckled, which was about the maximum amount of amusement the Japanese man seemed capable of expressing. "Of course," he said as Collins and he reached into the Samson and dragged one of the shorter crates to the edge. It was "only" about five feet long. "I considered simply beginning with the standard CARB design that the RDA utilizes. However, I was not sure how well their modular design would hold up when up-sized, so I decided to go with a more...tried and true approach."

Kyle stepped forward with interest as Hoshiro and Collins unlatched the case and swung open the lid with a flourish. Inside was a gleaming, brand new assault rifle, and both Jake and Kyle let out an impressed whistle. Mal'ek remained silent, but that did not mean he was not paying attention.

Jake reached inside and heaved out the weapon, holding it flat in both hands as he examined it with a critical eye. "Outstanding," he murmured as a grin slowly spread over his features. "Reminds me of an old Tavor," he said after a moment.

One of Hoshiro's eyebrows rose imperceptibly behind his exopack. "Excellent observation, Olo'eyktan. I used the TAR-21 Tavor as a base point for the stereolithography mold. Whatever you may think of the Israelis, at the very least they do know how to design a weapon that works well in harsh environments. I felt the bullpup design was necessary, especially considering how...large a rifle for a 10 foot tall person would need to be."

In a bullpup rifle, the bolt carrier group and magazine is placed behind the trigger assembly, which will shorten the length of the gun without sacrificing total barrel length, and thus accuracy. An ideal feature that would be just as helpful in tight jungle as it would in urban warfare. Jake hefted the rifle, less its magazine, up to his shoulder and aimed into the distance through the mounted red dot sight. "Balances well so far," he commented. "I suppose you can't comment on the trigger pull, can you Hoshiro?"

The linkage required for placing the trigger so far forward more often than not resulted in a rather sloppy pull action. Hoshiro smiled faintly. "I am afraid not. I am quite sure that no human could fire that weapon."

Jake smirked. The rifle in his hands was four feet long and probably weighed at least 20 pounds, and that was with taking into account Pandora's lesser gravity; a human could probably wrap his entire hand around the trigger alone. And even if a human could shoulder the weapon, his arms would probably be too short to reach the trigger anyway. "What's it chambered in?" Jake asked. He was grinning like a kid who had found a fresh banana fruit. That particular train of thought triggered all kinds of memories in Kyle's mind, and he groaned a bit without meaning to.

Hoshiro's expression became markedly smug. "7mm Whisper subsonic rounds stored in a 50 round magazine."

Jake's golden eyes widened with amazement. And anticipation. "Damn," he muttered. "Do we need ear protection?"

Hoshiro's expression remained the same. "No. Not even for your ears," he told Jake confidently.

Collins stepped up and offered Jake the considerable magazine that went with the rifle. "I trust the recoil won't be too big of an issue for you," the pilot deadpanned.

"Doubt it," Jake said as he easily slammed the magazine home and cycled the charging bolt. After a moment he paused, then said, "Mal'ek. Kyle. Feel free to join me if you'd like."

_"Not just yet, if you please,"_ Mal'ek responded softly as he watched Jake. Kyle had no such reservations; he quickly stepped up to the Samson and opened an identical case. He required no help operating the weapon - the rifle's design was familiar enough, and he had been watching Jake closely the entire time.

Kyle stepped up beside Jake, both of their rifles loaded with a round in the tubes and pointing respectfully towards the sky. The two men traded an excited glance before Kyle tilted his chin downrange to where Hoshiro and Collins had earlier set up some targets several hundred yards distant. _"After you, Olo'eyktan,"_ Kyle said.

Jake grinned fiercely as he cycled the fire selector from "safe" to "single" and took aim. So far Hoshiro's new rifle felt just about perfect in his hands. It felt like the marines all over again...except that he was 10 feet tall, blue, possessed a tail, and was wearing a loincloth. The M60s that he had used in the past here on Pandora were sufficient to say the least, but they had not been designed for an avatar or Na'vi. These guns were, and it made a huge difference in the feel of things. Jake's sharp eyes more than made up for the lack of a telescopic attachment, and the red dot sight that was already mounted was easily sufficient for target acquisition, even at the considerable distance that he was working with.

The trigger required significant pressure to actuate, but Jake hardly noticed. The rifle fired with a deceptively soft _thwap_ and the jerk of the gun against Jake's shoulder was quite manageable. Jake watched as a small crater appeared barely off of center on the far away target, and his tail swished with satisfaction behind him. I've still got it, he thought proudly.

Kyle blinked, surprised. Not by Jake's accuracy but by the noise, or lack thereof. A human clap was much louder. "That was it?"

"The subsonic rounds are naturally very quiet," Jake explained. He safed the rifle and ran a hand over the forward part of the barrel. "And from the sound it made...or didn't, I'd guess that Hoshiro purpose-built it to be quiet." He turned around to face the former mercenary, eyebrows raised in question.

Hoshiro, hands clasped behind his back, nodded wordlessly.

Next Jake flicked the selector switch all the way over to full auto and turned to face a closer target. He squeezed the trigger and held it, applying gentle downward pressure to keep the assault rifle's nose from walking up from the force of the sustained fire. The 7mm bullets easily shredded the target, and the rifle made a sound not dissimilar to a gentle rain on a tin roof. The sound of the cascade of spent brass clinking onto the slightly stony ground was only slightly softer than the sound of the rifle itself.

Kyle's eyes widened. Speak softly, but carry a big stick. Kyle felt sorry for whatever unfortunate biologic that might find itself on the receiving end of such a barrage.

"Care to offer a second opinion, Mr. Fischer?" Hoshiro asked him as he observed the man's reaction.

Kyle grinned eagerly and quickly pivoted, de-safing and acquiring his target with remarkable swiftness. _Thwap! _A single shot, and the sound of the spent shell clinking upon the ground. A second crater appeared on the same target that Jake had first hit, opposite of his strike and only slightly more off center.

"Nice," Jake complimented. Kyle was quite the shooter, apparently.

Kyle shrugged. "Some things you just don't forget," he replied modestly.

"Riflery is not one of them," Hoshiro corrected. "I took the liberty of looking through your dossier, Mr. Fischer. You turned down a position within RDA Sec-Ops despite easily meeting, and often exceeding, the qualifications. This was not something that you happened to 'not forget,' it is something that you possess a natural affinity for."

Jake turned and gave Kyle a surprised look. Even Mal'ek tilted his head in faint curiosity.

Kyle shifted on his feet uncomfortably. "Well, Valkyries were faster than Scorpions," he said by way of explanation. "And no offense, but Sec-Ops troopers were generally not the type of people I enjoyed working with."

Collins harumphed and looked cross at this announcement. Hoshiro smiled faintly and replied, "No offense was taken. Are you satisfied?"

Kyle looked at Jake, who nodded without hesitation. "Assuming they hold up to abuse, I am quite satisfied."

"They will," Hoshiro promised.

Mal'ek had watched the demonstration in stout silence. Kyle turned and spoke, holding the rifle out to him one-handed. _"Care to try?"_

Mal'ek looked less than impressed and shook his head once. _"I have seen enough," _he answered tightly.

Jake added his own impetus and said with a sly grin,_ "Come on, Mal'ek. Everyone is doing it."_ The classic peer pressure argument. Kyle kept his expression resolutely neutral, rightly guessing that Jake was probably able to tease Mal'ek a little more than Kyle could and actually get away with it.

Mal'ek pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes as he glanced quickly back and forth between Jake and Kyle before he finally settled on directing a glare of death towards his Olo'eyktan. In that moment, Mal'ek was irritation personified. His ears lowered slightly, and without a word he stalked forward and snatched the gun out of Kyle's hand, who quickly stepped back while Jake began to instruct the warrior on how to operate the alien weapon.

_"Just because I do not want to shoot a weapon of the Tawtute does not mean I am ignorant of how to,"_ he interrupted.

Jake traded a quick, surprised look with Kyle as Mal'ek easily de-safed the rifle and brought the gun up to his shoulder, his tail twitching slightly from concentration. Mal'ek fired a single shot into each of the six targets that had been set up; his hits on each were remarkably accurate, including the farthest one that Jake and Kyle had initially shot at. Mal'ek had only been in motion for about four seconds, and Jake and Kyle both stared at him in slack-jawed amazement.

_"Hmm. Strangely satisfying. Still, I prefer my bow and arrow over this alien thing. It is too easy,"_ he said casually as he handed the gun back to an almost mortified Kyle, who accepted the weapon gingerly. He examined Mal'ek out of the corner of his eye as his brain struggled to process this new aspect of his future father-in-law.

For a moment silence reigned among all present. Collins spoke next, saying that which was on nearly everyone's mind. "Shit. Don't piss the man off. Ever."

"Indeed," Hoshiro agreed, a remarkable understatement. "I also looked up your service record, Olo'eyktan. I believe you might find this next weapon...particularly satisfying."

"Oh, really?" Jake said as he followed Hoshiro back to the Samson.

Collins was almost comically trying to tug by himself a weapons case that was twice his height to the edge of the cargo bay, and Jake swiftly took pity on the man and easily hoisted the large container out of the chopper before setting it carefully on the ground.

"Thanks," Collins panted. "I bet you're really helpful on moving day."

Jake smirked slightly as he unsnapped the case while Hoshiro looked on, and Kyle and Mal'ek both craned their necks to see what was inside as Jake swung the lid opened. Jake's eyes widened as he saw the case's contents. "Sweet mother," he breathed.

Jake withdrew the largest sniper rifle that Kyle had ever laid eyes on. At first its mass did not really register with him - after all, it was sized perfectly for a Na'vi, except that the barrel seemed oddly short. Then Kyle did the math, and he realized that the rifle was at least seven feet long - the already incredibly accurate human weapon had only needed to be lengthened in order to fit a Na'vi frame. A normal rifle such as this could be hand-carried by a human soldier, but it was often fired from a prone position using a bipod. Still, Jake held the enlarged gun easily.

"Had to use an AMP suit to get it off the line and into the case. It's just too big for a person to move by himself," Collins told them. "That baby's running .50 caliber BMG rounds. We didn't upsize the bullets like we did for the assault rifles because, well, we thought that'd be a bit overkill. They're not called AMRs, Anti-Material Rifles for nothing, you know. I'm quite sure a round from that gun will punch through a titanothere skull. The bullets are fin-stabilized and actively guided by an on-board microprocessor, homing in on whatever you indicate with the laser. You could shoot through hurricane force winds and still hit something a mile away as long as you painted your target correctly."

Jake gaped. "Why the hell would the RDA have something like this?" he breathed.

Hoshiro shrugged in an almost modest gesture. "They had the plans on file. I chose to build it. A little bigger than they intended, perhaps."

Collins grinned. "Each bullet only costs a couple of thousand dollars, Jake. Don't miss. It's a true fire-and-forget weapon; the bullet knows what you were aiming at. And besides...it's not like Quaritch ever expected you guys to do more than throw rocks back at him."

Mal'ek growled at this comment, his ears lowering aggressively.

Jake loaded a magazine - 20 rounds, a horrendously excessive amount, but with size does come benefits, after all - and chambered a round. Hoshiro and Collins both took a step back as he did so, their hands reflexively coming up to their ears. "This one will be slightly louder," Hoshiro said.

With a snort Jake turned to Kyle and Mal'ek, who each wore pensive expressions as they watched the Olo'eyktan. "Remember. He has a habit of understating things." Neither Kyle or Mal'ek argued this point, each swallowing their pride and assuming the somewhat ridiculous position of having their fingers jammed into their ears.

Jake hauled the massive rifle up to his shoulder and sighted towards a towering relic of rusted mine equipment that was over a mile distant. It had been a long time indeed since he had fired such a weapon, and he took his time getting used to the feel of it. It was a moderately heavy gun, but for someone of his size and strength it was still very manageable. He flicked on the targeting laser - at the distance he was aiming, even his eyes could not make out the tiny green pinpoint in the distance. He merely trusted it to be where his crosshairs indicated.

"A third of the way up the neck, upper support girder," Jake murmured. He could feel old training begin to reassert itself as his breathing, and even his heartbeat, began to slow. Jake's awareness of the world began to fade until nearly all that he was aware of was his own breaths, the target through the reticle, and the feel of the trigger. A tiny amber light illuminated in an upper corner of the scope, indicating that he had successfully painted his target.

Kyle waited for what seemed like an eternity for Jake to fire. Even though they were both prepared for it, both Kyle and Mal'ek flinched when the shot finally came, a resounding crack that sounded like a cannon. The sound of the report bounced around to and fro between the mine walls, and several flights of tetrapteron and forest ikran took off, squawking in irritation. Perhaps ten seconds later a metallic clang rang out, evidence of a successful hit.

Jake had in fact not been on target when he had fired. He was only off by the barest fraction of a degree as his body subconsciously tensed for the expected recoil, but at that distance the error resulted in a variance of nearly two hundred feet from his intended target. Still, it did not matter - tiny finlets on the trailing edge of the bullet made the necessary minuscule adjustments as it hurtled through the air, not only adjusting for Jake's "poor" aim, but for two separate columns of turbulent air rising from patches of bare rock that Alpha Centauri had been heating all morning; each of these would have been more than sufficient to throw off the aim of a conventional bullet.

Several seconds after the last of the echoes from the rifle had faded, a new noise could be heard. The creaking and groaning was detected by the three Na'vi first, but it soon grew to a great enough volume that even Hoshiro and Collins could hear it as well. All five of them stared in awe as the gigantic digging implement, essentially a massive toothed wheel on the end of a long stretch of girders, began to slowly bend and twist. The bullet had punched clear through the metal of the upper girder, terminally weakening the already dilapidated structure.

Everyone watched, dumbfounded as the cranelike digger collapsed in a huge cloud of dust; the cacophony of noise disturbing all other aerial creatures in the area into flight.

Jake's excitement was dampened by the realization of just what it was that they possessed now. He lowered the rifle and shook his head a few times to clear the ringing in his ears before he asked Hoshiro quietly, "How many of these have you made so far?"

For a moment all was silent, and the only noises were the sound of distant birds settling back down and the gentle murmuring of the soft breeze. "Two of the long rifles. Ten of the assault rifles. More can be manufactured in only a couple of day's time, if need be. You have but to speak the word," Hoshiro responded in a near whisper.

Jake glanced over at Mal'ek. His Second's face was tight with emotion, and Jake doubted it was only from the noise of the sniper rifle. _"What are your feelings on all of this? Speak freely, brother."_

_"You are a true warrior, Olo'eyktan, there is no doubt of this fact in me. You know the ways of the Tawtute as I never could."_ There was no disrespect in Mal'ek's voice as he spoke. He was merely stating fact. _"I have no wish to make use of such a thing as that. It is cold, impersonal, dead. I understand what it is that we have faced in the past, and what we face in the future. However, many of our clan brothers and sisters would find the use of such a weapon...repulsive."_

Jake nodded and sighed. _"I would never force change upon the Omaticaya,"_ Jake said quickly. He shivered at the thought and fought back a pang of self-loathing._ I do not want my humanity to hurt those that I love,_ he thought bitterly. It was strange how some of his thoughts formed so easily in Na'vi and others in English. They seemed to flip back and forth with his mood.

_"I have no doubt of this, brother,"_ Mal'ek swiftly said as though he could read Jake's mind. He smiled thinly. _"You are Toruk Makto. Eywa chose you to do what no Na'vi could. Do not despise your upbringing, Jakesully. It has been a blessing to us, not a curse."_

Jake swallowed as he listened to Mal'ek's words with his heart, rather than his mind.

_"Some of the younger hunters may be willing to learn the ways of these Tawtute weapons," _Mal'ek said after a moment.

Jake sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. _"I do not want to change the Na'vi, brother. But I do not want to see us perish, either. It was not the bow and arrow, or the gun, that triumphed during the Time of Great Sorrow. It was Eywa. We cannot forget that."_

_"You should consult with your mate about the will of the All Mother, my friend. I am too old and stubborn to be of use in that matter,"_ Mal'ek replied honestly, earning a smile from Jake. _"What do you think of this, Kyle?"_ Mal'ek asked suddenly.

Kyle was quite surprised that he would be asked this question, and he struggled to think of an appropriate response. _"I... I have not yet earned my voice, Mal'ek,"_ he hedged as he looked down at the rifle in his hands, suddenly feeling guilty for his excitement as he listened to Jake and Mal'ek converse. It was not difficult to see where this conversation was heading to.

_"But if you had...?" _Mal'ek murmured softly as he pressed for a response.

Kyle closed his eyes as he responded, _"The weapons of the People, and of the Tawtute, each have their place. I would not be afraid to wield either, should it be necessary. Only the wisest among us can make this determination, and I am only one man. I cannot speak for all." _Kyle held up one of his blue hands, flexing his fingers and staring as if seeing them for the first time. _"I think I would fight with tooth and nail alone if that were all that was available to me."_

Jake and Mal'ek both smiled slightly at this. It was an appropriate response indeed. Someone cleared their throat and Jake turned, surprised to see Collins tentatively raising his hand. _"If I may say something...?"_ he asked in barely passable Na'vi.

Jake grinned slightly and replied with a nod, "Yes, friend. Please speak English, your Na'vi is hurting my ears."

Collins colored slightly under his mask before continuing. "It is good to look to the past for inspiration, but any upcoming conflict will be very different from the Battle for the Well of Souls. The RDA has no hold on Pandora anymore. They will either need to retake Hell's Gate or set up an entirely new base somewhere else. I suspect it would be cheaper to get the base back under their control than start from scratch somewhere else. The Na'vi aren't the only ones with something at stake here anymore. The rest of us are pulling right along with you on this. Our lives and wellbeing are at stake as well." Hoshiro nodded in agreement with Collins.

Jake sighed and nodded. "We're gonna have to stay two steps ahead of them on this," he muttered. "Have the avatar drivers been trained with these?" he asked.

"Not yet," Hoshiro responded. "It will not be difficult, though. All of the scientist are quite familiar with firearms."

"Kyle, can your ikran carry one of the assault rifle cases?" Jake asked. Kyle cocked his head to the side and simply nodded with a faint smile. Jake continued, _"I will bring one of these Tawtute weapons back to Kelutral. I must discuss this with Neytiri and Moat."_ Jake gave Mal'ek and Kyle a serious look. _"Speak of this to no one. This is my burden and responsibility, not yours."_

"Olo'eyktan," Hoshiro said suddenly. Jake spun and stared down at the Japanese man, eyebrows raised expectantly. "You and I have fought in many battles. You know as well as I the importance of effective leadership, of sound strategy, and of rightness of cause. I am quite convinced that we hold the upper hand in these matters."

Jake gazed at the shredded target and at the settling cloud of dust in the distance. "Still. I'd rather not be the sucker who brought a knife to a gunfight."


	25. Chapter 25

**OMG, you have no idea how happy I am that I discovered how to get my Mac to export things in such a way that ff(dot)net recognizes my _italics. _Now I will sit back and contemplate the hours of my life that I have lost from doing this one edit alone... *Sighs* I will NOT accept any Mac flames - this thing is so much better than a PC, which I think stands for "Probably Crap." :-) If you wanna know how it works, shoot me a message, I'll gladly tell you!**

**I need to thank three certain people for their help with this. Normally I'd use names, as it is always my preference to give proper recognition. But for this chapter a little birdie whispered in my ear to just let this one go. So I'll just say "Thank you" for your indispensable help - you know who you are. I also think I've finally come to grips with the fact that I LOVE it when people review. It's your interaction, your reaction to the story, right? Though it certainly doesn't happen all the time, I've actually incorporated some ideas from you guys. :-) **

**A note on Unilataron: I obviously tried to make the scene as accurate as possible, which involved much reading of Pandorapedia and watchings and re-watchings of the movie. I admit I took some poetic license with some of the Olo'eyktan's lines, but I rather suspect I'm not too far off the mark. Though I don't put much stock into this kind of thing in real life, I am a HUGE fan of symbolism. Coincidentally some readings on some of the forums pretty much validated my choice for Kyle's spirit animal. Hehe, thanks!**

**Last, but not least, a disclaimer for those inclined to need one: Kyle (finally!) becomes a full-fledged Omaticaya in this chapter. Ahem, you do know what that means, right? Now, don't be shocked, but Kyle DOES choose Tanhi as his mate. And seriously, what do you look forward to most on your wedding night? I'm not saying, but I'm just saying...**

******This chapter is a bit of a milestone - longest one yet (at least 'till the next longest one), 101 reviews... Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read! It's always cool to know that my horrendously complicated imagination is validated. Now read on, and enjoy!**  


Chapter 25

Kyle was exhausted.

A day spent hunting by himself had been quite successful - he had brought down the largest yerik that Eywa had graced Pandora with, after all. But of course, this inevitably meant he had to drag the deer-like creature's fat ass back to Kelutral on a makeshift sled by himself, too. Txopuluke could have easily carried the carcass upon his back. He could have probably carried two, in fact. But all of yesterday had been spent in training with Jake and Mal'ek on how to hunt from the sky, and so today Kyle had been craving some sweet time alone for a change.

Though there was no shortage of fondness between ikran and hunter, Txopuluke had readily agreed with Kyle on this matter.

And then there had been the nantang. The persistent predators had been insisting that Kyle drop his kill, but damned if he would surrender it now. The boldest nantang, the pack leader, had tried getting the jump on Kyle. It had dropped down on him from the trees, but somehow the Two Legs had been aware of him and had whipped his bow around, smacking the nantang out of midair and sending him spinning ungracefully into the bushes.

His pack had erupted into yips and trills that were simultaneously amused and laced with warning. One could not very well strike a fellow pack member and get away with it. On the other hand, the Hunter's Code transcended species, and they had been just a little bit pushy with this blue Two Legs, after all. He was tired, but clearly in no mood to give up his work just yet. That was certainly respectable.

Kyle was relieved when one of the scouts dropped out of the trees and greeted him. _"I See you, Taronyu," _the teenager greeted, his eyes growing wide with admiration for the kill that Kyle was hauling behind him. _"Do you wish any help in bringing Eywa's blessing back to Kelutral?"_

With a tired grin Kyle replied, _"No, but I thank you, Ralu. But please, feel free to lead the nantang behind me on a merry chase. They have been hounding me for all day, it seems."_

Ralu checked down the path and jumped slightly, surprised to see two or three of the wolflike predators peering balefully out of the brush a couple dozen yards behind Kyle. _"Are they after your yerik, or do they seek to satisfy their curiosity for what a uniltìranyu might taste like?" _he asked teasingly.

Kyle rolled his eyes. _"That is a good question. The leader tried jumping me, but I struck him out of the air before he could place a claw on me or my kill. I sincerely hope he was not offended."_

With a snigger Ralu replied, _"Indeed. It would be an honor to provide you cover, then." _And with that Ralu was gone, disappearing easily into the forest. Several minutes later some surprised and irritated yipping from the nantang pack indicated that Ralu was holding true to his word, and with a grateful smile Kyle resumed trudging onward.

* * *

Tanhi was quite impressed with the massive yerik that the cooks were hauling away to prepare. _"Which hunter is responsible for this fine blessing?" _she asked.

One of the women turned and gave her a smile, her eyes twinkling. _"Why, it was your own hunter, Tanhi," _she informed the young healer.

As she smiled a faint blush tinted her cheeks, and Tanhi was quite pleased to realize her flush was from pride rather than embarrassment. She quickly located Kyle at the edge of the village, and she politely waited for him to finish giving his report to Jake before she came up to greet him. There were some times when Tanhi could swear they were ripping the other's garments off with their eyes, such was the intensity of their greetings and shows of affection. This was not one of those instances; Kyle seemed too tired to do more than smile and wave weakly at her. Still, the love in his gaze was quite undimmed, and this demonstration of his skill, of the hard work of his hands, was just as attractive to her as any kiss or intimate touch.

_"I think you will feed the clan for a full hand of days by yourself if you continue in this way," _she told him proudly.

Kyle smiled broadly, even as he leaned against his bow and continued to pant as he caught his breath. He shrugged and told her, _"I think I will fly from now on though, for surely it will be less tiring."_

Tanhi laughed and nodded in agreement. She reached up and sifted some of Kyle's braids through her fingers thoughtfully. _"I think it may be time to give your hair some attention again. Once you have refreshed yourself, come find me." _She smiled, crinkling her nose as she added, _"If you are fortunate, I may rub your back to ease your tired muscles."_

Kyle's grin widened. _"Yes, ma'am," _he said as he slung his bow back over his shoulder and headed off to the streams.

A short time later Kyle found her as she had asked, his dark hair already loose and flowing down his back. He grinned sheepishly as Tanhi quirked an un-eyebrow up at him. _"I assumed..." _he began helplessly.

Tanhi laughed and took his hand, leading him to a quieter place just outside of Kelutral. She leaned back against a great root of Hometree and pulled Kyle down to sit cross-legged in front of her. Some distance away some of the younglings played a game along the bank of the river, and soon mouthwatering smells began to waft over them from the cooking fires a short distance away; no doubt Kyle's yerik was the source.

Both of them jumped in slight surprise when Kyle's tail wrapped gently around Tanhi's right leg. He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. _"Not my fault," _he told her with a guilt-free grin. Just because Kyle had not directly told his tail to do that did not mean he was opposed, though. Tanhi must not have minded either, because she made no effort to remove his tail from her leg.

They sat in easy silence as Tanhi began to work on Kyle's still drying hair. A few times he would try leaning back against her, and with a playful laugh she would have to push him forward so that she could keep working.

_"You cannot keep doing that! We will be here all night!" _she told him as she gripped his shoulders and pushed him forward yet again. She kept her hands there and began kneading his tense muscles, working out the numerous knots that she felt.

She felt Kyle's body shake with silent laughter. _"Maybe that is what I want," _he countered.

Tanhi dug her thumb into a knot just above his shoulder blade and received a slight hiss in response, and she chuckled and leaned forward to place a kiss against his head in apology. _"My help will probably be needed in welcoming another child into the world tonight. As much as I would like to, Kyle, I do not think I can give you all of my attention today." _After a moment she added, _"But the birth will most likely be after sunset. We have time."_

Kyle groaned as Tanhi dug her fingers into yet another knot. _"Oh, good. This was just starting to feel enjoyable," _Kyle said sarcastically just before he hissed again. How could one so gorgeous cause him so much pain?

_ "Baby," _she chastised. _"You will thank me later."_

A short time later Kel'rey came running up to them. _"Kyle, you are back! Maybe we could - oh, you are busy," _the crestfallen look on the boy's face was so dramatic that both Kyle and Tanhi burst out laughing.

_"Sit, Kel'rey! You are right, I will not be going anywhere anytime soon, but maybe there is something I can still show you today," _Kyle said. Nothing short of blood or fire would get him to move from this position, in fact.

Kel'rey noticeably brightened as he plopped down onto the earth right in front of Kyle. _"Really? What is it?" _he asked eagerly.

Kyle chuckled as he leaned forward and began to trace in the dirt with his finger. _"It is a game that Sky People sometimes play. Let me explain..."_

* * *

_"I won again!" _Kel'rey announced with glee.

"Yay," Kyle grumbled morosely as he squinted down at the game.

Tanhi thumped him lightly on the shoulder. _"Be nice! Do not ruin the kindness that you show him by giving him victory."_

Kyle heaved a long suffering sigh before admitting, _"I was trying to win. This time. And the six times before it."_

Tanhi let a single giggle escape before she caught herself. _"Oh," _she replied contritely before she continued running her comb through the hair around Kyle's queue. She had already thoroughly detangled it, but if the sigh that Kyle just let out was any indication, the motion still felt quite good to him. It was a small comfort but she gave it gladly, if only to ease his wounded pride.

_"Can we play again?" _Kel'rey asked, his ears drooping cutely as he practically begged with wide, shining eyes.

_"No," _Kyle muttered darkly. Tanhi poked him in the ribs. _"Yes," _Kyle quickly amended._ "Go ahead and make a new board for us."_

Kel'rey bobbed his head in eager agreement as he wiped the patch of dirt between them clean and began to draw a fresh tic-tac-toe board. How could something so simple have gone so wrong, Kyle thought silently to himself. The game was just supposed to be something relatively quick and easy to show the youngster, but he quickly took to the concept like a duck to water. Um, a Na'vi to the forest? Whatever. Some kind of hitherto unknown hidden potential was unlocked within Kel'rey's young mind, and Kyle had only managed to win one game after showing Kel'rey the basics. Perhaps he could suddenly read Kyle's mind? Despite trying to rationalize his next move three or four steps out, Kel'rey always seemed to have a counter ready.

_"You may go first, if you would like," _Kel'rey offered in an innocent sounding voice, earning a frustrated growl from Kyle. By now the boy had realized full well that the player who moved first had the advantage by far.

Kyle frowned at him. _"No, 'evi, you first. You have rather earned it, after all." _Maybe this time he could win. Or at the very least he could make it a tie game. When two experts played, that was really the only outcome. And Kyle was far from an expert - he had not played in years! Like a diamond in the rough that had remained undiscovered until now, Kel'rey was a master who just did not know it yet, and he was easily schooling Kyle at a game he had never played before.

Tanhi half-watched over Kyle's shoulder as he and Kel'rey played the game that Kyle called "tic-tac-toe" as she began to gather Kyle's hair back to braid it around his queue. Kyle was definitely taking this game much slower as he struggled to match wits with Kel'rey, and Tanhi frowned when he leaned forward to draw his symbol in one of the openings. She made a little grunt of displeasure and Kyle stopped short.

_"You should not place your mark there," _she murmured as she leaned forward to speak into his left ear.

Kyle frowned as he stared hard at the board, trying to figure out what he had missed. _"But if I go -" _his voice caught and his eyes widened as he felt Tanhi's lips on his ear. She ran her mouth along the back edge before giving the pointed tip a gentle bite.

Tanhi smiled as she felt Kyle's tail spasm from where it had been formerly lying still draped over her thigh. _"Please?" _she whispered as she ceased her attentions upon his sensitive ear and nuzzled her nose into his still loose hair. Her smile widened as she saw Kel'rey lean over to stare at her suspiciously.

Kyle began to move his finger over each of the open spaces, his face the picture of perfect concentration as he chewed thoughtfully on the inside of his cheek. Tanhi hummed an affirmative when he was over a space that she suspected would work, and he obligingly drew a circle in the dirt with his finger.

The only indication that Kel'rey was displeased by this move was a subtle lowering of his ears and a slight increase in tempo of the steady wag of his tail. He took his sweet time in deciding where to place his counter to Kyle/Tanhi's move.

When Kel'rey finally drew his "X" Kyle grinned triumphantly. There was only one logical move for him to make, and with a flourish he traced his final "O," tying the game. "Gottcha!" he crowed smugly.

Kel'rey gave him a pouty expression. _"It was only because your yawntu helped," _he muttered with an accusatory glare at Tanhi, who promptly hid her face behind Kyle's head as her body shook with barely contained laughter.

_"Maybe I will help Kel'rey, then," _someone said, and Kel'rey turned to find Amber standing over them with a sly grin on her face, her golden eyes twinkling mischievously. Norm was just behind her, staring at the ground with raised eyebrows as he took in the game that Kyle and Kel'rey had been playing.

"Bah, my pride has been wounded enough," Kyle said with a wave of his hands. "Go ahead and see if you're smarter than me at this. If you're lucky maybe you can tie Kel'rey's game. He's a prodigy, a freaking genius."

The youngling did not know what a "prodigy" was, but it sounded like a compliment. He had been trouncing Kyle, after all. At least until Tanhi had helped him, dang it. "Do you know how to play tic-tac-toe, Amberferris? I am very good! I will teach you if you do not know how."

Amber laughed and said, "Oh, don't worry. I know how to play tic-tac-toe. Let's see what you've got, buster."

"Cool! But your yawntu can't help you like Kyle's yawntu did," Kel'rey declared.

Kyle had not even noticed that Amber and Norm had been holding hands until they swiftly let go of one another, and the tanhi on both of their faces and necks brightened briefly. Kyle gave Norm a surprised look, and the older cousin lowered his ears in silent irritation. "Norm, when did - ouch!"

Tanhi had just pinched one of his ears, her feminine intuition rightly guessing that whatever budding feelings might be between Normspellman and Amberferris were as fragile and timid as a Loreyu plant. "I am sorry! Clumsy, I missed this strand of hair here, Kyle," Tanhi apologized as she corralled some of the wayward locks of his hair.

"What, ah, what have you guys been up to today?" Kyle asked hesitantly. Tanhi's hand was stroking one of his ears again, though Kyle suspected she was just positioning herself for another pinch if necessary. Tanhi smiled sweetly up at Norm and Amber as she continued casually braiding Kyle's hair.

Amber gave Tanhi a quick, grateful look as she lowered herself to the ground in front of Kel'rey and began to set up another tic-tac-toe board. Norm quickly recovered and answered, "Just an impromptu botany lesson. Around Kelutral is a good place to study; the scouts do an excellent job keeping away predators." Norm raised his head and scented the air. "Glad we got back when we did. Dang, whatever's cooking smells fantastic."

Kyle and Tanhi both grinned. "Why, thank you, cousin. I shot the tastiest yerik I could find, just for you," Kyle told him proudly. There was something distinctly satisfying about the experience, Kyle thought. Kyle had never felt lacking in masculinity before; though in reality a Valkyrie was a glorified cargo plane, there was still a bit of an exotic air about the occupation of his former life. Somehow the act of going out and having to shoot dinner made him swell with a feeling of well-earned pride that he had never experienced before.

Norm looked impressed, and he felt quite grateful that the conversation was moving on. "Really? Nice work, Kyle! You're really beginning to fit in well, you know." Norm's expression grew distant for a moment. "Just one more thing left, isn't there," he said softly.

Kyle felt Tanhi's motions behind him slow down for a split second before she swiftly resumed the rhythmic motion of braiding around his queue. "Yeah, cousin. One more thing," Kyle responded quietly.

An explosion of noise, a mixture of mock-outrage and amusement, drew everyone's attention towards the two people playing tic-tac-toe. Kel'rey had won the first game, apparently.

* * *

When Kyle hauled himself out of his nivi the next morning he was mildly surprised to see Jake leaning up against the wall by the nearest spiral, arms folded casually across chest. His face was impassive, but there was something similar to amusement in the Olo'eyktan's eyes as he watched Kyle rub his face sleepily. "Good, you're up," Jake said in English as he looked down at his left wrist. He blinked for a second in surprise - no watch. Though he did not miss the timepiece, some habits still took years to break, and with a grunt and a shrug he motioned for Kyle to follow. "Ready yourself quickly. We're going hunting in a few minutes," Jake commanded.

"Wha...what?" Kyle asked blearily. "Lemmegetsumbrekfust," Kyle mumbled. He shook his head and reached into a nearby open section of the water-capture system to splash his face, which helped him look markedly more awake. "I'll just grab a quick bite," he repeated, his voice still a bit scratchy from sleep. Kyle was one of the earlier risers among the Omaticaya, but still, this was a bit soon to start moving so quickly. When the heck had Jake gotten up, and how had he gotten so damn chipper?

"No, you won't," Jake countered in a firm voice, drawing Kyle up short. "You won't be eating a thing today. Or most of tomorrow."

Now Kyle was definitely awake, and his ears lowered as his stomach rumbled. "Um, can I ask why?" He had yet to figure out if he was talking to Jake as friend, or as Olo'eyktan. Was he being punished for something? Kyle racked his brain, but he could not come up with any wrongdoing severe enough to warrant such a punishment.

Jake's smile was indeed reassuringly friendly as he said, "You're going to be fasting for today and the next. Tomorrow you will be taking Uniltaron, and your stomach needs to be empty. Any more questions?"

Kyle froze and his eyes widened sightly. "I...you think I'm ready?" he stuttered. He had been so looking forward to this announcement. Yet once he was presented with the news, he suddenly felt hesitant and unsure. Uniltaron was the last major hurdle to overcome. Well, maybe not the last thing...

Both men nodded and softly greeted one of their clansmen who passed between them on the way down to the ground. Once they had regained some privacy Jake said quietly. "You are indeed ready, Kyle. You told me yourself you wanted to be the best at whatever I threw at you. I won't lie, I was going to try to make things a little difficult for you, but Mal'ek kind of took over for that. And you've succeeded, brother. You've passed with flying colors. You're ready."

"My God," Kyle murmured as he struggled to get his mind around Jake's declaration. "But why me? Why not Tsaro, or Kyuna or Rai'uk? Are they not just as ready, or as...worthy, as I am?" He stumbled over the words a bit, a telling indication for Jake that this was not a prideful statement on Kyle's part.

Jake shrugged. "They're ready, or at least very close to it. It was my choice. Neytiri and Moat agree with me, as of course I need to run these kinds of things by them. You also chose your ikran last, so you may partake of Uniltaron first. You know how crazy we Na'vi are about balance and all that." Jake smirked at Kyle as he added, "And besides. You've already got a one-up on the other three. You've already chosen someone. And I'd hate for you and Tanhi to get in trouble because you two were impatient."

Kyle quickly glanced away as his face bloomed with embarrassment. His and Tanhi's behavior had been getting plenty of amused glances from some of the Omaticaya's mated couples as of late, now that he thought about it. And yes, some of the brief, lingering touches had been growing noticeably less brief and lingering.

Jake chuckled at Kyle's expression. "Take care of whatever you need to," Jake repeated. "Meet me at the ikran roosts. Don't take too long, and don't forget your bow."

Kyle smiled, a mix of eagerness and relief, and nodded before dashing down the spiral.

It did not take long at all for Kyle to make it back up to the top of Kelutral. Jake had only just bonded with Tswayon, who was squirming with anticipation at the thought of going flying with Jake. Neytiri was there, and Kyle had stepped out onto the branch just as she and her mate were kissing with such fervency that Kyle quickly looked away, feeling as such that he were intruding on quite an intimate moment.

Neytiri turned to face Kyle and chuckled at his embarrassed expression. "I See you, Kyle," she greeted.

Kyle dipped his head respectfully. "Um, I See you, Neytiri." Jake sniggered softly from behind his hand and ignored the quick glare that Kyle gave him. "Will you be hunting with us?" Kyle asked her.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I will not. This is a time for men, and I do not wish to intrude. Or cause myself undue suffering," she added with a teasing smile at Jake, who merely quirked an eyebrow up. His look plainly conveyed, _you know you'll miss me._ "I will be spending much of this day with Mother," Neytiri told Kyle.

Kyle cocked his head to the side. "I've been hearing that a lot lately. Is...everything alright? If I may ask?" he hastily added.

Neytiri nodded. "You may, do not worry. Actually, you are the reason that I have been training so intensely with Mother." Kyle gave her a perplexed look at this, and Neytiri laughed softly. "You honor me, Kyle! Yours will be the first Uniltaron that I oversee with my Jake. Much preparation goes into your birthday, you know."

Kyle was flabbergasted, and a quick glance back at Jake was met with a confirming nod. "Wow, thank you, Neytiri. Or shall I address you as Tsahìk?" he replied with a small grin.

"No, I am not Tsahìk just yet," Neytiri answered. "Now I will bid you 'goodbye,' brother, before I take up any more of yours or my Jake's time. Enjoy your day in Eywa's beauty."

Kyle smiled and nodded as a telling gust of wind blew against his back. Txopuluke could be a damn sneaky bastard when he wanted to be, but there was not a whole lot that could be done to mask the way the branch creaked and settled with the giant ikran's weight. "Thank you, Neytiri. And you as well." The rays of Alpha Centauri were already warming the air. It would be a glorious day, indeed.

* * *

Kyle and Jake would not exactly be hunting from ikran-back today, but they would be traveling much further away from Kelutral than would be possible on foot or even with pa'li. Kyle positively loved flying with Txopuluke. If pressed, Kyle would probably describe the experience as a cross between piloting a fighter jet and riding a motorcycle. Though Jake and he were just transiting right now, Kyle and Txopuluke had tried some pretty impressive acrobatics in the recent past... It was enough to get Kyle's adrenaline pumping for the better part of the day.

Kyle and Txopuluke were in deep conversation about the tactics necessary for aerial hunting when an ominous shadow blotted out the sun at their backs. Kyle's insides clinched with an instinctive fear that must have been latent within his avatar body. Txopuluke, true to his name, was not afraid but the situation definitely had the ikran's full attention.

"Jake!" Kyle yelled in warning as he tucked tight to Txopuluke's neck. The ikran snapped his wings in close to his body and Kyle felt weightless for a second as they dropped past Jake and Tswayon, making a beeline for the jungle canopy below.

Jake had to shout himself hoarse twice for his command to register with Kyle, for Kyle had ignored the chirping hunt-speak that Jake had initially used. "Kyle, stop! Don't run! KYLE!"

The firmness of the Olo'eyktan's words finally cut through Kyle and Txopuluke's instinctive flight. _Steady..._ Txopuluke intoned, and Kyle did not know if Txopuluke was talking to himself or to Kyle. _Steady, Little One. _Oh...guess that answers the question. Jake was right beside him again, Tswayon's wings almost overlapping with Txopuluke's as the two ikran got as close as physically possible for a brief moment.

Kyle whipped his head around to peer over his shoulder just as the massive red form of Toruk buzzed them not 20 feet overhead. All of the moisture left Kyle's mouth as he followed the predator's flight with wide eyes. "Shit...," he gasped. The thing had the teeth and claws of a palulukan, and its chilling cry turned Kyle's blood to ice water. Everything had happened so suddenly - Kyle got the distinct impression that if he was meant to die today, it would already have happened.

Jake's lips were pressed tight together as he tracked Toruk with intense eyes. Unlike Kyle, there was not a shred of fear in his disposition. "It's her," Kyle heard him whisper.

Kyle's head jerked forward as he watched Toruk flap and circle around in front of them, crying out a second time. The sound stirred something in Kyle's spirit; his body bore scars that served as a daily reminder that he was no longer at the apex of the food chain but even still, this fresh reminder of his smallness shocked him just as much as it had the first time. Kyle could not hide the shiver that coursed through his body at the sound of Toruk's voice from Txopuluke, but the ikran never held it against him for a second. _It is wise to be wary of that which can eat you, _Txopuluke deadpanned.

No shit.

Kyle's heart was still pounding furiously within his chest as Jake's words registered with him. "Is that...your Toruk?" he asked hesitantly. This was the closest that he had ever been to one of the great predators, and it was as close as he ever cared to get.

Jake barked out a short laugh and gave Kyle a quick glance. "Ha! No, she is not 'my' Toruk. Trust me, she doesn't belong to _anyone, _especially me. But yes, she and I are...acquaintances. Easy, boy," Jake finished as he reassuringly scratched Tswayon around his tswin as the ikran cackled nervously. Jake gave Kyle a significant look. "I'm glad you didn't run. If your mount had been any smaller, she would have probably plucked you out of the sky before you could have gained the cover of the trees."

Kyle's mortification mixed strangely with Txopuluke's pride within his mind. _See? I told you I -_ the ikran began.

_Oh, shut it, _Kyle interrupted. _You just said it was wise to be wary._

Jake smirked as he noticed the distracted look on Kyle's face, the slight tilt of his head as if he were listening to someone whispering over his shoulder. "What's he saying?" Jake asked.

Kyle snorted. "Cocky bastard," he muttered, even as he allowed a faint smile to cross his face. "Are we there yet? I'd really like to take a break from flying right now."

Jake chuckled and pointed with his chin ahead of them. "Yeah, almost there."

They landed in a small meadow, and the grass was still gently trembling from the recent passage of a fair amount of prey animals. The ground was littered with their footprints, and their smell still hung in the air. Kyle's eyes were wide, his ears up and alert as he spun around, bow in hand, and took in all the signs. The Omaticaya were of course quite careful to avoid overhunting around their home, but neither did the yerik exactly throw themselves at the hunters' feet as soon as they stepped foot away from Kelutral. The abundance before him now was the closest thing Kyle had seen to a Na'vi grocery store, and his mind spun with all of the possibilities.

"I do not expect to be out all day," Jake said calmly as he unslung his bow and casually checked the three arrows that he had with him. "Once we've managed to bring down a sufficiently useful amount of prey we shall talk about more serious things. But for now, we hunt." Jake grinned, baring his fangs as he jerked his head in the direction of the forest. "Lead," he commanded.

Kyle's ears lowered ever so slightly and he growled in response as he felt his blood begin to race at Jake's challenge. Something primordial began to stir to life from somewhere deep within him, and he embraced the heady feeling with open arms. "Yes, sir," he responded. This would be a _very_ good day.

* * *

By midday both men were comfortably tired, and their blue skin was smeared with dust and sweat. At "base camp" were the carcasses of two yerik and four smaller but infinitely more common tapirus. "We'll field dress one of the yerik here," Jake panted as he and Kyle lugged their final kill over to lay with the rest of their catch. "The offal will make a fine offering for Tswayon and Txopuluke. They've earned the treat, at any rate."

Overhead Jake and Kyle's ikran patrolled in a loose circle around the perimeter of the meadow. The two hunters' work was bound to attract the attention of scavengers, and every now and then one of the ikran would let out a shriek and make a dive at some unseen creature that had been attracted to the smell of the kills.

Kyle nodded and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "You're a hell of a hunter, you know that?" he complimented sincerely. Jake had really given him a run for his money today, constantly pushing and encouraging him; it had been all Kyle could do to keep pace with the other man. Jake lacked the fluid grace of a natural Na'vi, but Neytiri had clearly taught him well. Jake was quite stealthy, and any minor lack of technique was made up for by sheer tenacity. Once he had gained a trail his prey was as good as dead.

A modest shrug was the response. "I hold my own," Jake replied. "It's not often I get to go hunting, either by myself or with a group. Sometimes being Olo'eyktan can take up about 110 percent of my time." Jake unsheathed the knife from his chest and looked up at Kyle. "I tend to milk these chances for all they're worth. We didn't run too hard for you, did we?" This was said with a teasing smile.

Kyle's eyes narrowed and he flashed his teeth in friendly aggression. "No, you didn't. You set the bar high, though; it's good to see what I'm aiming for." Kyle quickly knelt on the other side of the yerik, reaching over its back to take hold of its legs and bare the stomach for Jake. "Here, let me help," he said.

Jake nodded his thanks as he swiftly eviscerated the yerik in one smooth slice. The rank, warm smell of the butchered animal did not bother Kyle in the least; in fact, he found his mouth watering at the prospect of what it might taste like, and his stomach rumbled in hungry agreement.

Jake paused and glanced up at Kyle, one eyebrow raised in amusement. "Down, boy," he said. "You're still fasting. You can't eat until after Uniltaron."

Kyle grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, well, one can still dream, can't they?" A shadow passed by overhead and Kyle and Jake quickly looked up; Tswayon flapped and circled overhead, watching Jake's work with obvious interest. "Who would have thought...," Kyle murmured distantly as he took in the scenery around him with a contented sigh.

A few more slices and the yerik's guts spilled fully out, hot and steaming. Jake grinned and portioned off something that vaguely resembled a liver and whistled to summon Tswayon, who at this point needed no further encouragement. "Easy, Tswayon, don't take my hand off," Jake chuckled as he fed the piece of organ to his friend. The ikran chirred happily and licked Jake's hand clean with only a few swipes of his tongue. "You'll get more later, I promise. Now give the big guy a turn before he puts you in your place."

Kyle smiled as he watched the eager ikran wing back up into the air. He reached into the carcass to withdraw the rest of the organ, and when he stood back up Txopuluke was already there, waiting patiently for his turn. While the giant may not have been as overtly eager as the notorious Tswayon, he had been watching Kyle's work with interest the entire time. Txopuluke wolfed down Kyle's offering like a starving ikran before he too jumped back into the air to resume his patrol.

"Who would have thought that we'd end up like this, eh? Dressed like savages, eschewing a fine hunting rifle for the bow and arrow. Let alone that the both of us would look like, well...," Jake trailed off and motioned at himself. "Do you miss your home, Kyle? Do you miss your old life? Tanhi will know if you do. It's the damnedest thing about the women here. They just know." He finished with a wry smirk and a shake of his head.

Kyle gave Jake a sharp look, his ears swiveling subconsciously as he pondered Jake's words. "If I had a home to go back to, I might miss it. I had a decent apartment in Cali, a good job that I enjoyed going to each day. I had a wicked fast motorcycle. How many people could say that? I'm sure it's all rubble now. I had a family...but I'm sure they're long buried." Kyle looked up into the sky as if waiting for the few clouds present to form an answer for him. "I wonder if they ever even found them?"

Jake was silent for a while as he continued dressing the yerik. He had known of the pain that had burdened Kyle and Norm. Kyle had never mentioned anything; in fact he had looked none the worse for wear...but Jake was willing to bet that this was not the case. "It's strange. We needed to have so much taken away before we can See what's really important," he said softly without looking at Kyle.

"There's more that's unsaid here," Kyle replied slowly as he heard the weight in Jake's words.

Jake nodded and kept working. "Me? I left behind no family as well." Jake laughed harshly and shook his head. "I had a twin brother. His name was Tom. He was a scientist working for the RDA. He was so excited to be an avatar driver..." Jake trailed off, shaking his head. It still hurt to think about that, even now.

Kyle blinked as Jake's words hit him. "I... I didn't know that. I'm sorry, Jake."

"Thank you," Jake said honestly. He laughed, the sound genuine as he recalled in his mind's eye his brother. "Oh, we were a riot back in the day, let me tell you! We did all the typical 'twin things.' You know, like switching places in school and all that. At least when we were younger, and it was tougher to tell us apart. Tommy quickly became the smarter one, and me the stronger one. Then it wasn't so easy to fool people."

"The dynamic duo, eh? Batman and Robin?" Kyle asked with a smile.

Jake snorted and started coughing, he was laughing so hard. "Ha! Oh, that's rich. No, it was more like that old cartoon, Pinkie and the Brain. Tommy would always figure out how to 'take over the world,' and I was the muscle that carried the plan out." Jake looked up at Kyle and rolled his eyes. "More often than not that meant I was the fall guy when things went bad. But that was Tommy...planning it all, even down to his escape." Jake's eyes finally grew sad. "He just didn't plan on the right street that day, or the right time to walk home. Stupid bastard... They don't even know who did it, who murdered and robbed my brother for his wallet. Knowing Tommy, he would have just given it to the guy, threatened or not. Credit cards can be canceled, driver's licenses renewed. So yeah, like you, I suppose I really shouldn't be here, either. But as we say, Eywa does provide. It's amazing, how something so good can come out of what was meant for evil."

Kyle froze at Jake's words. "Wait, what do you mean you aren't supposed to be here? You have...had an avatar. Didn't you? You were security or something for the avatar teams, right?"

Jake chuckled and shook his head, causing a few loose braids to sway around his face. "You don't get it still. Let me explain. I was just a marine, a grunt. I was paralyzed, even, from that shit storm in Venezuela. I had no life. Tommy and I were identical twins...this was _his _avatar. He was murdered a week before he was supposed to ship out for Pandora. I came in his place, because the RDA didn't want to flush a multi-million dollar baby avatar down the drain, and I just so happened to have the right set of genes that would let me link with it." Kyle simply gaped at him, and Jake threw his head back and laughed. "So you see? Both of us are the product of some pretty damned big astronomical odds."

Time passed as Jake and Kyle continued cleaning the yerik. They treated their ikrans twice more to various juicy parts before Kyle finally spoke. "I wouldn't keep anything from Tanhi," Kyle said slowly after a while.

"How long did it take for you to admit to Tanhi that she wasn't falling in love with just any normal avatar driver?" Jake quickly fired back.

Kyle blinked rapidly as he heard this and his ears fell back slightly. Oh, yeah. About that...

Jake sighed and sat back on his haunches as his tail waved thoughtfully behind him. "That's what I thought at first, too. Originally, I actually was working for Sec-Ops, for Quaritch. At first my entire relationship with Neytiri was built on a lie." Jake gave Kyle a look that even now was laced through with guilt. "I helped bring down the Omaticaya's first Hometree. Eytukan, Neytiri's father, was killed then. It was my fault. My first lies almost ended everything. Falling in love was the last thing I expected."

Remembering Neytiri and Jake's intimate farewell earlier in the morning, Kyle said hesitantly, "Well, it seems like you guys turned out okay. Right?" His voice turned up at the end, almost squeaking hopefully.

Jake closed his eyes and smiled fondly in memory. "We did, but it was close. Very close. I thought tsaheylu with Tswayon was the greatest thing under the sun. That is, until the first time with Neytiri. God, I've never had anyone love me like she does."

With a thoughtful frown, Kyle carefully asked, "Tsaheylu makes that much of a difference? Wait, how come Neytiri didn't find out about the...the reason you were there...then?" Kyle stuttered slightly over the last part, unsure of how Jake might take such a question.

Fortunately, he seemed unoffended. "Tsaheylu isn't like reading minds, especially with your mate. You can...put up walls, if you want. Hide things in boxes, and all that. It can be done, but it is not pleasant, Kyle." Jake winced and said, "I would never recommend it." Jake rubbed his cheek thoughtfully with the clean back of his hand. "Neytiri had to knock some sense into me for me to get that."

"Is it difficult, sometimes? Relating between people who are so different, I mean," Kyle said as he chewed on his lower lip.

Jake smiled. "A wise question. Yeah, it can be difficult. I don't think you'll avoid that between you and Tanhi. In many ways my human mind complicates things that Neytiri sees as ridiculously simple." With a fond laugh Jake said, "But we just determine that I'm a skxawng and move on. It's not too bad. Tanhi will challenge you, and you her, in ways that probably neither of you will expect." Jake laughed again before saying, "I'm excited to welcome you into the clan, Kyle. I want the best for you and your soon-to-be mate. I want you guys to have an easier start than Neytiri and I did, is all."

They kept working on the yerik - it was almost fully gutted and packed for the trip home, thankfully - when Kyle asked yet another question. "How much actually changed, Jake? When you... When you switched bodies. Became Na'vi."

"Well, I can tell you what it didn't do for me. It didn't make me an expert at the language, that's for sure! Neytiri still bugs me about my pronunciation. I still say her name wrong - did you know that?" Despite Jake's admission that he still speaks his life mate's name incorrectly, he was grinning like an idiot.

Kyle frowned. "Wait, I say her name the same way you do. Neytiri...," he said, speaking slowly and deliberately as he focused on his Na'vi.

Jake shook his head as he wiped his bloody hands clean on a large, fuzzy leaf. "Nope, it's actually _Neytiri." _Jake trilled and twisted the "R" in a way that Kyle had never heard before and was quite likely helpless to duplicate.

Still, Kyle's mouth fell open at this revelation. "Well why the hell don't you...?"

Jake laughed and slapped his knees with his now clean hands. "Does she say _my_ name right?" Kyle shook his head after a moment of reflection - Neytiri still pronounced "Jake" with a soft "J." Jake grinned, his love for his mate as obvious as ever. "She knows she says it wrong. She's a good enough English speaker by now to say it correctly, if she or I wanted her to. But you know what? That's how we first said each other's name, and I for one would never want her say my name any other way."

Kyle could only laugh and shake his head. What could he possibly say to that?

The two men were almost done readying their kills for transport back to Kelutral. Txopuluke, bless him, calmly rested on the ground as Kyle burdened him with his share of the undoubtably tasty smelling meat. Tswayon kept trying to snitch bites when Jake was not looking, but somehow the Olo'eyktan was always able to keep a step ahead of his rambunctious ikran. "God, you're worse than a kid!" Jake exclaimed in exasperation after his third intervention between Tswayon and the meat meant for the Omaticaya. Kyle quietly laughed behind his hand, all the while thanking God or Eywa that Txopuluke was better behaved. Kyle would probably be powerless to stop the giant ikran if he decided that he did want a portion of yerik or tapirus for himself.

Kyle was just about to swing up into Txopuluke's saddle when Jake called out to him. "I don't know if you noticed or not, but I kind of dodged your last question there," Jake said with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

With a smirk Kyle replied, "Yeah, I noticed. I figured there was a good reason, though."

Jake grinned faintly as he jumped astride Tswayon's back; the ikran politely knelt a little closer to the ground to make the move easier. The Olo'eyktan's eyes were closed in thought for a brief moment; Jake opened and shut his mouth a few times without actually speaking as if he were still trying to decide on the right words. Finally, he said, "I didn't change, Kyle. I really didn't change at all. All that happened was that I was freed up to be me again."

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Kyle. The bounty of his and Jake's hunt was joyfully received; the announcement of his pending Uniltaron was cause for even greater celebration. Kyle had thought that the ceremony would be a private event, though this apparently seemed not to be the case. The entire clan quickly learned the news, and _everyone _saw it fit to give Kyle at least a little bit of attention.

Tsaro came up to him, a strange expression on his normally unreadable face. _"I do not know how I feel about this announcement, Kylefischer," _Tsaro told him after a moment in a somber tone of voice.

Kyle's ears rocked back with uncertainty. _"Are...are you not happy for me, brother? Do you wish to go before me?" _Kyle felt stung and was rather taken aback by Tsaro's response; there were times that Kyle still felt unsure of whether or not he had been fully accepted by the clan. He hoped it did not send the wrong message for him to be going through Uniltaron first.

Tsaro heaved a massive sigh, which Kyle suspected may have been a little staged, and said simply, _"You will be my elder until I partake of the final rite. For some reason this...irritates me."_

Kyle was speechless for a moment before he finally burst out laughing, his amusement so great that he staggered slightly on his feet. Tsaro frowned at the boisterous display, his ears folding back with irritation. He could not hold the expression for long, however, and soon a small but genuine smile crossed his face. He had been teasing, after all, and Kyle had finally caught it. _"You are impossible!" _Kyle finally managed. _"I will do my best not to hold anything over your head," _Kyle gasped as he wiped tears from his eyes.

Tsaro frowned slightly. _"Why would you hold something above my head?" _he asked curiously.

Apparently some English idioms did not readily carry over into Na'vi, and Tsaro's perplexed question triggered another bout of laughter from Kyle. _"Forgive me, it is a Sky Person expression," _Kyle managed after a while. It was nearly time for dinner, and for a second time in as many days the results of Kyle's labors was cooking over the Omaticaya's fires and releasing all kinds of delicious smells into the air. Kyle sighed and said with a good natured grumble, _"Will you grant me a favor, Tsaro? Enjoy your meal tonight. For the both of us."_

Another faint grin crossed Tsaro's features. _"I can do that for you. Would you wish for me to inform you of how good the meat tastes?" _ Tsaro asked this with a maddeningly serious tone of voice.

A woman's laugh interrupted the two friends. Neytiri was just walking up to them, and she said with a chuckle, _"You will only make things harder for yourself, Kyle. Do not worry - you do not suffer alone this night."_

Kyle's expression was quizzical as he cocked his head to the side and asked, _"What do you mean?"_

_ "Ah, forgive me. I forget that you do not yet know of all of our customs," _Neytiri said. _"My Jake has been fasting with you, as have I. It is the way of things," _she said with a shrug.

Once again, the interconnectedness of the Na'vi way of life astounded Kyle. He had never experienced the kind of unity that the Omaticaya so readily demonstrated. And to have this kind of thing offered to him...to be poised on the precipice of being accepted right into the midst of such a community... It moved Kyle deeply. This really was like getting his family back all over again.

Neytiri smiled as she saw Kyle's expression, as he looked like he was about to object to something. _"It is strange to me, Kyle... You are a brave and strong man, and you were ready to give your life for those whom you had only known a short time. Yet it seems to me that you find it difficult to accept even an offer of kindness such as this."_

Kyle's tail drooped behind him as Neytiri's comment hit home. She was right...as she usually was. He had no idea how to respond to Neytiri's words.

Neytiri sensed even this as well, and she said reassuringly, _"You will understand what it is that I say soon enough. Now come, follow me. While our brothers and sisters eat the evening meal, you and I must begin preparing both your body and your spirit. You will need to find and capture a kali'weya for your ceremony, and I also feel that some time spent at Utral Aymokriya would be good for you. Perhaps you may find that those who have gone to be with Eywa may have a word of wisdom for you."_

Before Neytiri and he could draw away, Tsaro reached forward and thumped Kyle on the shoulder. _"I am indeed happy for you, brother," _he said with sincerity._ "I can think of no one better to call 'friend,' and I am honored to have taught you and to stand witness as you take your place among the People."_

Tsaro had a way of packing a powerful punch into few words and it was all Kyle could do to dip his head in speechless acknowledgment. A third faint smile - surely some kind of record - graced Tsaro's face for a moment as he motioned farewell before turning to head back to Kelutral.

Neytiri watched the exchange with a feeling of pride and satisfaction. _"Come," _she gently reminded him as she motioned towards the forest.

* * *

Kyle slept fitfully that night - he was sure it was only for a few hours, at any rate. Though his eyes were closed, he was lying awake in his nivi when Tanhi appeared before dawn crouched on the branch above, softly calling his name. _"Kyle. Rise up. It is time," _she said.

He was up in an instant and very alert, despite only getting minimal sleep and not having eaten anything for over a day. Tanhi's beautiful eyes were faintly luminous in the darkness, and her bioluminescent freckles glowed steadily. _"You are beautiful," _Kyle breathed softly as he looked upon her face.

Tanhi smiled and leaned forward to swiftly kiss his cheek. _"You are handsome," _she countered with a quiet chuckle. _"You must be painted for Uniltaron. Follow me."_

As they descended one of Kelutral's spirals in the predawn darkness Tanhi explained, _"It is the teacher's privilege to draw the lines and whorls upon you that represent your upcoming journey. Your teacher knows you best, and is in the best position to listen to Eywa's words regarding your life." _As they crossed the ground to a private alcove she turned to him and smiled almost shyly. _"I have taught you much of the People's language. I will be...one of those who does this for you."_

Kyle smiled despite his best efforts to remain serious. _"And who else will there be? Tsaro taught me the ways of forest, taught me how to hunt."_

_ "This is true, but he is not yet a man, and as such he cannot be the one who helps initiate you into the clan," _a new voice spoke, and Kyle turned to find Mal'ek ducking his head as he stepped beneath the low alcove entrance. _"I did teach you to wield a bow with...limited effectiveness, after all," _Mal'ek said, his own eyes shining with pride and good humor. Kyle's skill with the bow and arrow was much greater than merely "passable," and they both knew it. Perhaps Kyle's skill outstripped Mal'ek's own if one were to take into account his ability to shoot equally well with either hand. _"It would be a privilege for me to listen to Eywa on your behalf, 'itan."_

Kyle chuckled softly and asked, _"I thought that you were too old and stubborn to hear the All Mother's voice, Mal'ek."_

Tanhi hid her giggle behind her hand. Mal'ek was unoffended at having his past words turned against him and said with a shrug, _"This is true. I have been spending much time as of late meditating at Utral Aymokriya in order to refresh my skills concerning the matter. My mate has offered her own words to me for your sake as well, so you may be confident that there is no misunderstanding." _Mal'ek stepped aside and motioned into the alcove. _"Now enter; talk alone will not prepare you."_

Kyle smiled and lightly bit his tongue to avoid further speech as Tanhi gently pushed on his shoulders and ushered him into the alcove. Torchlight illuminated the space, its warm, orange glow casting dancing shadows against the walls. Despite not sharing any words, father and daughter somehow moved in perfect concert as they traced patterns and lines across Kyle's body. There were no mistakes, no do-overs.

_"What do they mean?" _Kyle finally asked. Mal'ek was in front of him at the moment, and Tanhi behind. Mal'ek locked eyes with his daughter for a brief second before he glanced at Kyle and remained thoughtfully silent. Kyle's eyes widened fractionally as he felt Tanhi gently grasp his queue, moving the braid up so that it rested over her own shoulder and down behind her. She did not want to get his hair soiled as she painted his back.

She could feel her father's eyes on her as she dipped two of her fingers into her bowl of white paint. Tanhi chewed her lip thoughtfully as she pondered her motions for a second. Once satisfied that she had indeed heard correctly, Tanhi brought her fingers up to the first of Kyle's palulukan-inflicted scars and in a single smooth motion highlighted the old wound in paint. She could feel Kyle's back tense beneath her fingers as she repeated the action twice more.

Mal'ek finally answered. _"I cannot speak of such things to you, Kyle. Words are not sufficient - this is why we use the symbols as we do. The paint upon your body is Eywa's silent speech to you. I would not want to distract from her voice with my own." _This was a true statement - it was not customary to explain why someone was painted as they were. But of course, one could certainly make an educated guess as to what Eywa had to say concerning a person.

Eywa's blessing as it flowed through Mal'ek spoke of stoutness of heart, of unshakeable resolve. It spoke of an inner triumph; over just what exactly Mal'ek did not know, but one thing was clear: Kyle's spirit was indomitable. There was truly no challenge or hardship that Kyle would shy away from.

His daughter's interpretation astounded Mal'ek. His heart swelled with pride for Tanhi, for it spoke well of her as a woman that she could come to such a conclusion about her future mate, despite the scars that she bore herself on the inside. There was no greater demonstration of love than a willingness to lay down one's life for another. Whether he knew this or not, Kyle had shown this to all the Omaticaya - he had been called to task on the matter, and he had not flinched. Eywa had seen it fit to give Kyle back to them all when she had every opportunity to welcome him into her arms. She surely had a plan for him.

It took many, many hours to fully prepare Kyle. When all was said and done his face, arms, torso, and legs had all been decorated. Tanhi painted the final strokes on his cheeks and down his chin and throat. Kyle's eyes never left her face; she could feel the heat of his admiration and she chuckled despite herself. _"Do not distract me," _she gently scolded.

Kyle's eyebrows rose. _"I did not say anything," _he countered.

Tanhi finished her work and finally looked into his eyes. His gaze was confident, steady, and full of promise. She blew lightly on his face, partly to help his paint dry and mostly to get him to blink. She wanted to kiss him, among other things, but this was not the time or place. _"Your thoughts are nearly loud enough for me to hear," _she said with a laugh.

_"So you can read my mind? Tell me, what am I thinking now?" _Kyle asked in a serious tone.

Tanhi blushed. Perhaps she could not actually read his mind, but she knew the answer to his question.

_"It is time," _Mal'ek interrupted softly as he washed his hands clean.

Kyle remembered to bring the jar that contained his kali'weya with him; he shuddered slightly as he heard the creature's irritated skittering inside the stone container. He held his head high as he stepped out of the alcove behind Mal'ek and Tanhi. Most of Omaticaya were up by now, and a few of them greeted him respectfully as they walked over to the entrance of the Uniltaron chamber. Kyle searched around him for Norm but his cousin was oddly absent, and the only flash of human clothing proved to be Amber in her avatar who stood a respectful distance away. She smiled at him and gave him a slight wave in recognition.

Neytiri and Moat were waiting for them at the top of the tunnel. _"Good morning, Tsahìk," _he greeted softly to Moat, who smiled and dipped her head almost imperceptibly in acknowledgement. She did not say anything to him in return, her deference to her daughter's role clear.

Neytiri glanced once over Kyle's painted body before she looked at Tanhi and Mal'ek each in turn. _"Is this what Eywa says to him?" _she asked the two.

_"It is," _Mal'ek and Tanhi replied in unison.

With a single nod Neytiri replied, _"Let it be as she says, then. The Olo'eyktan will be up in a moment, Kyle."_

Kyle nodded as he pushed back a wave of nervousness and tried to still the spastic twitching of his tail. "Neytiri...have you seen Norm?" he asked after a moment.

Neytiri's eyes shifted over his shoulder. "Your cousin is just now behind you," she told him with a faint smile.

Kyle was surprised - he had not heard Norm approach. He made to turn around but he felt a hand on his shoulder restrain him. "Hold on, Kyle," Norm said. "Don't look at me right now. I won't be with you for the Dream Hunt, but trust me, I'm not going anywhere."

Kyle puzzled over Norm's words even as he obliged his request and remained still. "What, wake up on the wrong side of the nivi this morning?" he asked with a nervous chuckle.

The smile in Norm's voice was clear. "Not quite, cousin. Just doing my own preparations is all. Jake asked me to warn you... Don't be nervous about the Dream Hunt. To be fair, the arachnoid sting will hit you harder than most. It's something about the avatar body. But it's bearable."

Kyle nodded in acknowledgement.

Norm squeezed his shoulder once before releasing. "See you on the other side. I'm pretty sure I have a good guess what your spirit animal will be, but of course I don't want to bias you. I'm proud of you, Kyle."

"Thank you, cousin," Kyle responded quietly. "See you in a bit."

Kyle had no idea if Norm was still behind him or not, and in spite of Norm's warning Kyle turned to check. He could not see his cousin at all; there was only a few Omaticaya going about the beginning of their day. Tsaro was walking by, bow in hand, no doubt on his way to do some hunting. The two friends locked eyes for a moment - Tsaro did not pause his steps and simply motioned a greeting. _I See you._

Kyle returned the greeting just as a voice cleared its throat nearby. Turning back, Kyle found Jake had emerged from the tunnel and was standing beside his mate. The Olo'eyktan mantle rested upon his shoulders and he wore the headpiece as well, the formal garb complementing his stern expression. _"Who are you?" _Jake demanded as he stared at Kyle as though he had never seen the man before.

Swallowing nervously, Kyle replied simply, _"My name is Kyle Fischer. I am son of..." _His voice hung up on his building emotion - this was going to be difficult to say. After clearing his throat Kyle continued, _"Son of Brad and Sarah Fischer. I will become Omaticaya this day."_

Jake snorted. _"We shall see. Tell me, Kylefischer," _Jake asked, running Kyle's name together in the Na'vi way, _"Which of Eywa's younger children best represents your spirit and character?"_

Remembering the words that Neytiri had taught him last night, Kyle answered, _"I do not yet know, Olo'eyktan. With your permission, I will hunt for such a totem now."_

After a moment Jake nodded once. _"You have my permission," _he said. _"May Eywa bless your hunt this day."_

Kyle cast a nervous glance towards Tanhi; her expression was reassuring, and he drew strength from it. Kyle trailed Jake down into the tunnel, and Mal'ek and Neytiri followed behind. Only a few sparse bladder lanterns illuminated the passageway, but Kyle's sensitive eyes quickly grew accustomed to the darkness. The air grew thick, damp, and cloying - a strange smell tickled Kyle's nose and a deep breath made him feel lightheaded.

The actual Uniltaron chamber was low-ceilinged with more than a few rootlets hanging down from above. There were numerous places where Kyle had to duck to avoid dirtying his head, and he noticed that in several places the visible thick roots of Kelutral had been slit with a knife so that they oozed a sticky sap. This sap had been singed with a firebrand, and now it smoked steadily; it was no doubt the source of the strangely intoxicating scent that Kyle was smelling. The room was cramped, a true womb within the earth.

Perhaps a dozen Na'vi sat cross-legged around the perimeter of the chamber and Mal'ek quietly took a seat in an open space. Several of the men and women present were pounding out a steady rhythm upon drums that they held in their laps, their sound more like a heartbeat than actual music. Kyle knelt in the center of the room - Jake relieved him of the jar he carried and Neytiri approached with a glowworm in her hand, still wriggling disturbingly, very much alive and luminous.

_"Wise worm, grant this hunter the vision that he seeks so that he may take his place among the People," _Neytiri intoned as she placed the worm onto Kyle's tongue. Kyle screwed his eyes shut as he swiftly drew the worm back in his mouth and swallowed without chewing - the creature was still squirming even as it slid down his throat.

Jake stalked in a circle around Kyle as he opened the jar and allowed the kali'weya to scurry out into his palm; the Olo'eyktan had to constantly rotate and turn his hand as the giant arachnoid scrambled hamster-like between his fingers. Resisting the urge to turn and look, Kyle faced resolutely forward as Jake disappeared behind him - he did not see when Jake swiftly grabbed the arachnoid's tail with his other hand, turning the creature from calm to furious in an instant.

Kyle did not know if he was stung by the insect or kicked between the shoulder blades by an angry pa'li. The contact of the kali'weya's venomous stinger against the back of his neck jolted him violently forward onto his hands and knees, and he cried out in surprise and pain despite his best efforts to remain silent.

Kyle instantly broke out into a feverish sweat as he felt the effects from the sting spread out over his body. He felt himself growing numb, the sensation reaching from the middle of his chest and spreading out into his arms, legs, and tail, and he found himself struggling for breath as his vision began to narrow.

Incredulously, Kyle recalled the time he had his wisdom teeth pulled back in college. He had just been injected with anesthesia and the dentist told him to count back from 100. _100...99...98..., _Kyle thought as he struggled to remain coherent even as the dual effects of the glowworm and kali'weya began to overpower his senses.

Then the world started spinning, and with a strangled cry Kyle scrabbled fruitlessly against the ground. He flopped ungracefully over onto his side as the room began to twirl like some sick merry-go-round. _97...96... _The Na'vi began to drum faster, their frantic pace beginning to sync up with Kyle's own frantically beating heart. _95...94..._ Kyle was dimly aware of chanting. It sounded like Na'vi, but it was unlike any word or song that he had ever heard before; it sounded old, ancient and primeval. _93..92..._

Jake crouched down beside him, watching intently, and Kyle desperately focused on his face. He tried saying something, anything, but all that came out was a wheezy gasp. The blurry image of Jake's form doubled, then tripled, and Kyle could hear a dull roar forming inside his head. _91..._

* * *

And then everything was gone. The dim chamber, his chanting and drumming clan mates, the noise in his head, everything. Kyle was soaring over the Pandoran jungle through the open air, and the loudest noise was the wind rushing over his face, cool and deliciously refreshing. The feeling was more vivid even than flying with Txopuluke, if that were possible. Kyle felt the strength of his wings not just through tsaheylu, but as though it was his own body. He knew instantly what he was.

How high can I go? Let's find out... Powerful flaps of his wings pushed him up through the air. Higher and higher Kyle flew, until the trees and rivers and mountains, even the clouds, began to fade below him and the sky began to darken in a way that he knew intimately. Soon stars were twinkling brightly overhead.

Within minutes, or perhaps hours, Kyle found himself back in his Na'vi body. He was still lying on his side, but someone had thoughtfully placed a rolled woven mat under his head as a pillow. The room was empty save for a few remaining Na'vi who either paced slowly or sat back against the wall as they murmured prayers for Kyle's successful dream hunt. Mal'ek was there, as were a few others that Kyle recognized, including Sänume and Va'ru. Kyle groaned as he tried to move - his limbs felt like they weighed several tons, and he truly felt like a palulukan had tackled him all over again.

Kyle tried sitting up, but it took the help of another for even this simple move - Jake's arm helped lift him into an upright position. He caught sight of Jake's concerned face, thankfully only one this time, as the Olo'eyktan asked, "You were out for a long while. What did you see?"

His first answer came out as a raspy croak and Neytiri quickly knelt down beside him and held a water skin to his lips. Kyle drank greedily before he answered, and Jake and Neytiri traded a relieved, knowing smile upon hearing Kyle's response.

"Ikran," Kyle had gasped.

* * *

Amazingly, it was late afternoon by the time Kyle emerged from the Uniltaron chamber. He was still walking on unsteady feet, but Mal'ek was more than willing to stay less than an arm-length away, ready to catch him if he stumbled. Kyle walked into the great cathedral within Kelutral that served as the Omaticaya's main meeting place, and here nearly all of the clan was waiting for him. Up ahead Moat was talking with another tall Na'vi man that Kyle did not recognize.

When the Na'vi turned to face him, Kyle gasped. It was Norm! His human looking avatar clothes were gone; instead he was regally dressed as an elder of the clan, looking for all the world like he had been born here. "Norm?" Kyle asked in surprise, his voice still scratchy.

Norm smiled widely and motioned a greeting with his hand down from his forehead. "Welcome to the family, Kyle," he said with quiet pride.

Kyle was dumbfounded. "You...you're Omaticaya?" he asked. How the heck had he not known this?

Norm laughed softly and nodded. "Yes, I am. I'm something of a Singer, believe it or not," he said. Norm's eyes flashed, warning and teasing at the same time. "Not that I'm going to be actually singing any actual songs anytime soon, but being a scientist is rather like a Na'vi history keeper, after all." Norm rubbed his hand over the bullet scars on his chest and shoulder. "Moat and Jake kind of decided this for me after the battle. Something about blood shed on behalf of another and all..." Norm's voice trailed off. "It looks like we both have a family again, doesn't it?" Norm whispered.

Before Kyle could respond Norm tilted his chin in Jake's direction. Norm stepped aside so that Jake could stand in front of Kyle, with Moat and Neytiri on either side. Jake was still appropriately solemn, though his eyes now twinkled with subtle excitement. The Olo'eyktan formally placed his hands on Kyle's shoulders and began to speak in a voice that projected for all to hear. _"You are now a son of the Omaticaya," _he said, and Kyle felt his stomach do a little joyful flip. _"You are part of the People. What comes against you comes against us all. And what blesses you blesses us all."_

As Jake spoke Kyle felt other gentle touches on his shoulders as Neytiri, Moat, and Norm added their presence. Tanhi had appeared at his right side, her face positively shining with joy; Tsaro was at his left, smirking confidently. Mal'ek had stayed close to him the entire time and was just behind Kyle. The Na'vi who could not directly lay hands on him instead touched those who were touching Kyle, and soon the entire clan was connected in this way, a unified circle with Kyle at its center.

Kyle was still stunned by the intensity of it all as the hands began to fall away, and it was all he could do to hold back tears of joy. The ceremony was finished in its entirety, and the formal atmosphere transformed to one of vibrant joy and celebration as more than a few of Kyle's hunter friends, Tsaro included, let loose with several wild yips and yells.

Kyle really only had eyes for one person, though. He turned to Tanhi and captured her face in his hands, drawing her in for a passionate kiss, the reservoir of feelings for her having been filled near to overflowing. Tanhi quickly pulled back though, a slightly sour look on her features. "Ack!" she complained as she wiped her mouth with her hand, much to Kyle's amusement.

"You've never acted like that before when I've kissed you," Kyle said as he leaned forward for another go. "Here, let's try again."

Tanhi swiftly covered the lower half of his face with her hand so all that was visible was Kyle's mirthful eyes. "The paint tastes terrible! I will not kiss you now!"

Kyle laughed as Tanhi withdrew her hand. "So what happens next?" he asked her.

With a glowing smile Tanhi replied, "You may end your fast. I imagine that you are famished, knowing you and your fondness for food. There will be much celebrating on your behalf today, Kyle." She chuckled and rubbed her finger against his painted cheek. "At some point you need to clean yourself!"

Her words sparked a memory of their first meeting, which truly seemed like a lifetime ago to Kyle. "You're perpetually telling me to go clean up, Tanhi," he laughed. Kyle took her hands in his own and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Come to the river, Tanhi. Bathe with me."

Tanhi's heart jumped within her chest. That was tempting...very tempting. But it was not quite the way she imagined things, and she did have a specific plan for this evening, after all. "Not... Not this time, Kyle. Eat first!"

Amusingly, Kyle's stomach rumbled in agreement, and amongst much cheering and congratulatory thumps on the back he willingly allowed himself to be dragged away to find some food. And drink. Yeah, definitely time for drinks.

Jake, Neytiri, Moat, and Norm watched the goings on around Kyle with amused interest. _"I doubt there will be any mystery around his choice," _Moat observed dryly as they watched Kyle whisper something in Tanhi's ear.

Jake snorted. _"Even I could have told you that, Mother," _he retorted, which earned him a playful smack on the back of the head from Neytiri and a faint smile from Moat.

_"He looks happy,"_ Norm said with a sigh, which did not go unnoticed by his three companions.

_"Are you not happy as well, Normspellman?" _Moat asked him.

Norm winced. _"I am doing...better than I have been, Tsahìk," _Norm admitted after a moment.

"Wanna grab some drinks?" Jake asked, half teasing, half serious. The corners of Norm's mouth twitched up at Jake's words.

Neytiri noticed first that they were being observed. She whispered something into Moat's ear, and whatever she said made the elderly Na'vi smile and nod once. Moat bid her goodbyes to those around her before politely bowing out of further conversation.

Neytiri lovingly grasped Jake's elbow and said, _"Come, Jake. Let us go celebrate together! We may now eat as well!"_

Jake's eyebrows rose at Neytiri's sudden sense of urgency, as she was practically dragging him by the arm towards the epicenter of the food and beverages. "Um, okay, Love. You don't have to dislocate my shoulder, you know," Jake grumbled as Neytiri towed him away.

Norm made to follow but Neytiri quickly objected. _"No! Stay here, brother! We will... We will bring something back to you!" _It sounded suspiciously like Neytiri had come up with that excuse on the spot, and Jake cast a helplessly perplexed look at Norm over his shoulder just before the crowd swallowed him up.

"Okay...," Norm said slowly as he frowned in confusion. What on Pandora had gotten into Neytiri? Within the space of several seconds, all of Norm's company had evaporated.

Norm felt a tug on his tail, causing him to jump in surprise. Amber had somehow snuck up behind him and she was grinning impishly. "I must say, this look suits you quite well, Dr. Spellman," she said as she raked her eyes unapologetically over his body. Norm pursed his lips and tried not to blush...too much. Norm had always been rather bashful about his body - suffice it to say that he did not put himself through his schooling on an athletic scholarship. Though it had yet to really click in his own mind, avatar-Norm was in pretty damn good shape. And he had gotten quite skilled on the basketball court.

Time to fight fire with fire. "You know what would be cuter than me wearing a loincloth?" Norm asked as he examined Amber while stroking his chin in an overblown gesture of concentration.

"Hmmm? What might that be?" Amber responded coyly as her ears flicked forward with curiosity.

Norm waited a moment before answering, ostensibly to avoid revealing just how quickly the idea had come to him. "You wearing a loincloth...and one of those Na'vi necklaces," he told her.

Amber's eyes widened a fraction and her tanhi brightened noticeably, prompting Norm to break out into a fangy grin. "I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you," she muttered after a moment. Amber did a mental face-palm - what a bloody brilliant response. Way to strike fear into his heart!

Amazingly, Norm kept his composure. "I'm actually not sure," he responded with a shrug. "I guess I'd have to experience such a sight for myself before I draw any verdicts on it. Can't put the conclusion before the observation, you know. Terrible science, really. Why, are you offering?"

Amber actually growled, and her ears lowered in aggression. Or was it arousal? Neither of them were sure by this point. How they had just jumped from merely having conversation and spending time with each other to such overt flirting was beyond Amber's comprehension.

Norm, bless his heart, saved Amber from having to respond by extending his hand to her, palm up. "Tell you what: While you're thinking about all of that, would you like to accompany me for the rest of the day as we celebrate my cousin becoming Omaticaya?"

Amber almost automatically reached for Norm's hand, but at the last minute she stopped short of actually taking it. "Are you asking me on a date, Dr. Spellman?" she inquired, an amused expression on her face.

Norm was well into the groove by this point, and he made a mental note to give Neytiri the biggest, most brotherly hug he could muster some time later. Eywa bless her for clearing the field of an audience for him. "Actually, I was thinking you could be my bodyguard." Amber squinted at him, thinking that he must have surely lost his marbles by this point. "You won't believe the looks I've been getting from the women here," Norm explained, and was quite flattered to note that Amber's ears folded back at this announcement. "I really don't feel safe. Maybe you could...keep me company for the evening? I'd feel much less threatened if you did." Norm's expression was infuriatingly serious as he spoke.

Amber offered him a small, wry smile as she finally took his outstretched hand. "Alright, Dr. Spellman. I'll keep you safe. After all, I think I've handled the sudden appearance of your pretty blue ass strikingly well, all things considered. I suppose I'm qualified."

Norm nodded solemnly as they began to walk deeper into the celebration. "That you are, Dr. Ferris. That you are."

* * *

Kyle was finding it increasingly difficult to focus on things. He felt horrible for it, this inability to be attentive to what was going on around him. To be sure he enjoyed the feast - it was in his honor, after all! He enjoyed the music, and the dancing - especially with Tanhi. But the privacy he desperately wanted was sorely lacking.

It took a verbal kick in the txìm from Tsaro to snap things into motion. _"Talk to her!" _he explained in the same exasperated tone of voice that he had used when he had first began teaching Kyle. _"You are giving all of the other unmated females in the clan false hope by dragging this out! It is already dark - do you intend to perhaps ask her tomorrow?"_

Kyle winced. _"I did not want to be rude -" _

Tsaro smacked him soundly upside the head. _"Skxawng," _he muttered as he shook his head. _"Eywa grant me patience. Even now she is looking to you."_

Tanhi was indeed a short distance away speaking with Sorewn, Kyuna, and several other of her friends. The giggling and fleeting looks that the women kept casting in his direction made it painfully obvious that he was the source of much conversation.

In the manner of friends everywhere both Kyle and Tanhi were shoved none too gently forward out of their peer groups, and both of their ears folded back in slight consternation. The two drew hesitantly closer, and after a painfully awkward silence Kyle began to speak. "Um...," he began, but he trailed off as anything resembling a coherent sentence fled his conscious mind. He had already effectively proposed to her, and before this time it was all they could do to keep their hands off of each other. Why the _hell _was this so difficult?

Tanhi recovered first. "Yes, Kyle?" she asked primly.

"Would you... Could we go for a walk...or something?" Kyle stuttered out.

"Oh...? Is there something we need to speak of?" she asked innocently. Then she did the head-tilt thing that she did when she was curious about something, and suddenly all Kyle could do was wonder what the sculpted curve of her neck might taste like. "You are still painted, by the way," Tanhi reminded him.

Kyle looked down at himself to confirm that yes, his entire body was indeed still decorated for Uniltaron. "Damnit," he muttered.

Tanhi laughed at his frustration. "I will be waiting for you to return, Brave One," she told him.

Kyle nodded and licked his lips nervously. "Okay... I'll be right back then, I promise," he said as be began to step back. "Just a minute!" he called over his shoulder as he turned tail and bolted out of Kelutral for the river. He could not have moved faster even if palulukan were behind him.

Tanhi hid her laughter behind her hand. Her eyes caught Tsaro's and she could not help but blush as his expression broke out into a knowing grin. He bowed slightly at the waist in her direction before he motioned a silent goodbye, then he melted away into the crowd as easily as if it were the forest.

* * *

Kyle had returned to Kelutral in record time - he was clean, but still rather damp. Sorewn observed with amusement as she watched his eyes rove about, clearly searching. His left hand had a nervous tic - he kept touching his thumb to the tips of his fingers in a perpetual rhythmic pattern. She could tell he was tense, and there was no denying the purposeful, excited flick to and fro of the tip of his tail. Sorewn recognized his body language clearly - she had demonstrated it herself many a time, and she has seen it amongst practically all of her clan mates at one point or another.

Kyle was hunting.

His prey was conspicuously absent, though, having taken flight as soon as he himself had left. Sorewn watched his frustration mount; she was about to take pity on him and volunteer some useful information, but Kyle surprised her when he changed course from his searching and purposefully approached her, clearly ready to cut straight to the point.

_"Where is -" _he began, but Sorewn interrupted as she pointed with her hand.

_"You may find whom you seek down that path," _Sorewn told him as she indicated a trail that followed the babbling brook that ran by Kelutral. Kyle had been quick, and Sorewn hoped that Tanhi had gained enough time to get ready.

"Irayo," Kyle murmured before tearing off in the indicated direction as Sorewn's soft laughter followed after him.

Kyle was fully prepared to bring all of his considerable tracking skills to bear in order to locate Tanhi, but it was soon revealed that this would not be necessary. Signs of her passage abounded, and Kyle might have been insulted had he not been so eager to find her. Tanhi had not taken any amount of care to hide her footsteps. Hanging leaves were bent with someone's passing but not replaced to their original position. He found a flower from one particular plant lying underneath the leaves of a plant of an entirely different species. Last of all, a warbonnet fern leaf was conspicuously twisted, its arrow-shaped, bioluminescent frond pointing perpendicular to the trail, a Na'vi neon sign saying, "Go here!"

Kyle's ears were up and alert as he slipped off of the path and followed someone's trail through the foliage. The stream could he heard gurgling up ahead, and the night air was still pleasantly filled with the scent of blooming flowers. A minor explosion of fan lizards startled Kyle for a second, but the magnificently beautiful display did not hold his attention for long.

He reached a small clearing by a calmer section of the stream, and a peculiar dark spot against the softly glowing grasses drew his attention. Kyle leapt soundlessly forward until he was crouched over the object, his tail twitching behind him with excitement. What new clue was this? It was a bit of leather and strapping, and a necklace clinked and tinkled as Kyle carefully lifted the bundle and took an experimental sniff. Tanhi's scent exploded across his senses and Kyle could not help but groan.

Then, the obvious struck him: He was holding Tanhi's clothes in his hands. Thus, that would mean that she was most likely not wearing anything at all. Kyle's arousal rose several notches as he began to fully harden within his loincloth. He did not fight back these feelings anymore, though.

The brush to his right shifted and Kyle heard a soft giggle. He spun and dropped Tanhi's garments in his haste to stand, for at that moment Tanhi had slipped out of the cover of the glowing plant life that had previously concealed her. She was indeed as naked as the day she had been born - she had removed all of her jewelry as well, and her dark hair flowed loose behind her. The only concession to anything resembling an alteration from the natural was the braided hair around her queue.

Tanhi resisted the urge to speak, to step forward or back, to move in the slightest as she watched Kyle's luminous eyes drink in the sight of her body. She smiled slightly, and her tail swished with pleasure behind her as she watched him nervously lick his lips as he continued to stare unabashedly.

Her body was perfectly proportioned in Kyle's opinion. Her delicate arms belied the power he knew they contained; Kyle had watched her as she shot her bow, had seen the way her supple strength rippled beneath her striped skin. The glowing lines of softly twinkling spots flowed down her neck, over her collarbones, and across the firm swell of her perfectly shaped breasts. Kyle already knew this - he had almost choked on his tongue that night they had gone swimming together and he had seen her topless for the first time. Still, he appreciated the sight before him as though it was the first time all over again, for it was just as gorgeous now as it was then.

The lines continued unimpeded down her flat stomach, framing the shallow dip of her navel. Kyle bit his lip so hard that it hurt as he gazed upon her womanhood for the first time, and he felt inordinately proud to realize that she was already quite aroused, and it was because of _him._

"Kyle," she spoke, yanking his wide eyes back to her face. More like purred, her voice thick with desire, and its tone triggered another pang of arousal in his groin. "Kyle, you are wearing too much," she told him softly as she gazed at him with heated intensity.

"Oh," he mumbled. "Oh!" he said again, earning a fond smile. Kyle began to remove his own ornamentation, unfastening his simple necklace and hastily slipping the armlets that Tanhi herself had made for him off of his biceps. Tanhi watched, her eyes twinkling with amusement and promise as Kyle reached behind him and began to fumble with the straps of his loincloth where it attached around his tail.

"Do you need help?" she asked sweetly and received a quick, irritated growl in response.

There. The straps were undone and Kyle stepped out of his garment, shaking his tail loose and thanking Eywa that he did not trip over himself as he let his loincloth fall to the ground beside Tanhi's. He stood back up straight and clenched his hands still at his side as he stood bare before Tanhi's own admiring gaze; they were both naked now, naked and unashamed. He was almost painfully hard and he fought down the urge to outright pounce on Tanhi. No, he would give her the time to memorize the contours and planes of his own body as she had done for him.

Tanhi's eyes finally ascended back to his own face. Her expression wavered for just a moment, as though she might suddenly collapse in on herself without warning. "Kyle..." She whimpered his name, her one spoken word full of infinite vulnerability and need and love.

He was right in front of her in an instant, his large hands gently cupping her face as his mouth brushed hers. "I'm right here, Tanhi. I'm right here, and I'm never leaving," he murmured against her lips.

Tanhi threw her arms around his neck and crushed her mouth to his. She molded her body to Kyle's and purred in approval as she felt his rigid erection grind against her hip. "Nga yawne lu oer, Yawne," she said as they broke apart to breathe, only taking the bare minimum of necessary inhalations before they began kissing again.

Frustratingly, the need for air continued to demand their attention and at the second break in their kissing Kyle gasped in response, "God, I love you too, Tanhi. I love you so much."

Kyle ground against her again and Tanhi smiled at his eagerness. "Tsaheylu, Kyle. Tsaheylu," she breathlessly reminded him. He groaned and Tanhi felt him nod as his hands slipped down from her neck and began to travel down her body. Kyle almost reverently caressed her breasts, his fingers quickly causing her nipples to pebble. He smiled and stifled Tanhi's moan with his mouth as his hands settled on her hips and his thumbs began to rub tender circles against her skin dangerously close to her center.

His hands slipped down past her hips and around to the back of her thighs, and he encouraged her to wrap first one leg, then the other, around his own waist. Tanhi's arms tightened around Kyle's neck, and she marveled at his strength as he somehow effortlessly supported her weight as he began to lower both of them to the ground.

Kyle knelt on the ground with Tanhi astride his thighs, and he took eager advantage of her temporarily taller position to trail loving kisses and gentle nips down the arching column of her throat to her collarbone. So _that's _what she tastes like, he thought with satisfaction.

His lips were moving over the tops of her breasts as he teased and tasted the pattern of dark stripes on her cerulean skin, and Tanhi gasped at his attentions as a hand pressed at her lower back, just above the base of her tail, keeping her body close to his. "Tsaheylu," she whispered again. Oh Eywa, it was so difficult not to get carried away.

Kyle finally looked up at her, his eyes shining intensely as a proud, tight smile ghosted across his face; his eyes were dilated wide until the gold of the irises was barely visible; his unique pattern of tanhi on his face and neck glowed with strong, steady emotion. Even without the bond he could feel just how eager she was for him. One hand remained at her lower back while he lightly ran the fingers of his other hand up her spine to her neck, where he carefully gathered her braid; Tanhi returned the favor, bringing his own queue around until they each held the end of the other's between them. Kyle watched, completely enraptured, as perhaps the most delicate and precious parts of their bodies revealed themselves.

"I have no doubts about my choice," Kyle murmured as he stared at the gently waving neural tendrils. Even now, they were reaching for one another.

"Nor do I, Kyle," Tanhi replied softly as she held the end of his braid against her own.

* * *

To say that fireworks exploded within their minds would be a vast understatement. The sudden merger of such like beings completely overwhelmed Kyle. He felt Tanhi's whirling surges of emotions as though they were his own, felt her unbridled love for him. In an instant he saw himself through her eyes, just as she saw who she was through his. Both of their rapidly beating hearts stuttered disconcertingly within their chests for a brief moment before they resumed beating with a unified rhythm. For a split second Kyle was simply unable to draw in a breath - neither was Tanhi, until as one they heaved in a shaky gasp, inhaling and exhaling together as a single person.

That was truly the crux of the bond: In all his life, Kyle had never realized that he was only a half of a whole until that moment when he formed tsaheylu with his life mate. His masculinity meshed perfectly with Tanhi's femininity, a match as old as time. For a moment he was simply beyond himself, and all Kyle could do was bury his face in the crook of her neck and let the intensity of the bond wind down, if only just a little.

Tanhi smiled against Kyle's hair as they held each other for a brief moment - she reveled in the feeling of him, and of the feeling of him feeling her. Tanhi's fingers began to trace the scars along his back, physical signs that her mate was a brave and fierce man indeed. There was _nothing_ Kyle would not face on her behalf. This was good, but soon Tanhi's body reminded her that there was so much more that she wanted.

Before Tanhi could even speak Kyle had sensed her urges, and a deep rumble of approval issued forth from deep within him. Tanhi sensed his intentions just before he sprang into motion, but she still let out a laughing cry of surprise as Kyle suddenly tilted her back, his strong arms still supporting her weight. She felt his distant discomfort as his thigh muscles started to cramp, but such concerns were driven from Tanhi's mind when Kyle nuzzled his face between her breasts and breathed in deeply, savoring the special scent that was her.

Tanhi cried out his name when Kyle captured her left nipple between his lips, gently teasing and nibbling until Tanhi was practically writhing in his arms, her fingers digging into his biceps. Kyle laughed against her skin as Tanhi's tail slipped between his legs and flailed spastically against the ground. That is, until it somehow became tangled up with his own tail. "Need...you...," she somehow managed to say as Kyle began to lavish his attentions upon her other breast.

"Oh, I need you too, gorgeous," Kyle panted as he leaned further forward and tenderly allowed Tanhi to slide off of his legs and onto the grass. "Want you so much..." Kyle's lower body settled naturally between her legs, and each brush of his manhood against her was sending jolts of nearly painful stimulation through the both of them. He emitted a deep growl at the contact, and Tanhi encouraged him to press down against her as she wrapped a shapely leg around his hip. "Tanhi...?" Kyle slowly asked as he drew back just enough to see her flushed expression.

Tanhi nodded an affirmative as she brushed some of Kyle's braids away from his sweaty face. Her hand caressed his chest and Kyle hissed in pleasure as she lightly dragged her fingernails across his toned stomach. Kyle stared down between their bodies, watching with utter fascination as Tanhi gently, oh so gently, wrapped her hand around his length and guided him towards her entrance.

He began to slide quickly into her just as he felt a flash of warning through their bond. Kyle easily broke through one of two protective membranes within Tanhi's body, and he felt Tanhi's pain acutely through the link even as she muffled her cry against his shoulder.

"Shit! Oh, Tanhi, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he breathed out as his ears flattened back with a combination of shame and shared pain. How the _fuck _could I have been so stupid?

"It is always...uncomfortable...the first time," Tanhi gasped even as she stroked Kyle's back, seeking to comfort him and allay his fears. "There is...one more," Tanhi murmured. The dull ache from the first breakage was almost entirely faded now.

Kyle realized what she intended to do just before she did it. "No - wait!" his breath left him in a huff as Tanhi locked her legs around his hips and pulled herself up onto him until the last barrier gave way and he was fully sheathed within her. Kyle realized she was probably masking much of the pain that she felt from him, and his physical pleasure from their union mixed strangely with his suddenly tumultuous emotions.

Tanhi knew it would not take long for her body to adapt to mating. She was a healer, after all...she knew how these things worked. She was so focused on willing away the pain that she failed to catch the withdrawal of Kyle's mind until he was almost gone, his mental presence fading away from her like a formerly deep stream in the drought. "Kyle?" she asked hesitantly.

"Gimme a second," she heard him pant from beside her face where his head rested against her shoulder.

Tanhi frowned. "Are you hurting?" she asked. It was Kyle's first time, too. Perhaps males hurt in the same way...

This train of thought caused something ugly to flip around in Kyle's mind, and she felt him move quickly to hide it. But of course, the more he tried to conceal the thought, the easier it became for Tanhi to locate it within his mind. Tanhi sensed a sudden hesitancy from her mate, so she carefully pushed with her leg until they rolled over onto their sides, even as she made an overt effort to keep Kyle within her. Why was he fighting the pleasure that she knew he was feeling?

Kyle whimpered against Tanhi's neck as she finally teased out what was wrong: Tanhi was a virgin, whereas Kyle most definitely was not.

To be sure, he had never mated in _this _body, but that did not mean his mind was so pure. Kyle sensed the intimate gift that she had just offered him, and it galled him to the core of his being that he had nothing with which to offer her in return. Actually, he felt distinctly dirty for what had just transpired. "I'm sorry, Tanhi," he whispered again, and Tanhi knew that he meant it.

Tanhi leaned back so that she could look at his face again, but Kyle's eyes were clenched tightly shut. "Kyle," she said. No response. "Kyle, look at me," she repeated, her voice somehow tender and firm at the same time.

At last, Kyle's eyes slid open. Tanhi's face was less than a few inches from his own. She looked wild and beautiful, even as she reached up to brush some of her hair away from her face so that she could see him clearly. She then moved her hand to caress his own face, tracing his handsome features as though seeing him for the first time. "Yawne, I would rather have you like this than not at all," she whispered.

Kyle's eyes widened. If it were not for tsaheylu he would have outright called her a liar, but he did not just _hear_ the truth in her words, he _felt _it as well. "I don't deserve you," he responded softly.

Tanhi's face lit up into the most beautiful smile he had ever yet seen, complete with her famous nose-crinkle. "And I do not deserve you, Yawne. So let us gladly accept the gift of the other without question or complaint." She felt his spirit began to open back up to her at this, and she thought it was the most beautiful thing she had felt in her entire life.

"You will always be amazing to me," Kyle said in a breathy chuckle as his hand gently stroked her side.

Tanhi laughed softly as well. "Enough talk," she said as both of their mating urges resurfaced with almost animalistic intensity. "We need to -"

Her words transformed into a startled squeak as Kyle suddenly moved until he was back astride her again. The man she loved was back, strong and tender at the same time. "You were saying?" Kyle asked through clenched teeth before he kissed her again with heated intensity. Then, once he was sure that she was ready he began to flex and roll his hips, thrusting within her with a building intensity, creating a friction that felt _so good._

Tanhi moved against him just as eagerly. The sensation of him filling her was nothing but pleasure now, and she reveled in it. Kyle was busy tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue as he continued to thrust within her with purposeful movements, and his attentions were so thorough that Tanhi almost forgot to try something that she had only heard about...

She held Kyle's shoulder with one hand as the other began to slide down his back. She could feel his powerful muscles moving beneath his skin, and for a moment she was amazed at the correlation between each flex and each fresh burst of pleasure that it brought her.

Kyle really was not paying attention to Tanhi's hand, and he did not think much of it when she carefully caressed his lower back, just above his tail. That is, until she wrapped her hand around his tail's base and squeezed. Kyle threw his head back and snarled as a jolt of pleasure shot through him, and it caused him to grind down into Tanhi much harder than he meant to, though her own decadent hiss indicated no harm was done. His back arched like a drawn bow, and Tanhi took advantage of the position to lean up and run her tongue along the exposed curve of his throat, terminating the move with a nip to the base of his jaw.

Kyle just barely avoided collapsing on top of her as he came down from his high. He had to check himself, because the pleasure had been so intense for a split second he thought that he had misfired. "Tanhi, you _cannot _do that again," Kyle gasped as he rested his face against her shoulder.

"Hmmm?" Tanhi asked as she rubbed soothing circles against his slick back. What Kyle said and what Kyle thought were two very different things. Her gently stroking hand slid back down to his tail, and before Kyle could object she gave it another squeeze. At the very least she could blame her own selfishness for the action, for she quite enjoyed their shared pleasure from the sensation.

Tanhi felt every muscle in Kyle's body ripple and tense up, and this time he rode out the wave of pleasure by sinking his fangs into the juncture of her neck and shoulder, the pressure of the bite just shy of drawing blood. It would definitely leave a mark. Tanhi hissed at the deliciously painful sensation and she reciprocated by raking her fingernails against his shoulder and hip, marking him in return. She did not mind the rough treatment - she had provoked him, after all, and both of them would emerge from their encounter wearing plenty of additional bites and scratches.

"I am sorry, Kyle," Tanhi murmured into his ear.

This time, Kyle had no problem calling her a liar. "I have _got _to find something to do to get you back for that," Kyle panted.

This question triggered all kinds of potential erotic scenarios within Tanhi's mind that just might cause such a reaction within her. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) Tanhi was so enthralled with their union that she failed to filter her thoughts correctly, and Kyle received a very vivid mindful.

He was startled enough that he paused his thrusts and jerked back to look at Tanhi's face, which was flushed as she stared back at him with an odd combination of embarrassment and anticipation. A wicked grin spread over Kyle's features as he leaned down close and whispered huskily, "Hmm, I think I can do that."

* * *

They made love long into the night before they finally collapsed exhausted together, a blissful tangle of arms, legs, and tails. They fell asleep still joined in tsaheylu, and in another wonderful demonstration of intimacy they shared their first dreams together.

Kyle was quite unprepared for the vividness of the first dream. Tanhi knew what it was, however - it was Eywa's blessing of their union. They glimpsed the two of them flying together, each with their own ikran, laughing like children as they chased each other through the skies as their ikran each tried to playfully nip the other's tail.

And immediately afterwards they glimpsed an image of them together at Kelutral. Tanhi gazed at Kyle with an expression of ageless love, and she laughed as Kyle ran around her with his arms outstretched, making ridiculous noises that he called an "airplane" while the young Na'vi boy perched on his shoulders laughed and pulled on his ears with his little five-fingered hands to indicate which direction they should fly to next.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Norm and Amber emerged from link at the same time. They were the last drivers to come home for the day, which was normal given the intensity of life with the Omaticaya. Norm made damn sure to temper his alcoholic intake this time - so did Amber, as both of them were rather wary of getting drunk around each other, considering what had transpired the last time that had happened. Oddly enough such a booster was not needed, and Norm found Amber just as willing sober as she had been drunk to spend time with him, to laugh and dance and live...and yes, even kiss him quite passionately.

Norm leaned heavily on the link unit as his legs, which had been inactive nearly all day, became used to holding his weight again. "Thanks, Mo Ye, for staying up. Again...," Norm told her somewhat sheepishly.

Mo Ye smiled sweetly. "It's quite alright, Dr. Spellman. You...restrained yourself this time. I didn't have a lot to worry about," she said as she closed down the now passive health and biometric displays for his and Amber's avatars.

Amber chuckled from behind Norm. "Yes, both of us decided to take it easy tonight."

The two scientists left the biolab together. The hallway was relatively empty at this time of night, and since they had to walk in the same direction Norm decided to take some initiative and place his arm gently around Amber's waist.

He was quite surprised when Amber tensed up and carefully shrugged out of his grip. "Dr. Spellman...," she began. She did not sound angry, but there was definitely a tone of warning in her speech.

Norm felt rather stung, and he stopped walking and stared at her. "Dr. Spellman?" he repeated. "Did Dr. Spellman just do something inappropriate?" he asked as he tried to keep his tone level. They had been considerably closer not ten minutes ago.

Amber pursed her lips, and much to Norm's frustration he could not get a read off of her expression. "I just think we need to maintain a professional appearance here," she said slowly.

Norm turned in an exaggerated circle. The hallway was completely empty now. "Maintain appearances for who?" he asked. "Amber...we're just walking home from a party. We ate and drank together. We danced. We...kissed again," he reminded her. They had not been "sucking face" as Trudy had so graciously phrased it, but it had not been just a chaste peck on the cheek, either. "What's changed?"

"But that was there, Dr. Spellman," Amber said. "This is here. It's...different." Amber was struggling mightily to justify herself.

Norm's shoulders slumped and he rolled his eyes - there was that "Dr. Spellman" again. "But what's different? We're the same people here."

"No, we're not!" Amber shot back. She blinked in surprise - that had been a knee-jerk reaction, and she instantly regretted it as she saw the hurt cloud Norm's eyes.

"Do you think it was just the avatars?" Norm asked in a low voice. "I'm still me, whether I'm tall or short. Pink or blue. Loincloth or...pants. So are you, Amber."

They stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment before Amber murmured while staring at her feet, "It's 'Dr. Ferris,' please."

Norm felt like he had just been slapped in the face. "Alright then. Good night, _Dr. Ferris,"_ he said stiffly before spinning on his heel, leaving Amber standing there alone. It was all Norm could do to maintain some dignity and not flat out run back to his room, or slam the door once he got there.

Once he was alone Norm clenched his hands into fists in order to stop their shaking. He wondered to himself at what point he could ask Amber for his heart back - once she was finished stabbing it, anyway. "Idiot," he muttered to himself as he ran his hand through his disheveled hair, and he was not sure whether the insult was directed at her or him. "Jackass. Moron. _Skxawng."_ Norm spent approximately three seconds debating whether or not he wanted a drink before arriving at the conclusion that, at the very least, some tequila would help him sleep. Think of it as the dark twin, the cosmic inverse of coffee. Coffee was for waking up and being happy. Tequila was...for sadder, and more tired times.

Norm slammed the bottom drawer of his desk shut after retrieving the bottle. Against his better judgement he popped the cap off and took a deep swig, and with near instancy he started coughing and hacking from the alcoholic burn in his throat. "Why, oh why, do I have to be a fucking lightweight in this body?" he moaned as he set the bottle down on the desk and flopped backwards onto his bed.

Time passed. Norm had no idea how long he stayed in that position, wide awake on top of his bed covers. He was just contemplating getting undressed and actually going to sleep when someone knocked on his door. Great. Who the hell could it be at this time of night? "Hold on," Norm muttered as he heaved himself back up. He gave in to the impulse to steal one last drink of tequila before he walked over to the door and slid it open.

The person in his doorway was none other than Amber - or more appropriately, Dr. Ferris. She looked like crap, honestly; her normally vibrant blue eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like she had been crying. "Um...yes?" Norm managed after a moment. Was she here to give him his heart back?

"Can I come in?" Amber squeaked. Then she hiccuped, which might have amused Norm in any other situation.

"Sure...," Norm replied slowly as he moved aside to let her enter.

Amber stepped into the room, and she surprised Norm when she quickly slid the door shut behind her. Norm gave her a blank stare as he waited for an explanation. "I...I don't want to be alone tonight," she admitted as she wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her shoulders. Though she most likely did not intend for it to happen, the motion caused her t-shirt to hike up a bit from her waist and Norm's eyes were quickly drawn to the sliver of smooth skin that was revealed. "Is it alright if... Can I sleep here, with you?"

Both of Norm's eyebrows rose at this. "If you want to," he said slowly. Then his male mind processed the fact that there was only one bed in the room, and it really was not that large. This was one of the more luxurious executive suites, but private dwelling space at Hell's Gate was still a valuable commodity. "I can grab a mat and some blankets for myself," he said aloud as he took a step towards the closet.

"No!" Amber quickly objected, freezing Norm in place. "That's not what I meant... Please, just lie down with me."

Norm's mind spun as he processed all of this, and he could not figure out if he was supposed to feel turned on or wary. To her credit Amber sensed this and she took a step forward and gently gripped Norm's arms. "I'm sorry for what I said before," she apologized. "I... I'm just scared, okay? I don't know what I should be feeling right now. I do know that I just don't want to be by myself tonight."

Her blue eyes searched Norm's brown ones for a response. She could see all kinds of unidentifiable emotions flit across his face, and at last Norm took a step closer and enfolded her in a gentle hug. As his hands began to slowly rub her back he said, "You can spend the night with me, but on one condition."

Amber tensed in his arms, and for a fleeting moment she thought that maybe she had horribly miscalculated things, had totally misjudged Norm's character. Her hands slid down Norm's chest, ready to shove him away, but Norm quickly tightened his arms around her; for such a lanky guy, he was quite strong.

"Dr. Spellman is just a title. My name is Norm. I would greatly appreciate it if you called me that," he told her as he allowed himself to smell her hair. There was no evidence of shampoo or perfume; he could only smell Amber.

Amber went nearly limp in his arms at this. "Okay...Norm. Thank you," she murmured against him.

Norm tried but mostly failed to suppress the shiver that went through him upon hearing Amber speak his name like that. He sighed and took a step back from her with a bit of an embarrassed grin. "I haven't brushed my teeth yet," he admitted. Tequila breath probably was not the most attractive. "Go ahead and get comfortable, I'll be there in a bit," he told her.

Norm stared at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth in the bathroom. What the hell was going on? What kind of game was Amber up to? Was she still yanking him around, or did she actually have feelings for him? Did she want comfort sex, or just comfort or sex...separately? Norm leaned over to spit into the sink, the action personifying his inner feelings quite accurately. He liked Amber - a whole lot, actually. These last few days had gotten him to admit at least that much.

"Just take it easy," his reflection said, coaching him from the mirror.

As he stepped back into the main room he noticed that Amber had indeed already made herself comfortable; she was already beneath the covers, and her cargo pants were lying in a heap on the floor. She was propped up on one elbow, simply watching him with a calm expression. Norm could tell that she was not trying to act overtly sensual but still, the sight of her in that position was quite attractive to him. Norm swallowed nervously as he stripped down to just his boxers, and Amber obligingly slid closer to the wall to make room for him in the bed. As Norm turned off the room lights an analytical part of his brain noted that if Amber had any doubts about what was going on, she probably would have left an escape route open to herself by choosing the position at the edge of the mattress.

Norm slipped underneath the sheets, the bed already comfortably warmed by Amber's body. He lay there awkwardly on his back for a moment, staring up into the darkness as he simply allowed himself to feel Amber's hip and arm touching his. He turned his head to look at her; in the dimness he could just make out her face, her eyes glittering softly as she watched him in return. Without a word she turned onto her side, facing away from him. Norm knew it was not a rejection as she shuffled back to lean against him and allowed one of her bare legs to rub against his own, her heel stroking along his calf.

With a sigh Norm turned onto his side as well and placed an arm around her waist, allowing his hand to slide up just underneath the hem of her shirt. It had been a long, long time since he had felt this, felt a woman's curves pressing back against him, and he found he missed the sensation terribly. He hoped this was not going to be just a one-night stand, something both of them would regret in the morning. Norm wondered if she could feel the evidence of his growing arousal; that question was answered when Amber purposely pressed back against his waist, eliciting a groan from him in response.

As Norm's hand began to gently rub her stomach he leaned in close to the back of her neck, breathing in deeply as he gently nuzzled aside her single blond braid. "What are you thinking about?" he whispered into her silky hair.

Amber continued gently rubbing her heel against Norm's leg, and after a moment she replied in a shaky voice, "Do you miss her?"

Norm's libido, among other things, began to rapidly deflate upon hearing this. His head fell back against his pillow as he rubbed his eyes in exasperation. This is never going to work, he thought bitterly. "Do you miss your husband?" he shot back, his question containing only a little more venom than he had originally intended. He opened his eyes and glanced in the direction of the closet, thinking to himself that a pallet on the floor was probably his best option right now. Though he really wanted to, he did not have the heart to actually kick Amber out of his room.

Norm made to get up but Amber spun on the bed with startling speed and wrapped an arm around his chest, keeping him in place. Norm could feel that she did not have a bra on beneath her shirt. "Wait," she commanded with surprising firmness. "I miss him every day," she admitted after a moment of silence, and she could feel Norm's body tense at this, just before she removed her arm from him. "But Norm, he's dead. I'm not married anymore."

Amber was moving behind him and for a second Norm wondered what she was up to. He felt her stretch out behind him and heard a _clack_ as something small and hard was set with considerable force onto the bedside table. With her left hand Amber began to rub Norm's forehead, gently playing with his shaggy bangs. She sighed and pressed her hand flush against his skin, and it took Norm a second to realize that all he felt was her warm skin against his. Her ring was gone.

Her breath was tickling the back of his neck as she admitted, "I don't think I can have sex with you right now."

"Then what do you...?" Norm began in an incredulous tone of voice - he had certainly been up for the activity, and she was the one who had come to him in his room, not the other way around. And Amber's other hand was still rubbing maddeningly sensual circles on his bare chest.

Amber's movements stilled and she sighed again. "Not yet. Norm, I'm starting to fall in love with you."

This announcement was met by stunned silence. After a while Norm turned over until they were lying together face to face, and he reached up to brush some of her hair away from her face. Incidentally, this also meant he got to caress the supple curve of her neck. "Oh. I'm sorry...," he mumbled, not quite sure if Amber's declaration was a good or bad thing for both of them. An apology seemed like the safest course of action, at any rate.

Amber snorted softly with amusement in the darkness and pressed a gentle kiss against the tip of Norm's nose. "I forgive you," she replied. "I...I want to make love to you," she admitted, and even in the darkness she could discern Norm's surprised and hopeful expression.

"You're confusing the hell out of me, you know," he admitted to her.

"And I'm sorry, too," she admitted. "I just think...I think that would hurt both of us in the morning," Amber said softly, echoing some of Norm's as yet unspoken feelings; she felt him nod in response. "But Norm, I promise you this with all my heart: There's nowhere else I'd rather be right now than right here, with you."

Norm thought about all of this. Ironically, all of Amber's words tonight began to make perfect sense to him despite their muddled interactions, especially at the beginning. Throwing caution to the wind Norm leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Amber moaned as she felt his tongue trace her mouth, and she responded by gently sucking on Norm's lower lip as she cupped the back of his head. Just as he had been the one to start the kiss, Norm was the one to end it a short time later. "Then just sleep with me," he murmured in a husky voice.

Amber nodded wordlessly and buried her face in the crook of his neck, drawing comfort from the way his arms wrapped around her and held her close. She placed a gentle kiss against his collar bone and whispered in an exhausted voice, "Goodnight, Norm."

* * *

Kyle woke up right when he normally would. He was still tired though, and he felt that today he could easily justify sleeping in just a little bit more. His face was buried against the back of Tanhi's neck, nuzzled deep into her hair, and the first thing he was aware of smelling was her. Kyle was amazed at the perfect way her body nestled against his, at the way each of her curves fit his form. It was like they had been perfectly designed for each other. A glance down the length of their reclined bodies confirmed that their legs and tails were still horribly tangled together; Kyle's left hand rested against Tanhi's bare stomach, her four-fingered hand covering his five-fingered one, keeping it firmly pressed against her.

There would be no hope of rising without waking her. And with a smile, Kyle realized he had no desire to do any such thing.

A rustling in the brush close by to them caused Kyle to jerk his head up, his ears instantly upright and alert for any threat. A yerik has just stepped into the small clearing, and for a second the animal and Kyle stared at one another, each equally surprised by the other's presence. The yerik correctly sensed that the hunter was no threat to him today, and with a soft snort it lowered its head and began to graze upon the cluster of bladder polyp plants that grew along the stream's bank.

Tanhi began to stir in Kyle's arms, so he gently squeezed her closer and murmured wordless comforts into her ear. She sighed and instantly relaxed back against him, and with a small smile Kyle allowed his head to fall back against his arm as he too fell back asleep. If the yerik was this comfortable here, then there was surely no danger nearby at all.

* * *

When Tanhi awoke she was instantly aware of Kyle's hand against her stomach, and of the feeling of his warm body at her back - she could faintly feel his heart beating steadily against her shoulder blade. Tanhi smiled as she replayed all of last night again in her mind and she could not help but sigh in contentment. Her exertions with Kyle left her aching pleasantly, even now. She loved him so, so much, and she had no doubts about his return feelings whatsoever.

Tanhi absently wondered if Kyle was awake, too. It was still morning, and on any other day both of them would have been active by now. Her question was answered when Tanhi felt her mate nuzzle his nose against her hair and kiss the skin just beneath her ear. Kyle had been quick to discover that this was quite a sensitive spot on her body, and he had taken advantage of it numerous times. She giggled despite her best efforts to remain silent as Kyle's hand on her stomach slipped up to tenderly cup one of her breasts.

"Good morning," he whispered in a deep voice against her skin.

It took some effort, but Tanhi was finally able to get her own legs and tail sorted out so that she could turn to look at Kyle, who had now flopped lazily over onto his back and was rubbing his face. "Good morning, Yawne," she said as she kissed his chin, causing his tail to beat against the ground a little bit faster. She rubbed her hand against his striped chest and blushed slightly as she noticed the numerous scratches on his skin.

"I'm sure I deserved those," Kyle chuckled as he smiled at her, his lips pulling back slightly from his fangs.

"And this, too?" she purred as she reached up to rub one of his ears, soothing over the bite marks that could be seen on the sensitive flesh.

Kyle's grin widened as he nodded. Then he noticed something and swiftly propped himself up on one elbow as he leaned over Tanhi and reverently caressed her beautiful face with his hand, gently rubbing his thumb over her cheek, his eyes narrowing in concentration. "You look...different somehow...," he said slowly as he studied her face. Perhaps it was an odd statement, but Kyle was quite sure that there was something subtly different about his new mate's features.

Tanhi was content to allow Kyle to softly stroke her face, his touch quite gentle and soothing. She suspected that she knew what he was talking about, and truth be told she was very impressed that he had noticed so quickly, even though he was not a native-born Na'vi. "Is that bad?" she asked him teasingly.

Kyle's eyes widened. "No! You're still beautiful. Breathtakingly gorgeous," he said in an awed voice. Tanhi saw the muscles in his left cheek twitch beneath his skin, and Kyle swiftly rubbed his face again. "My skin feels funny," he admitted in a muffled voice, and Tanhi laughed softly at him.

Tanhi gently pushed on his shoulder until Kyle was lying on his back again. She leaned over him and smiled as she brought her hand over to caress his face as he had done for her. They gazed raptly at one another, and Kyle sighed and his eyes almost fluttered closed at the physical contact. "You look different, too," she told him as she traced her fingers over the tanhi on his cheeks and forehead and down the bridge of his nose.

Her touch was so soothing that Kyle almost missed what she said. He had not realized how much his skin felt like it was on fire until Tanhi's wondrous touch drove the sensations away, and the motions of Tanhi's fingers finally helped him figure it out: "Hey, the pattern of tanhi on your skin changed," he said softly as he squinted up at her, memorizing anew her countenance.

Tanhi smiled and nodded in confirmation. "As have yours, Kyle," she told him. "That is what you are feeling on your skin. Because we are mated, the tanhi on our faces and arms is changing. Soon, our patterns will look the same."

Kyle was speechless. He could only gasp softly as he reached his hand up to keep Tanhi's own hand against his face. Her touch was so sweet, like ice against his skin on a blazing hot day...

Tanhi laughed softly and offered him a dazzling smile. "It will take several hands of days for our bodies to change and fully adjust to our new bond. The touch of one's mate is quite soothing, as I am sure you have noticed." She leaned down and kissed his lips, eliciting a pleased purr from him. "We will have to touch each other often," she whispered.

Kyle's golden eyes flashed and darkened with desire. "I hope I get to touch you often," he said in a soft growl.

Tanhi's smile became faintly embarrassed as she asked in a hesitant voice, "When we mate next, will you... Will you do that 'thing' again?" Tanhi could not find sufficient words for just what Kyle had done that managed to undo her so.

Kyle's lips twisted into a confident smirk that made Tanhi's heart flutter in anticipation. "Oh, I'll do that 'thing' any time you want," he promised huskily as he pulled her down for another kiss. Last night Tanhi had discovered just what it took to drive him nearly mad with passion; for his part, Kyle thought he had married a wildcat when he had discovered Tanhi's own particular triggers, evidenced as such by his numerous scratches and chewed ear.

As they kissed Tanhi traced a hand along Kyle's side and down the crease of his hip, drawing dangerously close to his stiffening manhood. He quickly grabbed her wrist and said breathlessly, "I'm certainly not opposed, but if you get me going again I'm going to keep you here and make wild love to you all day. You'll be walking funny when we're finally done."

Tanhi smiled against his lips. "Well, perhaps that is what I want," she told him, shamelessly using some of his own words against him. "I think I could outlast you, Kyle," she informed him with seductive smile.

It took a moment for Kyle to process the fact that his mate had just challenged him to a contest of sexual stamina before he finally grinned fiercely up at Tanhi. "I think there's only one way to settle this," he replied.

Then, much to Kyle's male frustration, Tanhi agilely twisted away from him and stood up to stretch, her tail waving languidly behind her as her nude body curved gracefully. The pose that she stuck was purposely erotic, and for a moment Kyle was unable to think about anything else other than tackling her back to the ground and having his way with her.

"Perhaps later," she said primly as she smiled down at her mate, blatantly admiring his own naked form. "We must return to Kelutral...at some point in time. We must seek the Olo'eyktan and the Tsahìk's approval of our union, and ask that they bless us. I doubt there will be any objection, but it is the way."

Kyle groaned as he stared down the length of his body - Tanhi had made it very difficult for him to put his loincloth back on. "Just a minute," he grumbled as he gave his beautiful mate an accusing glare.

Tanhi, of course, only smiled sweetly and crinkled her nose at him.

* * *

Amber rolled over in the bed, flopping her arm onto the empty space beside her; it took a second for her brain to register the fact that she was alone. She shivered, suddenly aware of how comfortable she had been sleeping next to a warm person all night. No, not just a person...to Norm. There was only a hint of a warm spot beneath the covers next to her - Norm had slipped out without her knowing a while ago, it seems.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. What time was it? The light coming through the high, narrow window (at least there were windows in the executive suites, even if they needed to be armored) was bright and cheery. Midmorning, probably. It felt almost sinfully good to have slept in like this, to be this rested.

A tantalizing aroma met her nostrils, and Amber finally noticed that Norm had brewed a pot of fresh coffee in the tiny coffee maker that was built into the wall, the rich drops of liquid just now beginning to slow as the brewing cycle finished. A quick glance in the direction of the bathroom revealed that the door was ajar and the light was off. Norm was definitely gone.

There was a note on the counter beside a clean, upside down mug, as well as plate with a muffin and fresh fruits from the cafeteria. "Got up early to go to Hometree. Gotta congratulate the cousin on his marriage. Hoped you slept well. See you soon."

Amber smiled. The note was signed simply "Norm" in his uniquely sloppy, yet flowing, handwriting. The muffin was blueberry, with those delicious crumbles on top that seemed to melt in her mouth. The fruit was fresh strawberries and carambolas, or starfruit. They were her favorite...how had he known that?

* * *

Kyle could not help but blush self-consciously as Tanhi and he walked hand-in-hand back towards the Omaticaya's home. Tanhi noticed and playfully bumped her hip against him, her tail curling up to gently brush against his lower back. "What worries you, my Kyle?" she asked him.

Their clan mates all greeted them warmly, and most of them gave the pair proud, knowing smiles as they passed by. "Nothing...I guess I just suddenly feel like we're a bit obvious," Kyle whispered into Tanhi's ear.

Tanhi kissed his cheek before she leaned against him, and she smiled as she felt Kyle's tail wrap around her waist. "Do you think we were too loud?" she asked in a stage whisper.

The skin of Kyle's face and neck turned a remarkable shade of purple, and his ears lowered as well. "Speak for yourself," he muttered in response.

Remembering that there could well be some cultural differences that Kyle was dealing with, Tanhi took pity on him and said in a serious voice, "It is always a celebrated event when a new couple become mates, Kyle. It is a sign of joy, and of life. It is a sign that the Omaticaya are still strong and much blessed by Eywa."

Some of her language made Kyle think about something in the dream that they had shared. "Do you want to have kids with me someday?" he asked quickly, almost without thinking. Before, the thought of being a father would have absolutely terrified him. Now, oddly enough, it seemed to be the rightest thing in the world.

Tanhi reached up and whacked him good-naturedly on the back of the head. "Whom else would I bear children with, Kyle?" she asked him with a playful giggle. "Skxawng," she added for good measure.

Kyle looked appropriately embarrassed. "Right," he conceded as he smiled shyly. "That was a stupid question." After a pause, Kyle asked in a hesitant voice, "Tanhi, how...accurate...was that dream we had together?"

Tanhi sighed as her eyes narrowed in thought. "How truthful?" she repeated. Her eyes turned down, watching the ground before her as she absently rubbed her lower stomach. She had placed a great deal of thought on that topic as well, even if she had yet to speak of it. "Eywa has only shown us what could be," she murmured.

"I hope we don't make her a liar, then," Kyle responded; one corner of his mouth turned up in a faint smile as Tanhi shot him a quick, hopeful look.

The nervousness that her mate seemed to be feeling contrasted greatly with the calm and satisfaction in Tanhi's heart. All was well in the world for them. Then she realized with a bit of a shock that, though all of this was normal and proper to her, it was still strange and new to Kyle. "What happens when Sky People become mates?" she asked him suddenly.

Kyle frowned in thought for a moment. "It's...a lot different, I guess," he admitted. A strange sort of smile crossed Kyle's face. Kyle meant for it to be wistful, but Tanhi picked up a distinct note of sorrow in his expression - though she had only known him for a relatively short time, Tanhi had become quite accomplished at reading Kyle's expressions. "I wish you could have met my parents. I think they would have loved you to pieces," Kyle said softly, his eyes focusing on something only he could see.

There was something in his tone, in his choice of words... The way that Kyle had said things almost made it sound like that more than distance between their very different worlds was at play here. Whatever it was, Tanhi knew at once that it was very important to him.

Before she could say anything else on the matter, a new voice interrupted them. "Hey, good morning!" Norm greeted as he came up to them, dressed once again in human avatar clothing. He motioned the traditional greeting with his hand towards both of them, saying, "Oel ngati kameie Tanhi. Oel ngati kameie Kyle. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

The newly mated pair shared a fond look and shook their heads. "I can't say that we've had the time yet, cousin," Kyle admitted with a sheepish grin.

Norm smiled broadly and waggled his eyebrows at Kyle. "Good. Well then, it would be a pleasure for me as your family to bring you two something to eat. And I'll go get Jake and Moat, too. Congratulations, guys!" With that Norm dashed away, his tail wagging with joy behind him as he went.

Kyle chuckled at his cousin as he wrapped an arm around Tanhi's shoulder, drawing her close to his side. He kissed her hair just behind her ear and murmured softly, "I love you so much, Tanhi."

Tanhi sighed as she relaxed, completely at ease. Nothing in all of Pandora could make her feel safer than the feeling of Kyle holding her. "Nga yawne lu oer," she whispered in response, and at her words Kyle could not help the joyful, excited twitch in his tail.

Jake, Neytiri, and Moat appeared a short while later after Kyle and Tanhi had eaten Norm's offering of fresh fruit and dried meat strips. Formal greetings were exchanged before Jake asked Kyle, _"Is this your mate, brother?"_

Kyle smiled slightly and dipped his head in affirmation. _"She is, Olo'eyktan," _he confirmed as he lovingly rubbed Tanhi's back.

"About damned time," Jake muttered, earning him an elbow in the ribs from Neytiri.

Moat smiled at the obvious shows of affection between the new couple. She did not need to be Tsahìk to See that they were a fine match for one another. _"Has Eywa blessed your union, sister?" _Moat asked Tanhi.

Tanhi tilted her chin up proudly. _"She has, Tsahìk," _she replied in a confident voice. She looked over at Kyle, meeting her mate's eyes and said, _"We dreamed well."_

After exchanging a loving glance with Jake, Neytiri told them, _"Then you are truly blessed, and may the Omaticaya strengthen you as you strengthen the whole." _Neytiri gave them both an understanding smile and said, _"It is right for the two of you to celebrate your new bond together. For as long as it takes to adjust to your union, the Omaticaya will place no demands upon you." _ Neytiri stepped up to Tanhi and enfolded her in a loving hug. _"I am so happy for you, sister," _she told her softly. _"May today be the day that you love one another the least."_

_"Thank you, Neytiri," _Tanhi replied readily, her golden eyes brimming with tears of joy.

Kyle nodded at Jake and said simply, "Thank you," his voice all but choking up with emotion.

One of Jake's eyebrows quirked up. "Don't mention it," he responded with a grin.

* * *

True to Tanhi's words that morning, Kyle and she never strayed far from one another that day. They did indeed have to "touch one another often." And though it was not exactly the kind of intimate touch that both of them soon realized they craved, a kiss on the lips or a loving caress on the cheek was all that it took to keep the strange tingling sensations upon their skin at bay.

Much of the day had been taken up with many congratulations and well-wishes from friends and family. In a rare moment of separation Tsaro had whispered an incredulous query to Kyle, _"Did you two mate or did you fight last night?" _A legitimate question, considering the love bites and scratches that Kyle and Tanhi both wore.

Kyle growled, his ears lowering as yet another blush spread over his features, which unfortunately caused Tsaro to almost keel over with laughter. _"Are things that obvious?" _he grumbled.

Tsaro kept snickering, and Kyle contemplated throttling his best friend to get him to shut up. _"I will tell the younglings that a pack of nantang attacked you both, and that you defended your new mate very bravely. Will that be sufficient?"_

After a moment of thought Kyle nodded in agreement. _"Fine. You realize I will tease you without mercy when you find your own mate," _Kyle told him candidly.

Tsaro nodded as he conceded the point. _"You may of course do so. But until that time...," _Tsaro trailed off, then laughed again as Kyle threw his hands in the air and huffed with exasperation.

Tanhi came up to them after having her own "girl talk" with her friends. _"What is it that you are speaking of?" _she asked in a perfectly innocent voice. Kyle's mortified expression was answer enough for her.

Tsaro finally grew serious as Tanhi stepped up to them and placed her arm around Kyle's waist. _"I See you, Tanhi te Nera'nak Li'ona'ite," _he said in a suddenly respectful tone. _"We have been friends since we were younglings, and with Eywa as my witness, I have never seen you happier than you are right now."_

Tanhi sighed and smiled wistfully as she leaned upon Kyle's shoulder. Things had truly come full circle for her. Yes, she did miss Tsaro's brother, the first love of her life. She knew that she would be unable to hide that from Kyle, and she knew he would be unoffended by it, at the very least because that fact could never dim her love and affection for him in the slightest. _"And I thank you, Tsaro, for being a strong and steady friend and brother. You have never been afraid to say what needs to be said to me, to speak the truth in love, even if it hurt in the moment. It is a debt that I find difficult to fully repay, and you will forever have my thanks."_

Tsaro looked acutely embarrassed as he studied the ground at his feet and began to nudge a small twig around with his toe. Kyle glanced between Tanhi and Tsaro and asked curiously, _"Did I miss something?" _

Tanhi sighed and began to rub Kyle's back. He had not worn his palulukan-skin weapons harness all day, and she reverently ran her fingers up and down the healed slashes upon his skin. She met his eyes as she told him, _"The day that you nearly left too soon to be with Eywa, I ran from you. I would have left you then...out of weakness, and out of fear. I would have broken the promise we made to one another by the river that evening." _With another deep sigh she admitted, _"It was Tsaro who said I was a skxawng, among other things, for behaving as I did. Yawne, I never truly Saw who you were until that day."_

Kyle's eyes widened slightly upon hearing this. He knew things had been rough then, but he had been unaware until now of the role that Tsaro had played. He had never had someone defend him like that before...not ever. He looked at his friend with renewed respect._ "Tsaro... I do not have words to thank you for something like that," _he said after a moment.

Tsaro shrugged self-consciously as he finally looked up to meet Kyle's eyes. "Oeru meuia," he mumbled. _It was an honor. _Tsaro quickly looked away after a moment and smiled again. _"You have my sincerest congratulations. I will bid my farewell now, and leave the two of you to enjoy one another's company. Perhaps you will wish to fight again later."_

Tanhi was quite puzzled as Kyle exclaimed "Hey!" and took a playful swipe at Tsaro, who laughed and easily dodged away. With a broad, genuine smile Tsaro bowed in a final goodbye before stepping away.

_"What did he mean by that, my Kyle?" _Tanhi asked curiously.

* * *

It was just before sunset, and Kyle was following Tanhi up to the highest reaches of Kelutral. _"Keep up!" _she would say with a laugh. Kyle's slowness was not for lack of coordination or fitness - he kept distracting himself trying to catch the tufted end of his mate's tail. If he were to miss one of his grabs, Tanhi would promptly tease him by flicking the tip of her tail against his face, the fur at the end tickling his nose.

_"Where are we going?" _he asked as he temporarily abandoned chasing Tanhi's tail and used both hands to maneuver his way up through the branches. They were going higher than even the ikran roosts.

_"Almost there!" _was Tanhi's non-answer.

Kyle shook his head in fond exasperation as Tanhi swiftly threaded her lithe body through a seemingly impenetrable hedge of branches and leaves up ahead. Kyle's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he followed Tanhi's path, and then he could not help but gasp as he beheld what was on the other side. "Holy crap," he let slip in English.

It was like flying...but without the ikran. A secluded bower provided a breathtaking, panoramic view of the surrounding territory. In the distance the Hallelujah Mountains appeared to be aflame with the glow from Alpha Centauri's waning rays. Below them the river curved and slithered by, a sinuous sapphire serpent upon a carpet of vivid, eye-popping green.

_"I was curious what you saw when you went flying with Txopuluke that night," _Tanhi asked in a wistful voice as she stared into the distance. She chuckled with faint humor and said, _"I have only flown once, and it was a less than enjoyable experience. But sometimes, when I want to imagine what it might be like, I come up here..."_

A warm, gentle breeze kicked up that made Kelutral's leaves rustle and sing. This far up, here in the uppermost branches, the tree began to creak and sway gently in the wind as though they were in the crow's nest of a great sailing ship. It was the most natural, instinctive thing for Kyle to step up behind Tanhi and lovingly wrap his arms around her waist. _"Beautiful...," _he murmured, purposely vague as to whether he was referring to the view or the lovely creature in his arms.

Tanhi smiled as her ear twitched when Kyle breathed against it. _"This is one of my most favorite places here in our home. It is special to me...not even the Omaticaya's first Kelutral contained a place as perfect as this one." _Tanhi turned her head, making excellent use of her flexible, graceful neck to look back at Kyle. _"Where is your favorite place?" _she asked simply.

Kyle looked faintly sheepish as he thought for a moment. _"Where ever you are," _he replied sincerely. He was inordinately grateful that Tanhi said no more; she merely laughed softly and pressed her lips to his cheek.

They were silent for a spell, content to rest against each other and watch the world go by below them. It was not often that one got to look down on the treetops, to observe some of the clan's ikran coming and going from above. Tanhi thought long and hard about her next question, but in the end curiosity got the better of her. _"What about...back on 'Rrta?" _she asked, using the Na'vi word for Kyle's former home.

She felt Kyle tense behind her, and for another long while he was silent. She had glimpsed the whole of him through tsaheylu the first time that they had bonded, but neither of them had delved too far into the other. They had been pleasantly preoccupied with...other things. "My favorite place back on Earth was my parents' apartment, I guess," he responded. "Home. Family."

Tanhi nodded. Love for family was certainly understandable. Still, there was something else going on... "Your voice changes when you speak of your sa'sem," Tanhi whispered quietly.

Again, Kyle remained silent. He was so, so tempted to brush this away. Yes, to actually lie to his mate. He hissed softly without meaning to at the thought - this was just what Jake had warned him about, damnit! Why this sudden fear, this discomfort? It was not like Tanhi would disown him if she knew all about him from before! Even when she had caught glimpses of his wild, immature, indulgent prior lifestyle she had remained steadfast in her love for him. Was it his own selfish avoidance of pain?

Tanhi winced at Kyle's wordless grimace, and she turned in his arms to face him. "I am sorry, Yawne," she said, her ears lowered contritely as she brushed his lips with her fingers. "I will not make mention of it again."

Kyle blinked rapidly to help clear his mind. "No, it's alright. I just... For a second, I didn't want to tell you... But that would be bad, Tanhi. I don't ever want to not want to tell you something."

Her expression grew faintly curious and Tanhi's ears flared forward with interest. Tanhi almost asked... At the last moment she stopped her words and merely chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. If Kyle wanted to tell her something, he would.

"My parents were killed almost seven years ago," Kyle blurted. Best get it out now, in a controlled fashion, rather than have her find out without me being ready for it, he thought.

Tanhi tensed up in his arms. Kyle had used the same dead, toneless voice that he had in the healers' alcove, so long ago, when he had described to Tanhi being shot in his human body. It was as if all of the emotion, all of the feeling, had fled his person. She turned her head so that she could see his face and said quickly, "Yawne, I am -"

Kyle's lips compressed into a tight line just before he shook his head firmly and said, "Don't say it. Don't be sorry. I don't want sympathy." Not from you...especially from you.

Tanhi froze for a moment. This was quite unlike Kyle, to speak to her in such a way. Contrary to what he was saying, Tanhi knew he must still be quite wounded in order for him to lash out like that. "Then I will not give you sympathy," Tanhi said. "But I will give you my comfort, as my mate and my love, if you will permit it."

Kyle blinked a few times and finally allowed his eyes to meet hers. Tanhi waited patiently, refusing to press him on such a sensitive issue. At long last Kyle nodded stiffly, and Tanhi tenderly wrapped her arms around him and held him close. It took him second to respond, as though Kyle had suddenly forgotten how to hug another person; Tanhi smiled in her mind when she finally felt his hands settle on her back.

Tanhi could feel that Kyle still had not relaxed - the muscles in his back were tensed tight, were solid and unyielding. Tanhi began to rub soothing circles on his skin, and strangely Kyle growled in frustration and began to pull away. Tanhi stopped rubbing and squeezed him, whispering, "No, Yawne. Not yet."

Tanhi felt that she would never know how she stopped him in that moment. It was not as if she were stronger than him. Still, she held onto him tightly, and she sighed in relief as he resumed holding her. When she began to rub his shoulders a second time, Kyle did not object. Tanhi would be the first to admit that she had felt the sting of life's cruelty several times in the recent past, but through it all she had always had the firm anchor of her sempul, and the concept of being without his strength, guidance, and protection was as terrifying a thing as she had ever thought before.

They stayed in that position for a while, so long in fact that the slanting shadows began to swing and lengthen around them. At last, Tanhi felt Kyle deflate and relax, and he went nearly limp in her arms as a massive sigh escaped him. He clutched her tightly to himself and buried his face in the crook of her neck, and in that moment all of the tension left his body, swirling away like a rushing river plunging into a sinkhole. Tanhi felt him shake once as if he were crying, but her skin never felt the moisture of tears.

"You do not have to carry this alone, Yawne," Tanhi murmured softly. "Rutxe. Please, never ever think that." She felt Kyle nod once. "I will never take anything from you. You must be brave, and wise, to know what you should allow me to help you with."

Kyle placed his hands on her arms and leaned back so that he could see her face. He smiled thinly and nodded in agreement again. "Okay. I'll do that," he said softly. He leaned closer, touching his forehead to hers, and sighed in contentment. He was about to thank her, but with another faint smile he realized that was probably a silly thing for him to do.

"What are you smiling about?" Tanhi asked, quietly relieved to see Kyle pulling out from his sorrow.

Kyle's small grin widened slightly upon being caught. "Nothing," he chuckled. "You're just so amazing." A deep longing to share himself with Tanhi welled up from within his soul, and in keeping with his newfound resolution of honesty, Kyle reached behind him and grasped his queue. He held the end of the braid up between them and licked his lips nervously as he asked, "Tanhi...can I show you something?"

The pink filaments of his queue were already beginning to emerge at the barest hint of forming tsaheylu. For a moment Tanhi was stunned speechless. She was...not yet used to such intimate access to another person. Without a word she grasped behind her for her own braid and brought the end around to meet with Kyle's between them. They both gasped as their minds joined, and it was only Kyle's sudden and strong grip on her arms that kept Tanhi from stumbling.

"Ungh," Kyle groaned incoherently as his tail lashed behind him from the sudden rush of feelings. He felt like he had just been blasted off his feet by an ocean wave, such was the intensity of Tanhi's emotions for him. "Shoot, I don't know if I can take this," he moaned as his eyes clenched shut. He felt one of Tanhi's hands gently cup the back of his head and draw him forward until their foreheads were touching again.

Tanhi smiled and caressed his jaw with her other hand. "I know that you are strong enough," she said with a faint smile. "You may love me just as intensely, Yawne," she encouraged, sensing that Kyle was still struggling to keep his own feelings contained. "I am not fragile."

Perhaps it was too bold a statement, because the sudden release of emotion from both of them brought Kyle and Tanhi to their knees and left them gasping for breath and clutching one another for support. Kyle brushed Tanhi's cheeks with his lips, gently soothing away the faint trickle of tears that had begun to leak from her eyes. "Here, lean against me," Kyle panted, and Tanhi shuffled around until she was sitting between Kyle's legs, her back resting against his front. Kyle wrapped his arms around her protectively as he began to gently rock her back and forth, and he smiled against her hair as he felt Tanhi's tail loop possessively around his waist.

Finally, the initial surge of emotion from the bond began to fade enough for Kyle and Tanhi to form coherent thoughts again. Kyle felt quite pleased with himself that his own feelings for his mate were powerful enough to literally make her fall over.

"Skxawng," Tanhi laughed softly and slapped his knee lightly as she heard him think this.

Kyle chucked, and Tanhi could hear his amusement and feel it vibrating deep in his chest, as well as feel the sincerity of it through tsaheylu. "I'm not too much for you to handle, am I?" he whispered in a thick voice before carefully licking the back edge of Tanhi's pointed ear. Tanhi sensed the multiple inquiries in Kyle's one spoken question, and suddenly both of them were almost painfully aware of their physical desire for one another again.

Tanhi purred deep in the back of her throat at the thought of mating. She dragged her fingertips back and forth against Kyle's thighs and felt quite satisfied as she felt his muscles twitch beneath his skin. Still, mating had not been the original intent of this bond... "Do not get distracted, my Kyle," she murmured, and to prove her sincerity she stopped caressing his legs and simply rested her hands fondly on his knees.

Kyle sighed, his breath ruffling the hair at the back of Tanhi's neck. "Right," he said as he squeezed his arms around her as though he were afraid she might blow away in the wind. "Hold on tight," he whispered.

A whirlpool opened up within her mind and Tanhi could not stop the startled gasp that flew past her lips. Her eyes flared wide as her pupils fully dilated, and her fingers tightened and dug almost painfully into Kyle's knees.

* * *

For a moment Tanhi was frozen in place, completely still except for the incredulous twitching of the tip of her tail. Her surroundings had changed, all in the blink of an eye, and her ears lowered for a moment in discomfort. This was _not _the forest, not home at all, and her golden eyes began to dart around the room nervously. She felt like a giant - this must be some kind of Tawtute dwelling, she determined after a brief examination of her environment. There was no grass or dirt beneath her bare feet, only a strangely shallow, fuzzy covering; she could not decide whether or not it felt good against the soles of her feet or if it tickled.

She could feel warm sunlight against her shoulders and she turned to face it. The light was slanting into the room through floor-to-ceiling windows, and Tanhi inhaled sharply at the view beyond them - on the one hand, it was absolutely terrifying, because there was no green whatsoever. On the other hand, it was absolutely exhilarating - she could only describe the landscape before her as a jungle without the trees. She was in some kind of chamber that was apparently at a great height above the ground, and before her was a bizarre kaleidoscope of sharp-edged gray, brown, and white shapes, some tall, some squat, stretching out for as far as the eye could see, like some great field of mountainous Kelutrals. Many of them were covered in a reflective material that sparkled brightly in the light like polished stones.

Tanhi took a step closer to the windows, then another, until she could press her face flush against the cool glass so that her wide, curious eyes could absorb the sights before her.

A voice behind her began to chuckle softly as it said in Na'vi, _"I think I like your favorite place better."_

Tanhi snarled and whirled around, her ears flattening back against her skull as her hand descended to where she kept her knife against her hip. She most definitely did _not _appreciate being snuck up on, especially in an unfamiliar place like this. Before her, less an exopack, stood a compact Tawtute male with his arms casually folded across his chest and a confident and knowing smirk upon his lips as he watched her. Tanhi frowned and released her knife, having never drawn it. "Kyle?" she asked as she squinted at the man. He seemed so small, as all Tawtute did to her. Oh Eywa, was this really her mate?

He threw his head back and laughed at this. "Who else would it be? These are my own memories, after all!" Suddenly the smirk seemed so familiar and the eyes, though a dark brown now, were twinkling with the same kind of amusement that she had seen on Kyle's face so often before.

Kyle was barefoot, just as she was, but in contrast to her native garments he was dressed simply in jeans and a dark t-shirt. His hair was much too short to be braided and cropped much too closely to his skull in Tanhi's opinion. It was so strange, seeing the face of her mate on a human, blue-striped skin giving way to an odd shade of pinkish-tan, ears still and unexpressive. Still, if Kyle had been possessed of a tail now, Tanhi was sure it would be twitching in good humor at her expense.

The short glimpse of a single picture of him ill-prepared Tanhi for the sight of her mate's birth-body. Kyle's expression softened, and he uncrossed his arms and stared at his right hand thoughtfully for a moment. "Maybe I should apologize. Sometimes...I'm not sure what form to think of myself in anymore." With a shrug and a lopsided grin Kyle excused, "Maybe I just wanted to be able to sit on the furniture here."

Tanhi blinked and looked around the room again. "Where are we? What...what is this place?" she asked. The only human dwelling place that Tanhi had ever seen was the relatively spartan facilities of Hell's Gate, and thus she would not have realized that she was standing in a rather well-to-do apartment.

"You said you wanted to know what my favorite place was on Earth. This is...was...my parents' home." With a humorless, rueful chuckle Kyle added, "It's a hell of a lot nicer than where I used to live, anyway. I grew up here. My parents were fortunate...Mom and Dad had good, steady jobs and we never had to move anywhere. There are nicer pads in town, but then again, there's a whole lot more places that are worse off." Kyle waved his hand out towards the window. "And that is the wonderful metropolis of Greater Los Angeles. Welcome to SoCal," he said dryly.

Tanhi stared back out of the window that overlooked the city. "Where is the green? Where is the forest where you hunt, where you gather for food and medicine, where you..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought. She could not even see any rivers or streams. There was no water!

Kyle snorted disdainfully. "There is no green, Tanhi. Not for hundreds and hundreds of miles. I told you, I like your view better. My new home is worlds better than this heap. It's much prettier, to say the least." Kyle shrugged and a corner of his mouth twitched up in another grin. "And it's where my family is, now."

The bitterness in Kyle's voice was quite tangible, and Tanhi turned to give him a surprised look. Kyle was lost in thought, staring out through the window as well; Tanhi saw his clenched jaw muscles give the faintest spasm. The sun falling across his face caused something over his right eye to glimmer curiously, and Tanhi knelt beside him on the soft floor to look more closely at his features.

"My Kyle? What is this?" she asked as she brought her hand up to his face. She did not touch him, unsure as she was right now as to how he might take such a gesture. With a bit of a shock Tanhi realized that Kyle's right eyebrow was pierced, and the glimmer that had caught Tanhi's eye was a small silver hoop.

Kyle shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Hmm? Oh, this?" he asked as he brought his hand up to the side of his face. He felt the piercing with his fingers and suddenly smiled mischievously. "This was just to piss off Dad."

Kyle took a step closer and gently grasped Tanhi's outstretched hand in his own, now markedly smaller one. He pressed Tanhi's palm to the side of his face and sighed, his eyes drifting closed at the contact. Tanhi lovingly stroked her mate's face, and she allowed her finger to drift over his eyebrow and its piercing. "Your picture, Kyle... I did not see this then!"

Kyle's brown eyes slid back open and pinned her with an intense gaze. "That was one picture of me. Do you think that was representative of me as a whole?" he asked. He did not sound angry, only amused, and in that moment Tanhi truly realized just how much she still did not know her mate. "I had to take the hoop out for space flight. Some kind of crap about the dangers of cosmic radiation and all that." His eyes glinted teasingly as he said, "I was almost wondering if I should get my eyebrow pierced again. What do you think?"

Tanhi frowned, and her ears began to lower as Kyle snickered slightly. "I would rather you not do that...," she said, and Kyle laughed and held her hand still so that he could kiss the inside of her palm; his chin was slightly roughened with stubble, and its strange texture tickled her skin. The gesture made her smile, for this man was most definitely her mate, the one she had fallen head over tail with in love. "Why did you want to make your sempul angry?" she asked, eager to change the subject away from Kyle putting unnecessary holes in his body.

A hood of sadness fell across Kyle's brown eyes, and Tanhi noticed it before he could fully blink it away. He smiled anew in fond memory and held her gaze as he answered, "My old man was always a bit uptight." He pointed at his eyebrow and explained, "I got this done in college just to see what his reaction would be. Mom, bless her heart, couldn't have cared less, but I thought Dad was going to rip it right out when he first saw it!"

Tanhi's ears folded back and she hissed softly at such a concept. "Well, I am glad that your sempul did not intentionally damage your handsome face, then," she said seriously, and she bared her teeth in a smile as she saw Kyle's cheeks and neck begin to redden slightly.

Kyle turned away and scooped up a framed photo off a nearby end table, which he then presented to Tanhi. "Here. I wish I could introduce you guys to one another...but this will have to do." Kyle chewed his lip as Tanhi accepted the family picture. It's not fucking fair, he thought bitterly. Of course, the life he got to live now with the amazing woman before him was not exactly fair either, so perhaps his complaint was void.

Tanhi accepted the memory with reverence, a smiling representation of a younger Kyle and a man and a woman who could only be his parents. "You look like your sempul," Tanhi murmured after a moment.

"I've been called worse," Kyle said with an uncomfortable chuckle, and Tanhi smiled along with him. Neytiri had told her that Tawtute sometimes use humor to cover up grief.

"I am honored that you would show me this," Kyle's mate said with sincerity as she returned the picture to him.

Kyle shrugged before he offered her another smile. "It's okay, really. This is a part of me you should probably know about." Kyle's eyes turned up thoughtfully for a moment before he continued, "I meant what I said before, you know. My favorite place to be is with you. You're the most precious thing to me in the world, Tanhi."

This time it was Tanhi's turn to squirm under his praise, for she could feel the sincerity in his words. Kyle saved her from coming up with a response when his face lit back up as he remembered something. "I also have a tattoo," he told her as the corners of his mouth turned up into another sneaky grin.

"What is a 'tat-too?'" Tanhi asked. That was a Sky Person word she had never heard before.

Kyle explained with an easy chuckle, "It's kind of like permanent body paint."

Tanhi's curious frown deepened. "You cannot wash it off?" she clarified. All of these body alterations were rather strange to her. She gave Kyle a cool look and tilted her chin at him. "Show me," she commanded.

Just before he turned his back to her Kyle flashed a grin that Tanhi knew would have revealed his fangs had he been Na'vi. Kyle reached up over his shoulders and gathered a fistful of his shirt, and in one quick motion he pulled the garment up over his head, baring his back to her.

Tanhi gasped in surprise, for upon her mate's back, stretching from below his shoulders to just above his waist, was one of the most intricate and beautiful pieces of art that she had ever seen. She reverently ran a finger down his skin, tracing the small bumps of his spine. Kyle's tattoo was of a tree: Tanhi puzzled over the picture for a moment, for though the trunk and branches were masterfully depicted, all that was above ground was dead and withered. The tree's limbs were twisted and gnarled and seemingly devoid of life; they were completely divested of any leaf, flower, or fruit. She touched his skin again, tracing over a branch as though to confirm that it was only the picture that was parched and barren, rather than Kyle himself.

That was not the whole of the story, though: Below the surface of the ground the picture went on to depict the tree's roots, which were continuing to grow, very much alive and well. They were smooth, vibrant, and full of vitality. Tanhi could see the living tubes and vessels within the roots, stretching and reaching back up into the wasted trunk as they sought to bring back to life that which was formerly dead. When Tanhi looked again, more closely this time, she could just barely make out signs of renewal within the trunk itself of the great tree.

It was truly a masterpiece, and Tanhi would later count this dream-sharing as the one of the moments in which she learned to See her mate with much greater clarity. "It is wonderful," she breathed as she continued to rub his back, the motion not so much a tracing of the tattoo as it was a desire to simply touch him. "It must have taken a skilled artisan a very long time to complete such a thing. How long have you had this?"

Kyle turned back to face her as he allowed his shirt to fall back down over his torso. His expression was one of an odd sort of puzzlement as he answered, "I got it done before I shipped out for Pandora. After my parents...you know...," he trailed off as his face twisted up into an uncomfortable grimace. "Yeah, it took a really long time. Five days in a row, six hours at a shot. Hurt like heck, but once the skin became numb it wasn't so bad." It was expensive, too, but after all Kyle would only be earning money for the next 12 years or so, rather than spending it.

Tanhi smiled faintly. "This I do approve of," she declared with confidence.

Kyle laughed and nodded. "Well, good." He ran a hand back over his short hair and rolled his eyes. "Not that it matters too much anymore, though." He frowned thoughtfully for a second as he gave Tanhi a calculating look. "No one ever asks about when I got the tattoo. They always ask about what it means."

Tanhi smiled and her ears began to lower in a way that was almost threatening. Kyle frowned and took a wary step backwards as he noticed the way her tail began to flick back and forth with quick, calculating movements. He knew that look... Tanhi suddenly pounced on him like a cat, one large hand landing firmly on his chest, shoving him backwards, as her other hand cradled his now smaller frame and kept him from outright slamming into the carpet.

"Hey!" he shouted in protest as Tanhi flopped onto the ground, leaning back against the sofa, and proceeded to carry him down with her, his arms pinwheeling uselessly. Her impact with the floor shook and rattled the furniture, and Kyle gave her a very cross look as she clutched him to her chest, easily thwarting all of his squirming attempts at escaping. "That's not fair!" he complained.

Tanhi smiled and kissed him quickly to get him to shut up. The surprised look on his face made her laugh heartily as she said, "I have no doubts that you will get me back in some way when you are in your proper form," she replied. She leered at him and added, "I hope that you do, my Kyle."

Kyle gave her a fierce grin and responded, "Oh, I'm already thinking about that, trust me."

Tanhi laughed again and began to caress his face with her finger, starting at his pierced eyebrow. She grew serious as she stared at him and admitted, "I did not ask what your tat-too meant because I already knew." Kyle tilted his head and gave her a curious look. "Oel ngati kameie, Yawne. If you were to make another tat-too now, would not the tree be fully alive?"

They never made it back down to their new nivi; the flowers and decorations that Tanhi's friends had prepared for them would remain undiscovered until tomorrow. Rather, Kyle and Tanhi spent their second night together as mates snuggled close together in the highest branches of Kelutral, lulled to sleep by the gentle swaying of the tree and by the warm presence of the other.

* * *

Several days later Neytiri was waiting at the ikran roosts for Jake to return home. Right on time, just as the sun was grazing the horizon, Tswayon landed on the branch before her - just because Jake had given up on wearing a watch did not mean that he would not keep to the schedule that he held himself to. Jake easily swung out of the saddle and greeted her warmly. "Oel ngati kameie, Neytiri," he said.

"Oel ngati kameie, my love," she returned as she gave him a quick hug. _"What news do you bring from our friends?" _Jake had been meeting with Max and Hoshiro all day at Hell's Gate. The next ISV was only three months out, now.

Jake's lips turned down in a frown. "The ISV has stopped transmitting its position," Jake informed her darkly.

Neytiri frowned as well. "What does this mean?" she asked slowly.

With a sigh Jake elaborated, "It means that they wish to hide themselves from us. We still have an idea of where they are, but it has become much more difficult to track their progress." The ISV _Commerce Star's _transponder had been turned off several days ago, rendering it practically invisible to the satellites orbiting above Pandora. Fortunately, Max had developed the brilliant idea of using one of the orbital telescopes to track the ship's braking plasma bloom, which was impossible to hide.

"Then they have already begun to stalk us as the hunter does," Neytiri said grimly.

Jake's eyes were hard as he responded. "Let them think that. We will be ready for them."

Later on that evening, Jake found and intercepted Kyle just before the meal. _"May I trouble you for a moment of your time?" _Jake asked him.

Kyle tilted his head slightly as he regarded the chieftain before he smiled wryly. Jake was probably not asking. _"Of course," _he responded.

_"How are you and Tanhi?" _Jake asked as he motioned for Kyle to follow him up one of Kelutral's spirals.

Kyle absently scratched his forearm as his face broke into a wide smile. _"We are doing well, Olo'eyktan," _he responded simply. Tanhi had told him earlier that both of them were adapting very quickly to their bond, and the pleasant tingling on his skin had almost completely faded by now. It may have had something to do with their frequent "alone times," Kyle reasoned with another private grin.

Jake nodded as a small but genuine smile crossed his features. All too soon, though, his mind returned to the task at hand. "I need your help," Jake said in English as they slipped into a tiny alcove near where his and Neytiri's nivi was. Na'vi did not keep personal "closets," for there was simply no need. Still, as Olo'eyktan Jake had no trouble procuring this small space, and despite the lack of a door Jake was confident that none of the Omaticaya would poke around inside.

Kyle frowned, but he nodded all the same. "Anything," he said quickly as he watched Jake crouch down and remove a woven cover from a box that Kyle instantly recognized as a weapons case.

Jake deftly flipped the latches open on the container and withdrew the single bullpup rifle that Kyle and Txopuluke had carried back to Kelutral. Jake tossed the weapon towards Kyle, who managed to catch it easily. It was automatic for Kyle's right hand to settle on the grip and position the gun casually over his shoulder, keeping the barrel respectfully away from Jake. With a nod of approval the chieftain commanded, "Field strip the rifle like you're going to clean it."

Kyle's eyes narrowed slightly - this sounded like one of Jake's "do or die" tests. The gun was a unique design, so of course Kyle had not exactly read the manual. Still, Hoshiro had not made it complicated. Kyle smoothly removed the magazine and cycled the bolt back to verify that the chamber was empty. Much to his surprise a good bullet was ejected, and Jake swiftly caught it one-handed before the round could hit the floor. One of Kyle's eyebrows rose as he asked, "You kept it loaded?"

Jake bared his teeth. "I loaded it just before I went to find you. I wanted to see if you'd check first."

One test passed. Kyle merely shrugged as he located the takedown lever, and after some fiddling the rifle easily slid apart in his hands, revealing its inner workings which still gleamed with fresh machine oil. He looked up at Jake, eyebrows up in silent question, before he proceeded any farther.

Jake nodded his approval and said, "Good. When it comes time... I was wondering if I can count on you to help me train those who are willing to learn how to shoot with a gun. I am not sure yet how many of our clansmen and -women will take to such an idea."

Kyle sighed and absently rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, I'd be willing, Jake. I can' t wait for all of this to be over, though." It was profoundly irritating, this discord between the joy of being newly mated and the stress of facing the upcoming conflict. Kyle's ears flattened back against his head in subconscious agitation.

Jake snorted softly as he relieved Kyle of the disassembled gun. "You and me both, brother. Now go and find your mate, I'll be down in a while." As he spoke he rebuilt the rifle without ever looking at this hands, reassembling the weapon as easily as if he were tying his shoes...an apt comparison perhaps if Jake still used footwear.

Kyle nodded respectfully before backing out of the alcove and disappearing silently back down the closest spiral. Jake was pleased to note that even when he was not hunting Kyle managed to move without making a sound. He was a fine Na'vi indeed. Jake grimly thumbed the single bullet back into the magazine before slapping it home within the rifle's body, this time without chambering the round. He replaced the gun in its padded case and resealed it with a sigh. He would be at the meal circle tonight, but he would not be eating.

* * *

Tanhi jumped imperceptibly when Kyle lowered himself down beside her. She was evidently unable to cover her surprise well enough, for Kyle grinned at her and said teasingly, _"It is not often that I get to startle you."_

Tanhi harumphed with fond irritation at her mate. _"Where were you?" _she asked rather than admit that Kyle had in fact surprised her.

Kyle's eyes hardened briefly. _"Jake needed to speak with me," _he said.

_"About what?" _Tanhi asked curiously.

Kyle accepted the food leaf from the person next to him and began to serve his mate. When he had finished he passed Tanhi the leaf, who then portioned off his own meal. _"I will tell you later," _he said after a moment. _"For now, let us enjoy this time without unnecessary distraction."_

He offered her a reassuring smile, but Tanhi could see the stress in Kyle's eyes, and she chose not to press him on the issue. The rest of the meal was spent with much glad conversation and laughter, and Tanhi had forgotten about Jake and Kyle's mysterious meeting, at least until Jake himself strode silently out into the center of the gathering. He was carrying a large, dark green case.

The Olo'eyktan did not speak, but rather waited for the clan to grow quiet on their own as everyone became aware of his presence. Conversation ground to a halt until silence finally descended, and the loudest noise was the faint din of the forest nightlife outside of Kelutral. Jake released the case, letting it drop to the ground with a resounding _thunk._

_"It is nearly time for us to greet a new group of arriving Tawtute," _he began, and this announcement was met with subdued hisses and mutterings of general discontent. _"The Tawtute whom we count as friends have begun their preparations to defend their home, and it is time for us to do the same. They are prepared to stand with us again to defend Eywa'eveng." _So far Jake's words were not new to anyone, as he had long ago informed the Omaticaya about the train of starships that were already in route to Pandora.

Jake continued. _"This time will be different than the arrival a year ago. The Tawtute on this ship are not scientists, who seek to understand the blessings of Eywa'eveng as the Na'vi do. They are warriors, who have no doubt been instructed to take back what has been...stolen from them." _More derisive noises, but louder this time. Jake's lips twisted into a slight sneer as his tail began to flick back and forth in an increasing tempo that matched his own feelings of angst. _"Being a warrior does not make a Tawtute blind. It merely makes him more stubborn. If they cannot be made to See, they will be rejected from here. Or they will be killed."_

Passionate yips and howls sounded out from the Omaticaya, and Jake patiently waited for the chance to speak again. His eyes locked briefly with Neytiri's, and they traded a faint nod and a world-weary smile. Both of them were grateful that at least one Tawtute warrior had not proven to be so blind.

When a modicum of quiet had been regained, Jake began to speak again. _"Our friends at Hell's Gate have crafted weapons suitable for the People to use, weapons that will help us defend our home, our loved ones. They are weapons that will help enable us to strike just as hard at the Tawtute as they do at us." _Jake crouched down on one knee and opened the case, retrieving from within the assault rifle. The gathered Na'vi gasped and murmured at the sight of the alien weapon. Unfortunately, however, guns were no longer such an unknown thing to the Omaticaya anymore. _"I will teach any Na'vi who is willing to learn how to wield a Tawtute bow as easily as they can a Na'vi bow," _Jake declared. _"It is not a requirement, and the choice belongs to each of you alone."_

The sudden lack of murmured conversation was almost deafening in its own odd way. Golden eyes watched the Olo'eyktan with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, and for a moment no one spoke. That is, until a Na'vi that Kyle quickly recognized as Tsaro's father, Ateyo, stood up. His face was twisted into a mask of barely contained rage, and he spat out his words as if they were the foulest thing he had ever tasted. _"Vrrtep! You would seek to turn the People into the aliens from which you came! The presence of that alien thing is a disgrace to the Omaticaya, only slightly more so than your own presence here!"_

If it had not been deathly quiet before, then it was absolutely silent as a tomb now. Tsaro, seated beside Marali, looked utterly terrified as he stared up at his father with wide eyes and laid back ears. Neytiri's face twisted into an angry snarl, and she would have leapt to her feet had Moat not restrained her with a firm hand on her shoulder. What remained unseen was Moat's other hand reaching behind her back, grasping Neytiri's tail to keep her seated.

There was no one brave or strong enough to contain Mal'ek, though. _"Silence!" _Mal'ek snarled as he shot to his feet, his tail lashing behind him in outrage. _"You do NOT speak to the Olo'eyktan, to Toruk Makto, like this! It is YOU who are the disgrace!"_

Ateyo's ears were flat back against his head as he took a step forward, his fists clenched and shaking at his sides. _"If it were not for him -" _he started to say.

Something in Jake snapped. _"QUIET!" _he roared, the force of his words freezing both Ateyo and Mal'ek, who seemed about ready to tear out each other's throat. Mal'ek stood stock-still as Ateyo turned his near-murderous gaze back towards Jake; in truth, all of the Na'vi were as still as statues as they waited to see how Jake would handle the situation. _"If it were not for me what, Ateyo? What quarrel do you still have with me that is unresolved? Speak it now!"_

Ateyo's lips twitched back from his fangs as he pondered his newfound freedom to speak. _"I cannot stand by and watch you destroy the way of life that the People have kept since the first songs," _he hissed vehemently.

A twisted play of emotions contorted their way across Jake's face. _"Are you dissatisfied with the number of enemies that you have right now among those that would destroy our world? Perhaps you wish to add one of the People to that list?" _Jake asked, his voice low and laced with menace. _"If this is truly your heart, then challenge me."_

Ateyo sneered and spat disdainfully onto the ground. _"Ha! So you could strike me down with that alien thing?" _Ateyo asked as he motioned at the gun that Jake still held. Throughout the entire conflict Jake had made not a single move to cock the weapon - like the soldier he still was, Jake kept the rifle down at his side, refusing to bring it to bear on his unarmed opponent. Whatever slight murmurings of agreement with Ateyo's words faded as Jake threw down the gauntlet.

Jake bared his fangs as he turned and heaved the gun towards Mal'ek, who calmly snatched it out of the air with a single hand. _"No, brother. I would strike you down with my bare hands alone. It is only proper, after all."_

Ateyo's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent as it began to dawn on him just how perilous his position had become. No one else was voicing any further opinions on the matter. Moat saved him from a response as she slowly rose to her feet, and despite being a somewhat frail old woman the Tsahìk's presence was as formidable as any warrior's. _"I know how your heart grieves for what has been wrongly taken from you, Ateyo," _Moat said. Ateyo blinked rapidly as her words registered with him. _"Omaticaya, do not think that Jakesully has acted alone in this. The Olo'eyktan has counseled with the Tsahìk on this matter, both Neytiri and myself, as is the proper way," _Moat said as she motioned to her daughter, who was struggling mightily to keep a neutral expression on her face._ "Jakesully would not have presented us with this choice had it not been agreed upon by all three of us. He is executing his solemn duty __as Olo'eyktan __to protect the People in offering this to us."_

The Omaticaya began to slowly nod in agreement and whisper among themselves as Moat said this. Ateyo and Jake still stood poised to spring at one another.

Moat continued to speak. _"It is true that the Tawtute have brought change to the Na'vi. Some of that change has been painful, as all of us here can attest. But not all of the change has been bad. And I tell you all this: Change would have come to us anyway. And I am glad that my son is here to shepherd us." _Moat paused for a beat as her steely gaze swept across the gathering, and her fond reference to Jake was not lost on anyone. _"Let me clarify for those who are old, or hard of hearing," _she said with a pointed glance in Ateyo's direction._ "Jakesully has no wish to transform the Omaticaya into the Tawtute. It is he who has been transformed, in spirit and in body, to become like us."_

The relief that Jake felt on the inside was so profound that he thought he might sag into a boneless heap right then and there, and the whispers of affirmation that reached his ears from his clan mates was the most soothing balm possible for reopened wounds. However, there was still the not insignificant matter of Ateyo to deal with.

Moat had not forgotten about him, either. _"If you still have a quarrel with the Olo'eyktan, then by all means, challenge him," _Moat said easily, and Ateyo's angry eyes flared with surprise. _"But Ateyo...I think you would lose."_ And with that, Moat sat back down and began to calmly finish her dinner as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all.

Tsaro had risen to his feet and slowly crept up to stand beside his father. He carefully rested a hand on Ateyo's shoulder, and the contact made the older Na'vi jump slightly. Ateyo turned to look at his son, at Tsaro's pleading expression. A wordless conversation transpired, and at last Ateyo turned back to face Jake, his shoulders slumping imperceptibly. _"I have no challenge, Olo'eyktan," _he said after a moment as he bowed his head respectfully and sat back down beside his mate.

Jake still did not trust himself to speak, so he merely nodded in response. Without another word he turned and crouched, retrieving the case from the ground and the rifle from Mal'ek, before he walked purposefully out of the meal circle; Neytiri leapt to her feet and dashed after him. Mal'ek took one last glance around before he snorted in satisfaction, and then he too left the gathering.

Tanhi breathed a sigh of relief, a motion that was not yet echoed by her mate. She examined Kyle out of the corner of her eye; for a moment she feared he might crack a molar owing to how hard his teeth were clenched. She took note of the way his right arm was resting, reaching subtly behind him. _"Yawne. You should probably remove your hand from your blade, now," _she gently murmured.

Kyle blinked as though coming out of a trance and finally relaxed as he withdrew his hand from the hilt of his knife, which he had taken to carrying in a more traditional place at the base of his spine.

* * *

_"My Jake...," _Neytiri began as she observed her mate pacing back and forth, practically carving a track through the dirt upon the ground just outside of Kelutral.

Jake's head snapped up to face her, his expression tense as he struggled not to snarl at her. Even still, his lips pulled back slightly, revealing one of his canines. _"What is it, Neytiri?" _he shot back as he continued walking, his tail lashing back and forth behind him.

_"You knew that some would be opposed to this," _Neytiri said as she tried to reason with him. Actually, the entire event had gone over much better than she had anticipated, all things considered.

Jake absently rubbed at the base of his pinkie finger on his left hand, tracing a faintly visible scar that Neytiri knew marked the skin there. She sighed, already knowing what he was thinking even before he said, _"I am tired of having my loyalty to the People questioned."_

_ "Ateyo spoke from a place of grief. He did not speak for the Omaticaya when he said what he did. And given time, I suspect he will come to you himself and apologize profusely for his outburst," _Neytiri reassured him. _"No one questions your loyalties, or your position, Jake."_

_ "Your mate is correct," _a new voice spoke, and Neytiri turned and Jake stopped pacing as Mal'ek slipped out of the dim shadows to join them.

Now Jake snarled, his golden eyes narrowing with frustration and anger. _"Is that only because you would tear someone who questions me limb from limb, brother?"_

A corner of Mal'ek's mouth twitched up at this. _"I am sure that fact helps," _he responded flatly.

Jake threw his hands up in the air and shook his head. _"That does not make me feel better on the matter," _he grumbled darkly.

Neytiri finally showed her own frustration on the matter as she huffed and stamped her foot on the ground. _"You stupid male! Even if Mal'ek was not such a bully, the People would not question you! You have nothing to prove to anyone anymore! The only one here who doubts you is yourself!"_

Jake finally froze, and Neytiri felt inordinately satisfied when she watched his shoulders finally slump with admission. _"As always, you See me best, my love," _he mumbled.

Neytiri's voice was soft, and full love as she said, _"I pray to Eywa that you will See yourself as I do. You are a good man, my love. You must not doubt yourself so. Be confident! You are strong, brave, and courageous."_

Mal'ek snorted. _"You are still upset, though. You need to relieve your anger," _he said.

Jake's ears flicked as he registered Mal'ek's words, and the faintest of smiles flitted across his face. He ducked just in time to avoid a right hook from Mal'ek, the warrior's fist just grazing the skin of Jake's temple. _"Not now," _Jake grumbled even as he gave Mal'ek his full attention and safely distanced himself from his Second.

Mal'ek began to stalk around Jake in a rather threatening manner, his hands clenching into fists as the muscles in his arms and shoulders began to tense up beneath his skin. "_I may not See you as well as Neytiri, but I know that you still carry anger inside. You should get it out, before it poisons -" _Mal'ek's voice was interrupted by his own pained grunt as Jake's fist connected solidly with his jaw, snapping his head to the side.

Now Jake was grinning widely as he gingerly rubbed the back of his knuckles.

Mal'ek brought his hand up to his throbbing lip, brushing away the trickle of blood that had formed from where his skin had been split by one of his own teeth. _"You did not soften your blow," _Mal'ek observed as he rubbed the tips of his bloody fingers together.

A thoughtful look crossed the Olo'eyktan's face. _"You were right, brother. It did feel good to hit something." _

Neytiri rolled her eyes and waved her hands dismissively. _"Men," _she complained. _"Eywa only knows how your kind ever manages to not kill yourselves off. Find me when you are finished, I will go prepare some medicines for later."_

Neytiri calmly turned and walked away, content that her mate was in good hands even as she heard Mal'ek snarl and lunge forward, no doubt swinging wildly. Jake's own answering hiss and the dull thump of flesh on flesh indicated that things were proceeding quite well.

Jake parried Mal'ek's blow, blocking it with his own forearm. The impact set his carbon-fiber reinforced bones to ringing, and Jake knew there would be some profound bruises on his skin in the morning. _"Tell me, were you actually trying to render me unconscious with your first blow?" _Jake asked as he and Mal'ek circled each other.

Mal'ek shrugged amicably in response. _"Not really. Your reflexes were quick, though," _he complimented.

Jake snarled, his ears folding back with aggression. _"That is because I can never discern the intensity of your play. I hate being caught by surprise." _Sometimes they merely sparred, each touch carefully measured to avoid injuring the other. Other times, however, it would be understandable for an unknowing observer to think that the two men were actively trying to kill one another.

The two Na'vi kept circling, each waiting for a sign of weakness, the barest lapse in attention from the other. Mal'ek rubbed at his bloody lip again and spat onto the ground. _"Remember, Olo'eyktan, this time it was you who almost removed one of my teeth. I will be quite unhappy if you force me to drink the rest of my meals before it is my time to do so from old age."_

Jake tilted his head as if he were surprised. _"So you do admit that I surprised you just now," _he said.

Mal'ek lunged forward and feinted with another strike to Jake's head. The Olo'eyktan easily blocked it, which did not bother Mal'ek in the slightest because the true purpose of his move was to drive his other fist solidly into Jake's ribs while the Olo'eyktan was thus distracted.

It felt like someone had swung a tree trunk into Jake's side when Mal'ek hit him, and if not for the great strength of his bones he probably would have suffered several fractures. All of his breath left Jake's body in a pained huff, and he spun and dropped to one knee as Mal'ek danced past him. In retaliation Jake took a wicked swing with his left fist and struck Mal'ek low on the side, right where his kidneys would be if he had been human.

Jake regained his shaky feet, and he watched in satisfaction as Mal'ek hissed in pain and gingerly rubbed his side. _"That tickled," _he commented wryly, just to see if he could provoke a reaction from the chieftain.

It worked. Jake growled low in his throat and lunged at Mal'ek. He was surprised, however, when instead of blocking his strike Mal'ek grabbed his wrist and pulled backwards, combining Jake's own momentum with a purposefully placed foot to trip him and send him to the ground.

Jake went down hard, but he decided he did not want to be the only one resting ungracefully in the dirt. On his way down he clenched Mal'ek's own wrist and yanked, pulling the warrior down on top of him. Jake landed first on his back and folded his legs up so that his feet caught Mal'ek's waist, and with a powerful upward heave sent Mal'ek sailing through the air. The whole while Jake kept ahold of Mal'ek's arm so that he could not correct his fall, and the warrior ended up landing hard on his side on the ground.

Mal'ek groaned and blinked rapidly a few times to clear his head. Jake lay a short distance away, panting hard as he rolled over on his side and gave Mal'ek a smug grin. _"Are we finished yet?" _Jake winced out through his smile. Despite the pain, the physical exertion felt quite good.

Small clouds of dust from his breathing puffed away from the ground as Mal'ek turned his head and glared at Jake. _"That depends, Olo'eyktan. Are you finished being mad? I would hate to dispatch you - I could kick your txìm, but I do not know what Neytiri would do to me afterwards..."_

Jake rolled his eyes and flopped back over to rest on his back. _"Figures. Blame it on the muntxate," _he said. Holy hell, my ribs are _killing _me, the thought to himself as he groaned aloud. Mal'ek could hit like a pile-driver.

Despite the fact that he now ached all over, Mal'ek laughed. _"Can you find fault in my logic?"_

Jake looked back over at his friend and grinned crookedly. _"No. Except for the part about you being able to kick my ass."_

Mal'ek thought about this before offering, _"Since both of us are lying here on the ground like a pair of talioang taking a dust bath, perhaps we should call this match a draw?"_

_ "Fine, if it will help you save face," _Jake said as he climbed slowly to his feet, wincing as he did so like a wizened old man.

_"I was thinking...the same thing for you," _Mal'ek said as he too hauled himself up off of the ground, his speech punctuated by a groan as his shoulder throbbed with a hitherto unfelt bolt of pain. _"If I cannot shoot my bow, I expect you to provide my share of food for the clan," _Mal'ek declared as he rolled his shoulder experimentally.

_"Whatever," _Jake grumbled. He was smiling, though, as the two of them limped back into Kelutral. They summarily ignored the incredulous glances that they received from some of the Omaticaya. It had been a while since the two men had fought so hard, and a few of the Na'vi shook their heads incredulously - how such a row could be relieving of stress was a complete mystery.

If Jake was expecting any coddling from his mate, he was soon sorely disappointed. With one hand on her hip and the other pointing firmly away, Neytiri promptly ordered Jake to go hobble off and bathe himself. _"I will not share a nivi with one who looks like he tumbled down a hillside. If you are lucky, I may see to your injuries when you return. I suppose you do need to be healthy if you intend to train anyone tomorrow."_

"Yes, ma'am," Jake mumbled in a chagrined tone of voice. He never saw Neytiri smile fondly behind him.


	27. Chapter 27

**Bah, this is the chapter that totally ran away from me, in several different respects. It's really time consuming chasing down various characters and tangents - it's enough to make us start to feel schizophrenic. Thank you for your patience, and we hope the wait was worth it. Enjoy! :-)**

Chapter 27

Neytiri's stern disposition changed dramatically upon Jake's return to their nivi. While his pathetically pouty expression was no doubt an act put on in an effort to gain some favorable attention, his blooming bruises and numerous scrapes and scratches most definitely were genuine. Still, Neytiri took a bit of perverse pleasure in making her mate wince with pain as she rubbed soothing salves into his skin.

"Shit!" he groaned. "You're doing that on purpose!" Jake accused as Neytiri moved on from his battered arm to none too gently treat his scraped shoulder blade. She was glad that their resting place was in one of the more private locations in Kelutral, for Jake was making noises and complaints that were not very befitting of the Olo'eyktan.

"Skxawng," Neytiri shot back. "You did this to yourself! You should be grateful that I am treating you at all, instead of sending you to the healers."

"I thought...," _groan, _"That you...," _hiss, _"Were supposed to be - ow! - nice to your mate," Jake gritted out.

Her response was a firm smack on the back of the head without any regard to his prior injuries. "I _am_ being nice to you," Neytiri informed him hotly. Jake silently disagreed. "Otherwise it would have been two against one. I gave you a fair fight."

Jake whipped his head around to stare at her, and his positively stunned expression was enough to crack her tough exterior. Neytiri giggled and quickly kissed him before he could protest. _"Do you not think that I could fight you?" _she asked teasingly.

"Well...I don't...I mean...but...," Jake sputtered futilely as he went nearly cross-eyed trying to imagine such a scenario, making Neytiri laugh again.

She pushed him down onto his back (on purpose), and Jake winced from the friction of the hammock against his abraded skin. "I could 'kick your ass,' as you say," she murmured with a mischievous glint in her eye as she leaned down close over him.

Jake opened his mouth to protest, but any objection was stilled by the expression of adoration and love that quickly descended over Neytiri's features. Her long hair framed her beautiful face and curtained his own, and in that moment Jake felt like the luckiest man alive. "You've got that look again," Jake told her after a spell.

Neytiri rolled her eyes in fond annoyance - it was not uncommon for her mate to ruin a "moment" with some silly Tawtute phrase. "What 'look' do you speak of?" she asked, her nose scrunching up in puzzlement.

Somehow Jake moved and spun them in place until Neytiri was the one lying on her back with Jake on top, grinning triumphantly at her startled expression. He was barely able to keep his pained groan contained - that had _really _hurt, but still it had been worth it for her reaction. Rather than answer he leaned down and kissed her neck just below her jaw. Neytiri moaned and arched wantonly beneath him as he suckled and nipped at her skin, leaving marks that would be visible in the morning. Oh. _That_ look.

_"Tsaheylu," _Neytiri groaned breathlessly as she reached for the end of her queue. If they did not bond now they would never get around to it.

Jake paused just long enough to locate the end of his braid, and both of them gasped as their minds merged. Then, once Neytiri's mental state became clear to him, Jake simultaneously laughed out loud and winced as his amusement irritated his bruised ribs. Neytiri glared up at him. _"Stop that," _she muttered in Na'vi as her ears fell back with irritation.

"But you like it," Jake purred in satisfaction, not at all put out. His mate really was full of the oddest contradictions: How else could she be so frustrated by the fact that he was so good at seducing her?

* * *

They lay in their hammock on their sides together, their breathing only now just beginning to calm down. Still bonded in tsaheylu, Jake had no problem revealing to Neytiri that he was quite content to stay that way, gazing at her face, until they both fell asleep. Neytiri smiled and caressed the glowing lines of tanhi on his own face as she wordlessly agreed. Jake's growing shiner did little to still her attraction for him.

"What are you thinking?" Jake whispered curiously as he gazed at her, marveling at the beauty of the unique constellation of glowing tanhi that graced her own forehead and flowed down the bridge of her nose until it spilled over onto her cheeks.

Neytiri chuckled. Her Jake always asked that, even though he was privy to exactly what was going through her mind. At first that question had puzzled Neytiri. Was he still so blind and foolish that he had to ask such a thing, when the answers were clearly laid out before him? Could he really have been that ignorant?

Neytiri had been shocked and humbled when she had finally uncovered the reason why Jake always asked her that question, and now she herself inquired it every now and then. Even when linked in the most intimate way possible to the woman that he was bound to for life, Jake never, _ever, _"took" from her. _I've already chosen. But this woman must also choose me. _

Jake sighed in contentment as that memory flashed between them, and Neytiri began to truly consider his inquiry. She was actually thinking about something quite serious. Jake's expression grew puzzled - he currently sensed concepts and abstractions from his mate, but not concrete thoughts. It was just as well, for in this Neytiri had no desire to get his hopes up.

When Neytiri reached between them and separated their queues Jake made a little noise of protest. _"Trust me," _she murmured as she stroked his side reassuringly, mindful of the bruised spot. She wanted to try something, and the curious feeling that she had been having when linked with Jake for the last couple of weeks was always strongest when they first bonded. And needless to say, she had been thoroughly distracted during the initial moments of their last bond.

Jake remained silent and watched curiously as Neytiri closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, focusing all of her senses within her, instead of beyond her. When she felt sufficiently ready she reached over with her free hand and grasped Jake's queue, bringing it back to join with her own again. The glowing pink nerve filaments wound lovingly around one another, ever eager to be in close contact.

Both of them groaned at the sensation, and Neytiri reveled in the feeling of Jake. But this time she was ready for it, and the little mental jolt that happened immediately after the tsaheylu bond was not lost on her. The peculiar sensation had been getting stronger over the last few weeks, growing so slowly that at first she had assumed it had always been there, and now she held onto it with all of her might rather than simply dismissing it. She invited Jake to do the same as she guided his mind to the spot within her, and without question Jake willingly offered her his strength, even if he did not yet know the purpose.

"What is it?" Jake asked as his ears flicked back and forth curiously, his eyes closing in concentration as well. His voice sparked a surge of joy within her that was distinctly not her own, and the strange feeling tugged a gasp past her lips. Jake felt it too, and his eyes flashed open and he too gasped in surprise. "Neytiri? Oh Eywa, is that...?" his voice caught and he trailed off, and Neytiri could see his eyes widen and fill with wonder.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt Jake's hand settle on her naked stomach over her navel. For a moment she could not answer, and she simply closed her eyes and breathed in deeply as she tried to calm down and focus. As though to purposely frustrate her efforts, that strange mental presence between them jumped again. It was not Jake. And it definitely was not her.

_"My Jake,"_ Neytiri breathed out as joyful tears began to leak from her eyes. Jake leaned forward and kissed her cheeks as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, and she could feel his mile-wide grin against her skin. _"Our child recognizes your voice."_

* * *

The next morning Kyle intended to find Jake to let him know that his and Tanhi's "honeymoon" was officially over, as the tanhi on their faces and arms had completely finished relocating. The pattern of tanhi on a female Na'vi's face was always more intricate and detailed than a male's simpler, bolder pattern; even so, a brief glance at Kyle and Tanhi would quickly reveal that they were bonded for life.

"This doesn't mean that the touching stops," Kyle declared with a wry smirk. Tanhi agreed whole-heartedly.

Kyle was shocked when he finally found Jake, just before the morning hunters' meeting. He looked like he had been beat to a pulp! "What the hell happened to you?" Kyle blurted as he took in Jake's numerous colorful bruises and scrapes.

Jake stiffly turned to greet Kyle. "Rewon lefpom," he said with a smile. Despite his seemingly deplorable condition, he could not have looked happier. "Mal'ek very graciously offered to help me burn off some stress from yesterday," he calmly explained.

"Mal'ek did this?" Kyle asked, still trying to clarify things in his mind. This was terrifying to him for several reasons. Kyle had actually not spoken to Mal'ek for several days, and it almost seemed like the warrior was avoiding him. This was actually true, for Tanhi's father wished to give his daughter and new son their time alone while he himself got used to the fact that another man was now charged with taking care of that which was most precious to him.

Jake's eyes shifted over Kyle's shoulder and his grin widened. "Well, yeah. I'm pretty sure I gave as good as I got, though. What do you think?"

Kyle turned around to see Mal'ek standing behind him, an oddly crooked, boy-like grin on his face. His smile was slightly off because the left side of his mouth was swollen and puffy, and Kyle's ears fell back without him meaning them to as he observed the splotchy bruises on Mal'ek's torso. "You did that?" Kyle squeaked as he took in the sight before him.

Jake sniggered from behind Kyle.

Mal'ek's grin took on a distinctly predatory edge as he offered, _"It is common for the men to spar with one another. It helps one stay fit, and keep one's combat skills sharp. If you would ever like to challenge me I would gladly accept, 'itan. After all, if you could best a palulukan, I would imagine that an old Na'vi like me would be hardly difficult for you." _While Mal'ek would never volunteer such information, if asked he would not shy away from admitting that his and Jake's "fight" last night had been equally therapeutic for the both of them.

_"Thank you, that is very...kind of you, Mal'ek," _Kyle volunteered, not quite ready to take Mal'ek up on his offer.

"Did you need me for anything?" Jake asked, his shoulders still shaking with silent merriment. Roughhousing in an incredibly strong, 10 foot tall body took some getting used to for one who had grown up human. And Jake had to hand it to Kyle: There could not possibly be a more intimidating father-in-law than Mal'ek.

Kyle shook his head and responded, "Um, yeah. Tanhi and I are ready to resume our responsibilities. She's with Loak now, and I wanted to be here early for the hunters' meeting to let you know." His bow was slung over his shoulder as evidence of his statement. Kyle squinted at Jake and asked, "Dude, you look the cat that got the cream. Is everything alright?"

Jake's satisfied expression only grew more pronounced. "Oh, things are perfect, just perfect," he said. Neytiri and he had not yet told anyone about their discovery last night. Jake felt that Moat should be the first to know, if only so that the Dragon Lady would not skin him alive for telling someone else before her. Staying away from that particular subject, Jake affirmed, "We could use another hunter, as Mal'ek somehow managed to screw up his shoulder last night. Poor thing, probably won't be able to shoot straight for a week."

Kyle remained strategically silent as Mal'ek glared at Jake.

* * *

Amber was busy reorganizing her thoughts from her observations of the hunters' meeting. Jake and Neytiri had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome and included in almost all of the clan's activities, and they had been more than forthcoming about answering her numerous questions. Earlier that morning she and Norm had parted ways after a quick, but fond, farewell. It was one of his more overt demonstrations of his status within the Omaticaya, as he had informed her with a somewhat sheepish expression that he needed to spend time with the singers - the clan was constantly making history, after all, and the Omaticaya would be worse off if they forgot the lessons that time taught them.

Amber paused from her work on her data pad and absently plucked at her top between her shoulder blades, where she was already beginning to get a bit sticky with sweat. She had long ago shed her avatar jungle shirt, and she wore shorts now, rather than pants. She had even started going barefoot, and she found the experience to be quite enjoyable once her feet had toughened up. But no matter what Norm said, damned if she'd be caught dead wearing only a tribal necklace for modesty. That was a bridge too far, thank you very much.

_"What is it that you are doing?" _a voice asked, interrupting her thoughts and startling her.

Amber jumped a bit and looked up, blinking owlishly. Mal'ek was watching her with a faintly amused expression. _"Um, I See you, Mal'ek," _Amber offered haltingly. _"I am just...writing. Why are you not out hunting?" _she asked. Even if she was now almost as tall as the other Na'vi, he was still an incredibly intimidating man. Amber would never forget the first time that they had met, back in the aircraft airlock at Hell's Gate so long ago. He was a giant then, his bow easily longer than her own body.

Mal'ek cocked his head to the side curiously. _"What concern is it of yours?" _he asked.

Great, you've offended him already, Amber thought as she mentally kicked herself. _"Forgive me, I spoke before I thought. I only meant that you usually... Oh, never mind," _she trailed off in a huff.

Mal'ek chuckled and shook his head. _"I am unoffended, Amberferris. You should learn to better speak from your heart, rather than your mind. You may find it easier to say what you want to say."_

Amber froze. _That _was a little nugget of wisdom to tuck away for later, she thought. If only it were so easy.

_"I am not hunting now because I cannot yet shoot," _he explained as he gingerly rolled his shoulder, wincing slightly from the dull pain in the joint. He simultaneously cursed and congratulated Jake in his mind; he had started the sparring match with his friend, after all.

Amber swallowed nervously as she took in the warrior's battered appearance. _"May I ask...what happened?"_

With an easy shrug Mal'ek said bluntly, _"Jakesully and I fought." _At Amber's horrified expression he quickly clarified, _"We were only playing, though."_

Right. If this was play, she would hate to see what real anger might look like. Still, she smiled and agreed, _"Boys will be boys, after all."_

Mal'ek's shameless, crooked grin was his response of silent agreement. _"Why are you not spending time with Normspellman?" _he inquired curiously.

Amber suddenly became guarded, and her ears folded back without her meaning them to. Mal'ek noticed, though he did not comment. _"He is with the singers. It is private business."_

Mal'ek kept smiling, not put off in the slightest by the woman's suddenly frigid tone. _"Then you will be spending time with him when his work with the clan is complete? You should ask him to take you tracking. He is quite good at it, believe it or not. He can even follow the nantang, who are quite difficult to pursue."_

Amber growled, and her tail curled with agitation behind her. Damnit all, her avatar broadcasted all of her emotions just as well as if she were holding up a sign! _"I think what I do with my time and whom I spend it with is my business alone." _Mal'ek's grin only increased, which irked Amber all the more. _"What concern is it of yours?" _she gritted out.

_"Only the concern of one friend for another," _Mal'ek offered.

Before she could stop herself Amber blurted, _"I did not realize we were such close friends."_

At last Mal'ek sobered, and his expression became calculating. Amber suspected the warrior might examine some kind of prey animal in the same way as he debated how best to shoot it. _"Perhaps we are not friends, Amberferris. You are at least an acquaintance, and as a guest of the Omaticaya you are under my care. But Normspellman is a brother of mine, and I am concerned for his wellbeing. I know that he cares for you greatly, and I do not want to see his heart injured." _Mal'ek paused to let this sink in. He felt grim satisfaction, rather than gladness, as he observed Amber's expression crumple. _"And if Normspellman cares for you, then in my own way I care for you as well," _he added softly.

He turned to go, seemingly not bothered at all to leave Amber reeling there by herself. "Wait!" she blurted, forgetting to speak in Na'vi for a moment, just as she also forgot that Mal'ek could speak English. _"Wait," _she repeated. _"Why... What makes you say these things?"_

Mal'ek paused and looked back over his shoulder, and for a moment Amber thought he might just keep on walking. _"You carry yourself like one who is already mated. I know this cannot be, for if this was the truth Normspellman would not insult your honor, or dirty his own, by behaving as he does. This is...curious to me. But as you say, it is not my place to inquire."_

She glanced down at her hand, the fact having slipped her mind that she was in her avatar, and that even in her human body she had not worn her ring for a week. _"I was married... Mated once," _she admitted as she kept her eyes on her hands, namely because she did not think she could admit this fact to Mal'ek's face.

Her ears twitched as she heard the man turn and step closer. _"This was in the past?" _Mal'ek asked softly.

Amber nodded, and she could feel the telltale prickling behind her eyes that indicated she just might start crying. _"He was killed. Many, many years ago."_

Mal'ek frowned in puzzlement as he racked his brain for a tiny, seemingly irrelevant fact that he had heard long ago. Perhaps that fact was relevant now, after all. _"When the Tawtute travel between your world and ours... Are you not asleep? Jakesully has spoken of this. I know that my son did not sleep, but this is not typical."_

Amber's mouth moved but no words came out. _"You...you are correct," _she finally admitted.

Mal'ek smiled faintly again, but this time there was no trace of teasing in his expression. _"Then it has not been many years since the passing of your mate. It has not been long since the passing of my mate, either."_

Amber was positively dumbfounded by the fact that Mal'ek discerned this...and by his own admission, and by the obvious fact that even as different as they are, they shared this common pain. _"Sometimes I forget that you...,"_ she trailed off, not quite sure how to complete the thought. She was unsure of whether or not she should have even spoken in the first place. Maybe it was because he was Na'vi, and she was human. Or maybe it was because he was a man, and she a woman. Whatever the case, Mal'ek seemed to bear his grief with an incredible amount of grace.

To his credit, Mal'ek seemed to intuit exactly what Amber was thinking. _"There is no shame in grieving openly. I do not do so simply because I know my mate would not want me to be so sad on her behalf, and because I know that she is waiting for me even now. Jakesully has told me that the Tawtute killed their Mother, that they have no Eywa." _His normally fierce expression softened as he admitted, _"I pity them for this. I take no joy in killing ignorant Tawtute who have no idea of their own madness. And I am sorry that you cannot have the same conversation with your own mate."_

Amber just about fell over at that; she almost collapsed right there like a marionette whose strings had been cut, and she would have fallen had not Mal'ek stepped forward and supported her with an arm around her waist. Amber tried to voice a complaint, or an assurance that such a move was not necessary, but all that came out was a bitter sob.

Mal'ek had nailed her pain square on.

_"Forgive me," _he murmured. _"Let me know when you can stand," _he said, even as he graciously turned them so that her grief and tears would not be so obvious. _"Let us walk to where it is not so crowded," _he suggested as he carefully led her out of earshot, but not out of sight of the village.

At last Amber regained control of her own emotions. She would probably need a good cry later on her own, but at least she could stand up by herself. "Thank you, I'm fine now," she finally managed as she took a step away from Mal'ek.

The way that she kept her arms around herself, and the set of her ears and tail told Mal'ek that Amberferris was most definitely not fine, but he realized that it was not his place to comfort her as she required. _"I will leave you be, now," _he said in a gentle voice. _"But I do have one final question...," _he stated carefully.

Amber turned back to look at him, her golden eyes shiny with tears. She sniffed and wiped at her nose as she nodded. "Speak...friend," she said.

Mal'ek smiled thinly. "Did you know your muntxatan well?" he asked in thick English, using the Na'vi word for 'husband.'

Amber smiled in fond memory. "Yes, I did," she confirmed. You would have loved it here, would have absolutely loved these people, she thought to herself. "David would have probably sparred with you, you know. He wasn't much of a fighter, but he would have tried anything at least once. God, he would have been perfect here." She shook her head and laughed softly to herself - she could easily imagine having to tend to her husband's bloodied avatar after a friendly tussle, chastising him the entire time for being so reckless.

"It is good that you know him, and that you can smile at his memory," Mal'ek confirmed. "Then you will carry a part of his spirit inside of you always. If you do indeed know him well, you will know what he would desire for you, even now. This is something that no one else, no Na'vi or Tawtute, could ever tell you, Amberferris. Take the time you need to ask him what you need to...and to listen to his response. Your heart will never mislead you." Mal'ek dipped his head in farewell as he said, "Eywa ngahu."

With that the powerful warrior turned and strode silently away. When she was alone Amber groaned and lowered herself to the ground until she could lean wearily back against a convenient tree. She cradled her head in her hands as she focused on the simple task of breathing in and out, and she was glad that Mal'ek had left her at the outskirts of the village. There was a lot she wanted to think about.

* * *

Hoshiro was alone in the avatar gardens at Hell's Gate. He absolutely loathed having to wear an exopack while practicing his katas, but he despised being indoors even more. Humanity was not meant to be contained behind walls and sealed doors for eternity. Technology had its place, just as the natural world did. How shameful it was that man had become so unbalanced, and how ironic that even here on Pandora where the "outside" was so deadly to humans, this truth was not lessened.

Also, the odds of him encountering human company outside in the gardens was greatly reduced. This was his private time, and everyone on the base knew not to disturb him.

In a way it was a pity, for Hoshiro's blade art was just as beautiful as it was deadly. His kenjutsu was just as much a dance and a private meditation as it was a way of practicing how to kill another person.

Firearms were rather impersonal way to handle a conflict, and a poor test of a warrior's skill. There was something distinctly...visceral...about using the strength and skill of one's body and mind to dispatch an opponent. Nothing in the world felt quite like driving a blade through pliant, living flesh and into the somewhat firmer bone within. Yes, Hoshiro thought to himself as he focused on his breathing - it is quite a unique sensation indeed.

Hoshiro did not need an avatar to know that someone was approaching - of course, the extra sensory range and advanced notice would have been appreciated, but even still, Hoshiro was far from ignorant. The person's footsteps were admirably disguised, but Hoshiro was well aware enough of his surroundings to sense the man. It was not a woman - the footsteps were too heavy, the breathing was enabled by lungs that were much too large to be a woman's. Whomever it was, Hoshiro could hear that it was someone who regularly worked outside, for his breaths had the subtle rasp of a person who had been burned a few too many times by Pandora's noxious atmosphere.

With a sigh Hoshiro finished the kata that he had already started before he sheathed his sword in the scabbard at his hip. When he meditated he always preferred keeping his weapon in its traditional place - otherwise, an over-the-shoulder harness was an easier location to keep a sword during normal daily activities.

"Speak," he commanded gruffly to the figure behind him.

Collins flinched. He had not been trying to sneak up on Hoshiro; he had only wanted to respect the man's privacy. He also did not want to risk losing a head or limb by surprising him, either, and he maintained a safe distance as much as a sign of respect as well as from a healthy sense of self-preservation. The pilot cleared his throat to avoid an embarrassing crack in his voice and said, "You might want to come up to the Ops Center. The _Commerce Star _has started squawking again."

Hoshiro still stood with his back to Collins; for a moment he simply rested and savored sun and the warm breeze, and for not the first or last time he wondered if the flowers in the garden smelled good. "Then they have already realized the foolishness of trying to disguise themselves," he stated. That was quick.

Hoshiro's tone made Collins' skin crawl, as he could not tell if he was talking with a man or a machine. "There's more, sir. They sent a vid message. You should probably see it."

At this Hoshiro finally turned, his pure-white traditional dōgi gently billowing in the soft eddies of air. "Show me," he commanded.

Hoshiro did not speak another word as he followed Collins back inside. After a single glance at the pair anyone in the hallway instantly flattened themselves against a wall to allow them passage. Collins' boots clomped noisily on the decking. He probably could not have helped his cocky swagger even if he tried; like most pilots, he had probably been born with the attitude.

In contrast Hoshiro moved like a wraith, his bare feet utterly silent upon the rubberized floor. The pale garments that he wore only reinforced the impression that he was more ghost than man. Collins kept checking unnecessarily behind him to make sure that Hoshiro was still there.

Max was among the limited staffing in the control room, and he gave Hoshiro the barest of double-takes before he repeated what Collins had already stated earlier. "The _Commerce Star _reactivated her transponder. We've got a positive fix on them again, and so far they're following their designated flight path."

"Too bad we can't summon another meteor storm to take her out," Collins complained.

Miles Kennedy, who was standing nearby, scowled at the pilot.

"And the message?" Hoshiro inquired.

Max waved him over to a console, and Hoshiro politely declined the offered chair as he stared intently at the holoscreen where rail-thin man in a ship's uniform began to speak. "I realize it is a little soon for live two-way communications, but I wanted to send you a message as soon as possible to let you know that we have successfully recovered from a minor...technical malfunction. We should be gaining Pandoran orbit on schedule in approximately 87 days."

The man paused and looked up from the camera as he murmured a quick conversation with someone off camera. "I understand that the situation at Hell's Gate has changed dramatically," he said, his attention returning to his audience. "I'm looking forward to conversing with you in person about our supply replenishment. Also, RDA Central had instructed me to thaw out some of our higher ranking passengers. Colonel Barnes will no doubt be eager to discuss what steps need to be taken to restore positive relations between the RDA and the Na'vi, and on behalf of our employer I extend the sincerest of apologies to those affected by the unfortunate events of the recent past."

Max remained silent, but out of the corner of his eye Hoshiro observed the scientist's fist clench tight, his knuckles whitening.

"We will call in person as soon as distances allow it. See you shortly, Hell's Gate. Captain Silva, ISV _Commerce Star _out." The captain leaned forward and switched off the camera on his end, terminating the transmission.

There was a moment of silence wherein not a single word was spoken. "Bullshit," Max suddenly exclaimed.

One of Hoshiro's eyebrows rose fractionally. "You no doubt speak the truth, Dr. Patel. Thank you for not being vague," he commented dryly. He turned and spoke to Miles, who had watched the transmission from a short distance away, and asked, "What kind of technical difficulties could disable a starship's transponder?"

Miles snorted. "Pretty much nothing short of said meteor strike - that's what happened to us, after all. Trust me, the RDA is fanatical about knowing where their ships are." The cost of one of the interstellar vessels could easily eclipse the GDP of a decent-sized country, and their inbound cargo of unobtanium was of course eagerly awaited back on Earth, to phrase it lightly. Na'vi rebellion or not, the fact that his own ship, the _Enterprise Star, _had been destroyed would only shorten the timeframe for the RDA to feel its pinched unobtanium supplies. "They turned the transponder off on their own. All of the vital systems are triply redundant."

"But they turned it back on...," Max said slowly, frowning in thought.

Hoshiro smiled thinly. "That is because someone up there is as clever as you are, Dr. Patel, albeit a day late and a dollar short, so to speak. They realized that turning off the transponder only indicated their less than honorable intentions."

"And now this move tells us something else about them...," Max said to no one in particular, his eyes unfocusing for a moment.

Hoshiro gave Max an inscrutable look. "Yes, Dr. Patel, it does: It tell us that someone in a position of authority aboard the _Commerce Star _is nobody's fool."

After a moment of silence, Miles asked, "So is this a good thing, or a bad thing for us?"

"It could swing either way," Hoshiro responded with a frown. In all honesty, he did not interpret this as an encouraging sign for them. No, not at all.

* * *

In the not too distant past, for of course the _Commerce Star's _message could not have been instantaneously transmitted to Hell's Gate, Captain Silva leaned back from the communications console and rubbed his tired eyes. "Satisfied?" he asked in a dark tone of voice.

The man who leaned against the bulkhead, out of sight from the camera, was dressed in standard Sec-Ops fatigues. His smooth, regal features and vaguely olive-toned complexion hinted at a Mediterranean heritage, and it made it difficult to guess his age. Nearly five years in cryo had done little to change him - he had emerged looking just as chipper as he had going in. He was supremely irritating, in any event. The man shrugged and replied, "Yeah, I am, but you don't have to impress me."

Silva grunted and rolled his eyes before he turned and shot a withering stare at his Second. "Mr. Hall, if you ever do something like that again on _my _ship without _my_ consent, I may just shove you out the nearest airlock. Are we clear?"

Tyler Hall stiffened, and the other crew members present studiously ignored the conflict. "Yes, sir. Crystal clear, sir," he replied woodenly as his faced reddened.

"Perfect," Silva responded acidly. "Hall, you have the conn."

Hall blinked in surprise even as he responded almost robotically, "I have the conn, sir."

Silva turned his frigid gaze upon the Security Operations trooper. "Mr. Link, kindly remove your ass from my bridge. Now." Anthony Silva _despised_ having someone staring over his shoulder. It was why he enjoyed being an ISV captain, after all, for who could possibly look over your shoulder way the hell out here?

He was not offended in the slightest by Captain Silva's bluster, and Major Elias Link's face split into a broad grin, revealing white, perfectly straight teeth. "Aye-aye, Captain," he replied smoothly, his dark eyes flashing with irreverent amusement before he turned and strode confidently out of the command room, not appearing cowed in the slightest.

Silva completed a cursory tour around the bridge, discreetly observing the various holographic monitors and instruments that indicated his ship's vital functions. Everything looked normal. The captain turned to his executive officer and asked, "I trust things will remain calm in my absence?"

Hall's throat worked as he swallowed before he responded, "Yes, sir."

Silva leaned in close and whispered into Hall's ear. "Don't overextend yourself. We don't have to impress anyone, 'cause this ain't our shit storm. All we have to do is drive the truck there, unload, reload, and drive back home. That's it. Keep it simple, okay? There's enough tension on this ship with the mercs awake and running around. Please, Tyler, do not add to it."

The man relaxed imperceptibly and nodded in response. "Yes, sir," he said again, but this time in a slightly softer tone.

"Good," Silva replied before he too left the command deck.

The strange mechanics and twists of perspective that came from moving around the various sections of an ISV no longer bothered the captain. He "ascended" the steep stairs as he moved from the tip of Arm 1 up to where it joined with the _Commerce Star's _central shaft. Because of their constant deceleration all of the ship was experiencing gravity, and a few safety nets had been erected in what had been formerly a gravity-free zone. After walking through the Command Arm's connecting hub, Silva continued climbing until he had reached the cryovaults. Beyond the banks of frozen human cargo was perhaps the largest room aboard the ship, and it was here that the amino tanks containing the precious avatars were stored.

Even if it was the largest room, it certainly did not feel like it. Right now it was quite crowded, as it contained no less than seven growth tanks.

When they had left Earth, each avatar had been almost ridiculously tiny. It seemed absurd that the huge containers, each a dozen feet long and holding over 1,600 gallons of amniotic fluid, was being used to house a single organism that was hardly larger than a baby mouse.

Now each of the avatars was fully grown, their massive size easily justifying the huge tanks. Excess amniotic fluid, what had not been absorbed by the bodies themselves, had to be periodically bled off and vented overboard to make room for the tank's growing occupants. Silva felt like he had stepped into some sort of strange aquarium; each of the containers glowed faintly blue with ultraviolet light, which illuminated their already blue contents. Though it was not necessary while under the influence of gravity, each avatar wore a face mask that was akin to a scuba diver's in order to prevent the creatures from inadvertently breathing in a gas bubble as they grew up in a weightless environment.

The object of Silva's search was kneeling on the floor and staring raptly at the admittedly beautiful face of a female avatar, which was one of two women out of the group of seven. It had been a rather odd experience, watching the Na'vi counterparts of seven of his passengers grow up right before his very eyes over the past years, progressing from embryo, to infant, to child, to teen, to young adult. A month ago the specific genetics from their drivers had been introduced, and the avatars' faces and features had grown quickly to resemble their owners.

He hated this, he really did. For as long as history kept records no captain had ever liked not feeling in control aboard his own vessel. "It's done, ma'am. I personally reactivated the transponder, as well as sent a message of explanation to Hell's Gate."

"Did they buy it, Captain?" the woman asked after a moment of silence that had stretched out for so long that Silva began to wonder if he had been heard.

Captain Silva sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. Amazingly, he sensed no condescension in the woman's tone; it sounded like she actually respected him, and for the life of him Silva could not figure out if she was sincere or not. Not like that bastard Link, Silva thought to himself. He _knew_ Link did not like him, and the feeling was decidedly mutual. "I do not know. We aren't in range for live two-way just yet."

"She's beautiful, isn't she," the woman breathed out reverently.

Silva's eyes automatically settled on the avatar. As though sensing a man was observing it the muscles in the arms twitched, and the graceful looking limbs settled over the creature's chest as though it were being modest. Its tail randomly spasmed and curled, the tufted end brushing up against the glass.

As a blush began to spread over his cheeks Silva cleared his throat and glanced over the room's six other occupants. "They are quite impressive," he replied. Then he scowled. The avatar to his left looked frustratingly like Major Link.

The woman chuckled and ran her hand along the glass, looking for all the world like a little girl staring entranced at a fish tank. "At first I thought this was a colossal waste of money. But staring at her now... Now I can't wait to get on the ground and try her out." It was hard to grow attached to an embryo. But when it was your own face on a Na'vi-like body...that changes things. It changes things a lot. "While I appreciate Mr. Hall's efforts, I trust that you will keep a closer eye on the men under your command, Captain."

Her voice suddenly turned icy, and the temperature in the room lowered several degrees. Silva found himself standing a little straighter. "Of course," he gritted out.

The woman stood and turned. Her black hair was shorn short; it appeared that it had been cut without any regard to appearances. If she ever allowed it to grow back out long she would no doubt be quite attractive. Her eyes were the iciest blue that Silva had ever seen, the color accurately coinciding with her cold tone and complementing the delicate porcelain appearance of her smooth skin. Then she smiled, and Silva thought she looked like the most amicable person he had ever met.

"Please don't misunderstand me, Captain. I have no desire to interfere with the running of your ship. Though technically the RDA _has_ placed you under my command given our unique circumstances, you're the expert here and I trust you to keep things running smoothly. I appreciate everything you've done for us thus far. But make no mistake - I will not tolerate anyone interfering with my soon-to-be operations on the ground," she said. "The tactical decisions are mine alone."

"Of course, Colonel Barnes," Silva repeated. He was unused to being complimented and chewed out at the same time. It was a rather unique experience.

"Mr. Hall may have meant well, but ultimately his decision to deactivate our transponder was only a foolish act intended to make him look smarter than he really is." Colonel Samantha Barnes' face twisted into an uncomfortable smirk, an expression that seemed to be at odds with her natural beauty. "While I'm not opposed to playing dirty, I find it rather tactless to begin that way, especially when I know so little about what is going on at Hell's Gate."

Her logic was disturbingly accurate, Silva thought. "I explained that we had a mechanical fault that has been since corrected. We should be in the clear."

Barnes nodded. "Thank you, Captain. Your efforts to remedy the mistake is greatly appreciated, as is your direct report to me."

There it was again, that subtle overtone of authority that let him know exactly who was in charge. "You're welcome, ma'am," Silva managed to reply, smoothly hiding the disgust he felt inside. "Now if I may, there are matters back up in Control that I would like to attend to."

"Of course," Samantha Barnes replied. Just as Silva was about to exit through the hatchway she called out to him, drawing him up short. "Oh, and Captain?"

Silva turned back, a puzzled expression on his face.

Colonel Barnes smiled thinly and inquired, "Forgive me, but I know very little about running an ISV. It's my understanding that we use the main engines for the deceleration phase of our journey, yes?"

"That is correct," Silva replied, frowning slightly in confusion.

"Hmmm," Barnes mused. "As he apparently did not think far enough ahead, please inform Mr. Hall for me that our exhaust plume is the brightest thing in Pandora's sky, outside of Alpha Centauri itself, of course. Anyone with a child's telescope could spot us. Please inform him that any other actions outside of your Standard Operating Procedure need to be cleared by you or me, first. I am ill inclined to accept mutiny. I hope that is understandable enough."

Captain Silva swallowed nervously. "Yes, ma'am," he replied as quickly as he could while still maintaining a shred of dignity. "Bitch," he muttered under his breath after exiting and dogging the hatch behind him.

* * *

For the next several days Kyle heard no more about anything resembling weapons training, and in truth he nearly forgot all about it. His time was spent hunting during the day, usually with Tsaro. Some of the Omaticaya's mated pairs operated in the same "profession," but this was not the case with Kyle and Tanhi. Thus their greetings for one another were often quite long and drawn out when they reunited at the end of a long day.

Today, though, Tanhi was not there to meet him when he returned from the hunt. _"Your mate is probably still working in the healers' alcove," _Sänume kindly provided. She was lucky enough to be taking a break from her normal duties as a singer and was now helping her own mate in the leather shop. _"Tanhi has had a strenuous day."_

"Irayo," Kyle said before he jogged off towards the nearest spiral.

One of the stoneworkers was just exiting the healers' space, one of his hands wrapped in a fresh bandage. Kyle's ears perked forward, but he did not hear anything else going on inside. Tanhi hated it when he interrupted her work, so he knocked and softly called her name before he entered.

Tanhi was just washing her hands in a bowl of fresh water, and she smiled wearily up at her mate. _"Please do not tell me that you are injured too, Yawne," _she began. _"I swear to Eywa, half the Omaticaya have hurt themselves in one way or another this day." _She smiled with faint amusement and added, _"You should ask Tsaro how he managed to get his tail pinched by a fwäki. At least his particular injury brought me great amusement."_

Kyle sniggered at the thought of one of the mantis-like insects nabbing Tsaro's tail. That would definitely be a story worth investigating, but he quickly sobered and assumed a rather pathetic expression. _"As a matter of fact, Tanhi, I am injured. I hurt here, here, and mostly here," _he said, pointing to various parts of his body, the final one being his lips. _"Can you kiss it and make it better?" _he asked, his ears drooping pitiably.

For a split second Tanhi had actually thought that Kyle had managed to somehow hurt himself, but she quickly caught on to his ruse. _"I will not waste my time on a skxawng like you. Go and take care of yourself!" _she groused as she stood. A look of genuine discomfort crossed her face, and her hands settled on her stooped spine. _"By Eywa, I am stiff! Kyle, if you help me with my back I may decide to kiss your 'hurts' and make them better." _

Kyle grinned as Tanhi turned her back to him and crossed her arms over her chest. _"How do I do this?" _he asked as he stepped up behind her. _"Should I hold you like so?"_ He slid his hands up beneath Tanhi's necklace, shamelessly palming his mate's firm yet supple breasts. God, she was perfect.

Tanhi squeaked and promptly elbowed him hard in the stomach, and Kyle laughed soundlessly behind her as he struggled to pull in a breath. _"Stop that!" _she ordered as she quickly looked around to make sure that they were still alone._ "I will not mate with you tonight if you behave like this!"_

Once he had recovered Kyle purred and lightly nipped her ear, his shoulders still quaking with amusement. _"You are bluffing," _he challenged as he lovingly rubbed her taut stomach; he smiled as he felt Tanhi's tail loop around his leg, the tuft at the end tickling the skin behind his knee.

Tanhi growled in frustration. _"Maybe," _she admitted. _"But I do not think I will find the experience so enjoyable if my back is cricked over like an old woman's."_

_ "That would be a terrible thing," _Kyle agreed with a chuckle as he wrapped his arms around Tanhi's chest over her own crossed arms. _"Breathe in," _he told her. She did so, inhaling until she could inhale no more. _"Now breathe out," _he commanded after a moment.

As Tanhi was exhaling Kyle leaned back and lifted her feet off of the ground, causing several audible pops to sound out as her spine was stretched. Her tail spasmed slightly as Tanhi groaned in profound relief once she was back on the ground, and she turned around in his arms and rested her hands against his chest. _"Irayo, my Kyle,"_ she murmured as her fingers softly rubbed the base of his throat.

_"Well, I was properly motivated, after all,"_ he said with a crooked grin.

Tanhi huffed and rolled her eyes as she smacked his shoulder. It seemed like the perfect end to a long, hard day, but there was still at least a little more drama scheduled to unfold.

The two lovers were holding hands as they walked through Kelutral's cathedral-like sanctuary when both of their ears pricked at the sound of an approaching commotion. Several children ran in, yelling and screaming, their faces the picture of perfect terror. Kyle and Tanhi, being the closest adults, were quickly surrounded.

Kel'rey was trying to talk but could not find the necessary breath, and several other Omaticaya were looking on with concern. Tanhi crouched down and gripped his shoulders. _"Take a deep breath, 'eveng, and tell me what is wrong," _she said patiently as Kyle frowned above them.

Kel'rey inhaled a great lungful of air before blurting, _"Lrrtok was swallowed by a Syeptute!"_

"Shit!" Kyle exclaimed. A carnivorous Hyneman plant was no laughing matter, and it commonly preyed on small animals. Even a Na'vi could be trapped inside its pitcher-shaped tube, and younglings were well schooled in the dangers of the organism. "Where?" he demanded.

_"Back there, by the grove of -"_ Kel'rey rattled off as he jabbed frantically down the path, but he stopped talking as Kyle sprinted away.

"Get help!" he commanded over his shoulder just before he disappeared out of sight.

"Wiya," Tanhi swore as she stood. _"Get your parents, and any other adults! Bring pitchers of water! Lots of water!" _Then she too dashed down the path after her mate. Damnit, Kyle! Do you know what you are rushing into? Already she could hear several of the Omaticaya scrambling to do as she commanded.

Kyle ran for all he was worth, twisting and dodging down the path as he fought to maintain his footing. Several times he almost knocked himself unconscious on a low-hanging branch, but he always managed to duck at the very last moment. After what seemed like forever, but was probably only three or four minutes, he ran into a forest clearing. Along one side was a grouping of Mìnyu plants. The plant was often used as source of amusement, and even fitness training, for they possessed the unique ability to respond to nearby organisms by twisting their stalks and slinging their broad, paddle-shaped leaves in a wide, defensive arc. Whacking a potential predator in the head generally deterred animals from eating the plants.

The first time Kel'rey had introduced Kyle to the plant was a fantastic story to tell. The mischievous child had purposely failed to inform Kyle of the plant's unusual capabilities, and when he had gotten close enough the plant had activated and promptly slapped Kyle across the face. Kel'rey had fallen to the ground, clutching his stomach with laughter as Kyle yipped in surprise and jumped back with a shocked look on his face. Once forewarned, it became a fantastic game to purposely provoke the Mìnyu and dodge away before getting struck.

Kyle could see what had happened. The kids had probably been playing with the Mìnyu, and apparently Lrrtok had been too slow for whatever reason, or perhaps she had been caught unawares. He could easily see how an unexpected blow from the furthest Mìnyu could send a small child tumbling into the waiting cavern of a nearby Syeptute.

"Lrrtok!" he shouted.

A terrified, muffled yell answered him, and one of the bulging chambers began to wiggle and shake suspiciously.

"Damnit," Kyle muttered as he slid to his knees at the sealed opening of the plant's digestive chamber. He grasped the fibrous lid and tried to pry it open, but even his own considerable strength failed to budge the stubborn flap, if only because his fingers kept losing purchase on the smooth lid. A Syeptute was quite strong as well and easily capable of trapping an unwary hexapede or nantang.

Kyle knew time was rapidly running out for Kel'rey's sister. "Lrrtok, hold on!" he shouted as he reached behind him and unsheathed his avatar knife from its place at the small of his back. He could vaguely make out the girl's weakly struggling form inside the infernal plant, and he desperately plucked at the tough hide with his left hand, trying to gather enough of it up so that he would not inadvertently cut Lrrtok.

He could hear people arriving behind him as he stabbed into the plant and sliced it open. Kyle was glad he had enough sense to keep his mouth shut as a foul smell and a gush of incredibly sticky, stinky fluid splattered out all over him, and without a second thought he tossed away his knife and reached inside the massive bulb all the way up to his shoulders to haul out Lrrtok's limp form.

"Come on, come on!" he pleaded as he rubbed and scraped away the sticky mucus from Lrrtok's face, desperately trying to clear her airway. Already he could feel his arms and anywhere that the plant's fluid had touched his skin begin to warm and tingle ominously. A Syeptute could eat hexapede and nantang after all, so of course the necrotizing bacteria that inhabited the plant's sticky sap would be fast acting.

He heard Tanhi shout, "Kyle!" just as someone wrapped their arms around him and yanked him backwards. Before he could protest a full jar of water was emptied over his head, soaking him completely as Tanhi began to frantically scrub at his skin with a sponge. Kyle watched anxiously as Sänume and Neytiri repeated the move on Lrrtok, dousing the girl with several containers of water as they began to scrub at her face.

Another container of water was emptied over Kyle by someone, and several more were poured out over Lrrtok as well. Neytiri, Sänume, and now Va'ru worked frantically to help clean the young girl's skin, and at long last they heard her gasp and cough and begin to wail. Tanhi sighed in relief, even as she kept scouring her mate's own skin raw in an effort to remove the flesh-eating sap. It was a very good thing that the child had enough energy and fortitude to scream in protest.

_"Do you need more water?" _a worried voice asked overhead, and Kyle finally looked up to see who was standing over him. He was surprised to see Rai'uk watching the ongoing drama with an anxious expression.

Tanhi shook her head as she smiled in relief at Kyle. _"No, brother, all are safe now. Thank you, though. Thank you very much."_

Rai'uk looked down and smiled darkly at Kyle. _"Pity. I was hoping to soak the uniltìranyu again."_

Kyle scowled, but any response was cut off as Tanhi threw her arms around him in a quick hug. _"He is uniltìranyu no longer. He is Na'vi, he is Omaticaya. He is very brave and foolhardy, and he is my mate and I love him very much!" _Tanhi finished with a quick kiss on Kyle's forehead.

Kyle blinked in surprise, and any retort directed towards Rai'uk left him upon hearing Tanhi's tirade of praise. Rai'uk snickered softly and nodded in agreement. _"You are of course correct, Tanhi." _Much to Kyle's surprise Rai'uk's eyes twinkled with something that was closer to amusement rather than disdain as he said, _"Now that all are well I will take my leave, then. Besides, your displays of affection for your mate are making me sick."_

Rai'uk motioned his goodbye, and Kyle nodded respectfully in return. Rai'uk had never exactly been kind to Kyle, but it appeared the stubborn bastard had a heart after all. "Will Lrrtok be okay?" Kyle asked with concern as he watched over Tanhi's shoulder as the child's parents comforted and fussed over her.

Tanhi turned to look as well and nodded. "Yes, she will be. Her skin may be discolored for a while, but she will heal in time. It is good that you rescued her so swiftly."

Kyle grimaced. "Death by plant would not be the way I'd want to go," he murmured.

Tanhi frowned at him. "I would rather not think about death by any means," she told him sourly.

Kyle chuckled softly and nodded his head. "Yeah, I can agree with that. I can definitely agree with that."

Va'ru was crouched protectively over his daughter, as he glanced up and gave Kyle a look of the profound relief and gratitude. "Irayo," he mouthed, and Kyle nodded in response.

"This is too much excitement for one day," Tanhi complained from her position with Kyle's arms still wrapped around her.

* * *

Later that evening Jake came up to Kyle and gave him a rather amused look. "Interesting day?" he asked dryly. He had been hunting with Mal'ek, who could still track quite effectively even if he could not yet shoot a bow, and had only found out what had happened, or nearly happened, when he had returned.

Kyle snorted and nodded. "You could say it like that," he agreed. "If only we could be so lucky as to live a boring life."

Jake rolled his eyes, for he often thought that as well. "You didn't get burned too bad, did you?" Jake asked him.

Kyle shook his head, even as he shivered subconsciously at the memory of that horrible sap on his skin - anyone handling that stuff should really be wearing a hazmat suit. "No, I'm alright. They washed all that shit off before it could do any damage. I feel really bad for Lrrtok, though. She was covered in it!"

Jake had already visited with Lrrtok and her family. It was true, the girl's cyan skin was markedly lighter than a normal Na'vi's, and her hair was more of a dark brown than the typical black. All of the healers had reassured her that she would be back to normal before she knew it. "She'll pull through just fine," Jake reassured him. He gave the man a shrewd look and asked, "Do you always rush head first into danger like that?"

With a self-conscious shrug Kyle said, "I guess it depends on who you ask. I've been known to leap before I look." Kyle frowned and wondered, "Do we need to weed out that clearing? I guess I'm surprised that such a dangerous thing would be so close to Hometree."

Jake smiled faintly as he said, "But are those Syeptute really that close? That grove was well beyond the tended area around Kelutral. It is not the plants' fault that the younglings were playing near them. They had disobeyed their parents' direct instruction in straying that near to a known danger. Even something as dangerous as a Syeptute plant has its place. Who are we to make the choice of whether or not it lives or dies?" He laughed softly as Kyle blinked and frowned as he pondered Jake's words. Changing the subject, Jake inquired, "Hey, I was meaning to ask you: Would you be able to fly a Samson now?" This had been the main reason that he had sought out the former human. "If you don't think you can we can probably get Collins to help," Jake quickly added.

Kyle froze, his ears swiveling curiously. "No, it's okay... I think I could do that now without any problems," he answered. "Why would I need to?" he asked with a curious frown.

"Tomorrow will be the day," Jake informed him, almost wearily. "Hoshiro has the necessary equipment ready for us. I was wondering if you could fly the rifles and ammunition in from Hell's Gate."

Kyle's tail actually twitched with excitement at the thought of getting to pilot a helicopter. "Sure thing, Jake," he said with a small but growing smile. "Txopuluke and I will fly to Hell's Gate first thing in the morning." This might actually be fun, he thought to himself. At least, that's what he firmly repeated to himself in his mind, because all of a sudden he felt like this plan might not be the best idea... What if he had another panic attack?

Later on, Tanhi thought it strange that her mate had retired to their nivi early that evening. At long last she herself was finally ready for sleep, even if it was well after nightfall and more than a little later than she had wished. Someone else had hurt themselves (again) and her services as a healer were required once more.

Kyle was resting on his back in the hammock, his tail tip idly flicking back and forth around his ankles as he examined his hands, when Tanhi smoothly dropped in beside him. _"Does your skin still hurt?" _she asked in concern as she took notice of the way that Kyle kept rubbing and flexing his fingers. Syeptute sap was nasty stuff.

"Hmmm? Oh, no, I'm fine," he replied absently.

Tanhi sighed in contentment as she snuggled close to Kyle; she turned on her side and threw her left arm over his muscled stomach. _"Then...why are you staring at your hands like you have had too much liquor to drink?" _she inquired playfully before placing a kiss on his shoulder.

"I have five fingers, Tanhi," Kyle informed her in a solemn voice.

They switched fluidly between Na'vi and English, and at first Tanhi did not think anything of her mate speaking his birth language. But now she was not so sure. "Yes...you do. What of it, Yawne?"

Kyle turned his head to face her, and Tanhi was mildly surprised to realize that she could not read the expression in his amber eyes. "When I dream, sometimes... Alright, most of the time, I'm still human," he admitted in a whisper, as though he were revealing a grave and shameful secret.

Tanhi reached over with her left hand and grasped one of Kyle's, purposely interrupting his fiddling. "If you only had four fingers, we would not fit so perfectly together," she reasoned as she interlaced her four fingers with his five.

Kyle sighed and closed his eyes in a long, slow blink. "Do you think I'm reckless?" he asked her.

Tanhi frowned as she struggled to understand the true meaning behind his inquiry. Before she could ask for some clarification, Kyle continued speaking on his own. "With what happened earlier today...with the palulukan before... Sometimes I wonder why I act the way I do, why I just dive headfirst into danger. Sometimes I feel guilty for even being here at all. Maybe I still think I need to prove something, either to myself or everyone else. I shouldn't have this body, this life, you - mumph!"

Tanhi interrupted him with a firm kiss on the lips. "Kyle. Shut up," she ordered as she drew back. "You are brave, and brave only. Do not fret over the gift of your continued existence. Life is never fair, Yawne. And I, for one, am glad that it is not - for it is not fair that I should have had my first love taken from me. Nor is it fair that I should now get to be mated to a man as wonderful as you are, and I would not trade you for the world. If you are so eager to rush to the defense of others, how much more quickly will you come to my aid, or the aid of our child when it is time?"

The tanhi on Kyle's face and neck flared bright for a moment with his emotion, and for a short while he did not say anything. He turned his head away and sighed, "I need to fly to Hell's Gate tomorrow. The guns, the fighting...whatever," Kyle waved his free hand around dismissively as he softly rubbed the thumb of his other hand over Tanhi's knuckles. "Jake asked me to bring in the supplies with a Samson. Tanhi, part of me wants to fly one of those machines again, and part of me hates the thought of it. Why?"

"Are you...afraid of flying?" Tanhi asked carefully. Kyle had been very open with her when they had bonded in tsaheylu, and she had seen the wreckage of such fear in his mind; but to the best of her knowledge and his, thanks to his ikran this was a nonissue.

"No!" Kyle quickly assured her with a firm shake of his head. "No, Lord knows how much I enjoy flying again, and being with Txopuluke. It's more the thought of doing something so overtly...human...that has my mind in a mess."

Acting on an impulse, Tanhi drew back momentarily and removed her necklaces; she stretched up to wedge the garment in the crook of their nivi where it connected to one of Kelutral's branches. Kyle was not human any more, and while she did not begrudge his original form in the slightest she fully intended to remind him of exactly who he was now. When she looked back at her mate again his expression had changed to one of undisguised admiration.

"You're beautiful," he murmured haltingly in a suddenly thick voice.

His mate smiled, the tanhi on her own face and neck brightening in the darkness for a moment with pleasure at his compliment. "You tell me this all the time, Yawne. I will never forget how beautiful I am with you around," she giggled softly.

Kyle blushed and looked away. "I...well...you are," he managed in a bit of an embarrassed huff, and Tanhi laughed quietly again before kissing his cheek.

Tanhi smiled as she pressed herself flush against his side and breathed in deeply, savoring his smell. She began to idly trace the muscles of his chest, and despite himself Kyle growled softly. _"I want to help you remember again that you are one of the People now, and my mate. This is a good thing, my Kyle," _she said, the words of her native tongue flowing across her lips like sweet nectar.

"What...here? Now?" Kyle squeaked softly as he turned back to face her with wide eyes, his voice cracking like a youngster's. With a small internal chuckle Kyle realized he really must be out of it for him to respond like that.

Tanhi smoothly slid over top of him without making their nivi sway, straddling his waist as she kissed him on the lips, her tongue dominating his. As she reached around to find the end of her queue she broke away and informed him in a breathless whisper, "Couples mate often here in Kelutral. Do you not know this?"

She ground her pelvis against her mate's, and through both of their loincloths she could feel that her seductive skills were working quite well. Kyle frowned and muttered, "No, I didn't know that." His ears swiveled a bit as he checked their surroundings, but no...unusual noises came to his attention. There was only the quiet murmuring of the warm breeze outside and the gentle sound of distant voices far below. He fished around for his own queue, offering the end of it up between them.

They both hissed softly as they bonded in tsaheylu. Tanhi had gotten quite good at timing her breaths with Kyle's, even before they linked, in order to ease the synchronization of their bodies. Whoa, Tanhi thought as her mind mixed with his; her actions were _really _having a positive effect on her mate!

_Well what the hell did you expect? _Kyle thought back as he smirked up at her, his golden eyes shining in the darkness with growing amusement.

_You will just have to be quiet, _Tanhi informed him with a wry grin as she reached back and began to undo the fastenings of her loincloth, the action causing her body to arch invitingly. She smiled when her mate reached up to gently rub his calloused hands along her bare stomach.

Kyle's eyes flashed, and he growled aloud again as he responded, _The way I remember it, it is _you_ who are the vocal one. Especially when I -_

_ Stop it! _she interrupted, even as she flushed. She did not need Kyle to complete his thought for her to know exactly what he meant. _I want you to enjoy this. This is my gift to you._

Tanhi could discern a riot of emotions in her mate: Love, arousal, trepidation due to their location, and still an underlying feeling of angst from his earlier thoughts and feelings. She sent him soothing, loving emotions through their bond and felt quite pleased when he sighed and finally relaxed beneath her. Once Tanhi successfully freed herself from her loincloth she went to work on Kyle's.

It was indeed possible to make love...discreetly. Though their motions were less frantic, they were certainly not lacking in passion, and any small gasps and mewls of pleasure from either of them were swiftly silenced by the lips of the other. That night Tanhi reassured Kyle that all was right in their world in every way possible.

* * *

Kyle woke up extra early the next morning - for a reason that even he could not identify, he did not want to draw undue attention to his departure. Before he extracted himself from their hammock he lovingly kissed Tanhi on the forehead; he could not help but smile when she took a half-hearted swing at him and grumbled sleepily. She clearly did not appreciate having her sleep disturbed.

His stomach rumbled in irritation at not having been yet fed, but Kyle promised to treat himself to some fruit from the gardens back at the base. It did not take long to fasten on his weapons harness and secure his knife behind his back - these tasks complete, he made his way silently through Hometree, heading up for the ikran roosts.

Txopuluke responded instantly to Kyle's chirping calls, diving down through the leaves and branches to land before him, and Kyle wondered briefly if his ikran had even been asleep. There had never been a time when Txopuluke felt sluggish or half-awake. "Hey, big guy. Long time no see," Kyle whispered as they bonded in tsaheylu. He could not help but shudder slightly as the ikran's powerful consciousness merged with his own.

_How kind of you to grace me with your presence this morning, _the ikran greeted acerbically. _But if the scent of that female upon you is any indication, it would seem that your time away from me has been well spent._

Kyle smiled and rolled his eyes. _Well, she is prettier than you are, after all, _Kyle said, and he laughed at Txopuluke's mental "harumph."

Txopuluke warned him of another's presence at the same time Tsaro spoke from behind him, _"You sneak about as though you should not be doing what you are doing."_

Kyle turned to face his friend, his eyebrows climbing in surprise. _"I...wanted to leave early. Are you going out to hunt already?"_

Tirea'ong landed beside her hunter a scant few seconds after Tsaro called for her. _"No," _he said bluntly as he bonded with his ikran. _"I know that you are traveling to the Sky People's home to retrieve their weapons for us as the Olo'eyktan has asked you. I am going with you."_

Before he could stop himself Kyle glanced around warily. _"Does your sempul know that you intend to -"_

Tsaro hissed darkly, and Tirea'ong flexed her jaws in sympathetic irritation as well. _"I am not some 'evengantsyìp who is still bound to his parents' will!" _he all but snarled as his ears flattened back.

Kyle took a step away from Tsaro's tone as he sent reassuring feelings to Txopuluke, who was now growling menacingly. Tirea'ong, of course, did not appreciate having her hunter threatened, and to her credit she did not cower before the much larger ikran at all. It was only the work of a few seconds for Kyle and Tsaro to talk their mounts down from defending their riders' honor, and it was a convenient distraction indeed.

_"I do not seek to offend," _Kyle said softly as he stroked Txopuluke's jaw crest.

Tsaro sighed and hunched over like a much older man. _"Of course, brother. Forgive my anger, it is not right to direct it at you. For the last hand of days it has not been...pleasant...to spend time with my own sempul. He does not agree with my choice."_

_ "No apology needs to be made. I understand. It is not my place to pry," _Kyle replied graciously. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, breathing in deeply the fresh morning air. He smiled slightly and said, _"The sky is calling, yes? I would rather wish to leave this unpleasantness behind." _

Txopuluke heartily agreed.

Tsaro smiled in agreement as well as he hoisted himself up onto Tirea'ong's saddle. _"Let us not speak of unpleasant things any longer, not on such a fine day. Race you!" _And with a passionate cry Tirea'ong dove off of the branch, leaving Kyle to scramble onto Txopuluke's back alone.

"Jerk," he muttered under his breath, even as he smiled. Once Txopuluke sensed that Kyle's grip on his queue harness was firm the big ikran lunged off of the branch, all four of his wings beating strongly in pursuit of his rider's friend.

Tsaro proved difficult to catch. Txopuluke's great size simply meant he had more mass to power through the air, and Tirea'ong was truly a swift and nimble flyer. If anything, their aerial antics served to make the trip to the human base seem shorter than it really was.

Kyle felt a strange roiling of emotions within him as Hell's Gate slid over the horizon. Perhaps this was a good thing, for it served to contrast just how comfortable a home Kelutral had become to him. Coming back to Hell's Gate was not like coming back home at all. Sure, it was an okay place to visit, but he would never want to live there. Though of course Norm and the rest of his friends had never meant it this way, Kyle almost felt like a naughty family dog that needed to be banished out to the yard every evening. Despite his best efforts he had never really fit in; what was human was no longer comforting to him, and that fact felt distinctly strange to one who was formerly human.

Kyle had to explain of all this to Txopuluke, who was quite good at reading his rider's emotions and had quickly sensed the darkening of his thoughts. The ikran was less than pleased when he found out that Kyle would not be flying with him on the way home - there was no fondness lost between Txopuluke and human helicopters.

_It is a necessary thing, _Kyle reassured him. _If it makes you feel any better, I don't think I'm too excited about this, either. Are you saying that you hate me for what I used to be?_

Having it phrased this way mollified some of Txopuluke's feelings on the matter. _I still do not like it, _the ikran muttered.

Kyle laughed and replied, _This I never doubted. _As they landed near the avatar cabin Kyle informed Txopuluke, _I do not know how long we will be here on the ground. You should hunt for yourself, if that would make you feel better. We will be the only kunsìp flying back to Kelutral today. I do not think we will be staying here long... _Snatch and grab mission: Land, grab the chopper with the supplies, scoot back home ASAP.

Just before they disconnected queues Kyle was surprised to have Txopuluke inform him, _Fly well, fly safe. _Then their minds separated, and with a keening cry Txopuluke took back to the sky, Tirea'ong close behind, no doubt ready to terrorize the local herbivore population.

_"Where do we need to go?" _Tsaro asked as he looked around him warily and he subconsciously rubbed at the knife sheathed to his chest. Hell's Gate was quiet this morning, but it was no comfort to Tsaro.

Kyle walked over to some fruiting bushes and helped himself to a light breakfast. "Jittery much?" he inquired with a smile as he wiped some juice from his chin. The English slipped out without him meaning it to.

Before Tsaro could respond a man called out to them from the direction of the basketball courts. Kyle's ears perked forward, and he chuckled as he recognized Collins. "Over here!" he called as he and Tsaro padded across the grass.

Collins' steps noticeably faltered as he caught sight of Kyle. "Jeesh, you look like one of them now," he breathed, his eyes widening in surprise. If he had not recognized Kyle's face he would have thought the man was a born Na'vi. Even the way he walked and moved was Na'vi now, not human.

Kyle's head tilted quizzically to the side as one corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smirk. "But I am 'one of them' now," he responded easily. It felt so good to say that. "Tsaro, this is my friend Thom Collins, one of the kunsìp pilots. Collins, meet Tsaro."

As Tsaro somewhat stiffly greeted Collins he kept reminding himself that this man had refused to fight the People during the Great Battle. He had not been the one to kill his brother.

To his credit Collins accurately duplicated the Na'vi gesture of greeting, though he made no attempt to speak the language. "Good to meet you," he said simply. Speaking again to Kyle, he looked around warily as he asked, "Your crazy-assed banshee isn't hanging around somewhere is it? I really don't want to get snacked on today."

Kyle bared his canines in a toothy smile and shook his head. "Nope, you're safe. Txopuluke doesn't eat junk food."

Collins casually flipped Kyle the bird before motioning him to follow. Out of the corner of his eye Kyle caught Tsaro examining his fingers. He looked up with a puzzled expression and commented, _"I do not think I can make that gesture. What does it mean?"_

Kyle covered his mouth with his hand and snorted to keep his laughter in check. _"I will tell you later. It is rather vulgar, so perhaps it is a good thing that you cannot..._flip someone off," he finished in English. Kyle absently rubbed his own middle finger and chuckled again at the uniquely human gesture.

Collins turned his head and said over his shoulder, "When Jake called in his order he made the comment that you would be the one flying it back. Earlier I took the liberty of loading the crates into your Samson. I can only assume that's what he meant."

Kyle calmly met Collins' gaze and nodded wordlessly. They locked eyes for a moment as Collins silently inquired if this was a good idea - after all, things had not gone well at all the last time Kyle had tried flying the machine. Kyle's expression never wavered, and with a shrug Collins turned forward and kept walking. Kyle was a big boy who knew his limits, and Collins had no desire to question him.

"Your cousin tells us that you've completed Uniltaron and are a full-blown Omaticaya now. The nerd says you got married a week ago, even. Tanhi, right?" Collins asked as they walked, picking through his mind for the name of the Omaticayan woman that Kyle was so close to. "Sounds like you're doing well." The pilot's tone was carefully light-hearted, but Kyle could still hear the undercurrent of concern. The last time they had talked was at the unobtanium mine, and casual conversation had not been possible then.

Kyle sighed wistfully. "Guilty as charged," he said. "I couldn't be better, actually. And yes, Tanhi and I are life mates now. She's an amazing woman, way more than I could have ever hoped for."

Collins smirked up at Kyle, his eyes dancing with amusement behind his exopack. "You're whipped," he declared. There was no denying the infatuated expression that Kyle took on when he mentioned his mate.

Kyle's ears fell back in disagreement. "Am not!" he countered.

"Whatever," Collins said.

"I do not understand this 'whipped,'" Tsaro said, interrupting Kyle and Collins' banter. "You are using this word in a way that does not make sense." His excellent grasp of English did not necessarily extend to the language's many odd phrases.

Before Kyle could offer an explanation Collins volunteered, "It means that Kyle's girl owns him, basically. She has him wrapped around her little finger." Collins frowned and shook his head. "Wait, that doesn't work, either. Let's just say that she's the boss, and he has to do whatever she says. Do Na'vi women become as presumptuous with their mates as human ones do?"

Tsaro nodded sagely. "Yes," he responded. "I used to think that only Na'vi were like this. But perhaps all females behave in this way, if what you say is true. There is a similar phrase in Na'vi...," he trailed off and frowned as he formed his words in English, "Um, 'she has you by the tail?'"

Collins nodded. "I suppose that would fit," he agreed, totally oblivious to just how close to the truth he was.

Kyle blushed and rubbed his lower back at the base of his tail, which twitched once at the memory of Tanhi's skilled manipulations; Tsaro smirked as he caught the gesture. "You have no idea how right you are," Kyle muttered.

They rounded the corner of the buildings and caught sight of Samson 26, which had already been towed outside the hangar; it gleamed in the sunlight as it sat there on the tarmac. The cargo bay was indeed already loaded with numerous crates of supplies, all securely netted down. "Here we are," Collins stated unnecessarily as the mood sobered.

Kyle carefully looked over his load as he asked in a quiet voice, "How many rifles?"

"Around a dozen, I think," Collins responded. That answered Kyle's question as to how many of the Omaticaya took Jake up on his offer. Except for Tsaro, though, he still did not know any names. "There's plenty of ammunition aboard, both Whisper rounds and normal 7mm. A few targets and such, and some other miscellaneous things. Jake's list was pretty thorough. We can always make more if we need to."

Tsaro was running his hand along one of the machine guns mounted on the door pedestals, his expression carefully neutral. Kyle noticed his friend's look; he was not unaware of the thoughts going through Tsaro's mind, and he crouched down to examine the missile pod underneath the cockpit. The tags on the missiles indicated that it was indeed a live load, and Kyle glanced up at Collins with raised eyebrows.

Collins pressed his lips into a tight line before he responded, "We always fly out armed. It's purely for defense...don't want to get smoked by a Leonopteryx, after all. You want me to pull those?" he asked.

Kyle shook his head. "No, leave them. I know what I'm doing." There was no way Kyle would be bringing this machine any closer to his home than the meadow. And anyway, Jake had given him specific directions to transport the weapons to a quarry-like clearing that was a fair distance away from Hometree. Jake did not want the sound of machine gun fire anywhere near their home, and Kyle readily agreed.

"Your flight boards are on the copilot seat," Collins informed him. "I preflighted her already, but I imagine you'll want to do your own checks." He smiled when Kyle nodded as he began to walk around the exterior of the aircraft, intently checking over every vital part while Tsaro watched him curiously. Even after all these months, Kyle still knew exactly what to do. "I figured you'd do that."

* * *

Jake paced back and forth, the gesture not so much a sign of anxiety as it was a way to burn off nervous energy. For now he was alone, but he knew that the trainees would be arriving soon. In fact, the first one was just stepping out into the clearing now. He frowned, but he knew better than to say anything to her.

Neytiri silently crossed over to him, purposefully putting a bit of a sensual sway into her hips as she walked, her tail intentionally waving behind her in an eye-catching manner. She smiled slightly as she observed Jake's eyes travel up and down her body before finally settling on her still trim stomach. In this way her mate was, if anything, predictable. When she drew closer to him she spoke first before he could say anything, knowing that a part of him objected to her presence here, even if he had never said anything to her. _"I have always been the better shooter, my Jake." _One of his eyebrows rose at this. _"I should think it matters not what kind of bow I use."_

_ "And does the fact that I am the teacher here this time matter at all?" _he responded with a small chuckle.

Neytiri smiled sweetly as she answered, _"You are not the teacher. You are my mate." _As though that explained her superiority to him in every measurable category.

_ "Yes, I suppose that is one of my duties," _Jake said with an exaggerated, long-suffering sigh.

It is good to see you play, Neytiri thought as she saw the smile in Jake's golden eyes, and she shivered pleasantly as he lightly dragged his fingertips up and down her abdomen. He had been inordinately fascinated with her belly lately, but perhaps she should expect this from him. She had known Jake in many capacities and watched as he changed from skxawng student to Omaticaya, dreamwalker to Na'vi, war leader to clan leader, and finally from a personification of all that she hated to the man that she loved most in the world. But she had never known him as a father, and by all accounts that would soon change.

Moat had given them both an incredulous look when they had informed her of the sensations they had been feeling when bonded in tsaheylu. _"How long have you felt this way, 'ite?" _she had asked Neytiri. Upon the revelation that it had been nearly a month, the elderly Tsahìk had squealed and clapped her hands like a young girl. _"You wonderful, foolish, impossible child!" _she exclaimed as she wrapped Neytiri in a powerful hug that belied her frail appearance. Then she nearly squeezed the life out of a startled Jake, whispering in a tearful, joyful voice, _"Thank you, my son. Eytukan and I are so proud of you."_

Jake's eyes clouded over with concern that he did not need to put into words. _"This is for training only, my Jake," _Neytiri told him._ "Today we do not go to war. I do not yet know if our child will be our 'itan or 'ite, but believe me when I say that I will protect this life with all that I have." _Her warrior instincts seemed to be at odds with her blooming maternal feelings, and she knew Jake was similarly conflicted.

Jake knelt down on the ground before Neytiri and placed a loving kiss on her belly before he turned his head and rested his cheek against her stomach, sighing softly. Neytiri emitted a cute giggle as Jake's ear twitched against her skin, inadvertently tickling her. _"We will get through this, I promise you," _he said. Neytiri began stroking his hair, and he sighed again and allowed himself to relax, even if only for a moment. He was fine with her learning how to handle a gun, but Eywa help the both of them if she insisted on partaking of direct combat.

_"Perhaps what you will soon be teaching will not be needed," _Neytiri murmured softly as her fingers moved to rub Jake behind his pointed ear.

Before Jake could respond both of their ears flicked as they registered the rhythmic thumping of an approaching helicopter. _"Kyle is earlier than I thought he would be," _Jake commented as he reluctantly stood and shaded his eyes against the rising sun.

The dull, muffled thrum of aircraft turbines changed into an outright roar as the Samson flashed by overhead. Jake was surprised to see a Na'vi lean out of the cargo bay and wave at him as Kyle circled the clearing, checking for any obstructions. Satisfied with his chosen landing spot, Kyle skillfully turned the chopper's nose into the wind and descended into the glade, tucking the aircraft close to the trees. Jake was quite impressed as he observed the way that Kyle seemed to know exactly how to place the Samson. Just like Trudy, he thought.

The Na'vi jumped out of the cargo bay and went about securing the covers over the turbine intakes as Kyle shut things down inside the cockpit. With mixed feelings Jake recognized the young man as Tsaro. Neytiri saw his frown and rubbed his lower back, just below his weapons harness. _"Tsaro is a young man, my Jake. He is old enough to make his own choices, despite what his father might think. He is nearly ready to partake of Uniltaron."_

_ "Am I driving a wedge between father and son?" _Jake asked in a heavy voice.

Neytiri shook her head. _"Ateyo's anger, and grief, is what divides his own family," _she said firmly.

Kyle climbed out of the cockpit and sighed in relief - the flight had gone well, with not a hint of a panic attack. But being enclosed like that...Kyle had not realized how accustomed he had become to not being hemmed in, and it was a great relief to feel free again. But then again, piloting the Samson had been a wonderful mental challenge, and Kyle smiled as he recalled the feel of the chopper's controls. A helicopter was one of the more challenging types of aircraft to fly, even a relatively tame and predictable one like a Samson. Unlike an airplane, a helicopter was inherently unstable. It was in a plane's mindset to fly, to stay in the air - a helicopter, on the other hand, seemed to actively want to kill you. There was no autopilot; it took constant mental and physical exertion to keep one in the air.

Jake and Neytiri came up to them as the Samson's rotors spun down, and Kyle offered his leaders a confident smile as he greeted them in Na'vi. _"Your trip went well?" _Jake asked. Already he was internally relieved by Kyle's demeanor, for it had felt like an excessive gamble to ask him to fly.

_"It went well, Olo'eyktan," _Kyle assured him. _"Though nothing compares to flying with my ikran, I had forgotten how...enjoyable flying a Tawtute kunsìp could be."_

With a chuckle Jake replied, _"It is probably wise of you to phrase it like that, for I do not think Txopuluke would accept any competition."_

Kyle readily agreed. _"Who will be here today, Jake?" _Kyle asked as he glanced around the clearing. A low hill, more like a hummock, rose up from the opposite side from where Kyle had landed. It would provide a convenient backstop against stray bullets.

Jake smiled thinly as he responded, _"We will know when they show up."_

Kyle was mildly surprised to see Mal'ek slink into the clearing a short while later, at least considering his somewhat frigid response to handling a rifle during the testing. Then again, he had certainly shown more than a little skill at shooting the gun. Kyle recognized a few of the more experienced hunter/warriors, veterans from the Great Battle who had seen the strength of Tawtute weapons...and the destruction a single avatar could cause with an M60. Rai'uk and Kyuna were there as well.

Tsaro was helping Kyle unload the Samson when one last person arrived. It was Tanhi, and Kyle instinctively tensed up - the mere thought of her being in any danger was absolutely repulsive to him. He was about to step over to her and make his opinion known when Tsaro's hand latched onto his wrist. Hard. _"I hope you know your mate well enough by now to realize that you cannot disagree with her on this. She is just as protective of you as you are of her. And also like you, it is most definitely in her nature to protect her home and loved ones."_

For a moment Kyle's expression towards Tsaro was faintly murderous. _"Your interference is not requested or appreciated concerning my family," _he growled. Kyle grabbed Tsaro's offending hand and squeezed hard, digging his fingers into the pressure point on Tsaro's wrist. _"Let go, before I make you."_

Tsaro hardly batted an eye. _"Have I said something wrong or incorrect, brother?" _he asked, his lip curling slightly as Kyle's grip tightened. But he did not let go.

It was strange to Kyle how Tsaro could say such a thing without a trace of arrogance or presumptuousness in his voice. With an irritated hiss Kyle released Tsaro's wrist and yanked his own hand free. _"No, you have not," _Kyle begrudgingly admitted.

Tsaro inhaled deeply and blinked away the tingling pain in his wrist as he flexed his fingers. _"I care for both of you. I would rather your anger be directed at me than her," _Tsaro admitted.

Kyle paused from the act of sliding a case across the Samson's load floor. He smiled thinly and said, _"A noble goal, brother. I hope I do not ever have to make you regret that."_

_ "So do I," _Tsaro said with a faint grin as he helped Kyle with the case.

Still, he would be having a long talk with his mate about this later. Tanhi felt Kyle's gaze, and when she glanced over at him her eyes flashed as though daring him to say something. Kyle merely responded with a fangy grin as he silently greeted her.

Jake had been debating in his mind how to go about this process. He strongly suspected that a drill sergeant's rather direct tactics would not be needed here - and honestly, Jake did not think he had it in him to be so ruthless towards his own clan mates - especially his own mate. This was Pandora, not Parris Island, after all. But then again, get him mad enough and Jake probably could put his old drill instructor's repertoire of motivational insults to shame.

Wearing a thoughtful expression, Jake bent down and retrieved a rifle from its case, and as he stared at it all of the Na'vi around him grew still of their own accord as though they all knew he was about to speak. Perhaps heavy-handed methods would not be necessary after all. Everyone was waiting calmly and patiently, and Neytiri gave him a reassuring smile.

_"We are Na'vi, not Tawtute soldiers,_" Jake began. _"This is Eywa'eveng, not 'Rrta. What I will be teaching you will be a mix of the things I have learned from two very different places in my life. Much of the training of a Tawtute warrior involves discipline, and how to move and fight effectively in their world." _Jake paused and gave them all a significant look. _"All of us here are fine hunters and warriors, whose stealth and cunning is renowned by our enemies. I do not need to teach you any more about that."_

This earned more than a few grins and proud expressions from those gathered there.

Jake began to relax as he continued speaking, and Neytiri silently thanked Eywa for it. Her mate had been far too stressed lately. _"We are here not because our actions are a secret that is to be kept from our fellow Omaticaya. No one is bound to silence. Neytiri and I simply do not wish for...for the noise of some of our training to intrude upon our loved ones. Is this clear?"_

Nods all around.

_"Good. All of us are excellent archers here. It will not be difficult to take that knowledge and apply it to a Tawtute weapon. A gun is no more evil than a bow and arrow, or a spear, or a knife. It does not warrant fear. It is merely a tool, and like all tools, it can be used for good or evil, depending on its owner." _Jake ejected and presented the rifle's magazine to his audience. _"This is where the bullets, the arrows, are kept." _He snicked the magazine back into place. _"Nocked," _he said. Jake pulled back on the charging bolt and released it with a precise, metallic _snap._ _"Drawn." _He gave everyone present a serious look. _"No matter what state a gun is in, treat it as you treat a drawn bow. We do not walk around Kelutral with a bow ready to fire, do we?"_

Now everyone murmured a negative as thoughtful looks descended over the audience.

_"I do not need to tell you of the damage and pain that a gun can inflict." _Jake reached into a pouch at his waist and drew out a tiny object, a bullet from a CARB rifle that was not even larger than a Na'vi fingernail. _"These are the bullets from a Sky Person gun." _He pulled out another round, this one nearly three inches long. _"And this is the bullet for our weapons. No matter its condition of readiness, do not point a gun at anything, or anyone, that you do not wish to kill. Ever. Is this understood?" _His voice became granite hard and edged with unshakeable authority.

One of the older warriors asked, _"It is a simple thing to know when a bow is drawn. How do we know if one of these guns is drawn?"_

Jake grinned fiercely. _"Excellent question, Ukamtsu," _Jake said. He held the gun out before him and pointed with his finger to the chamber indicator, turning so that all could see. _"If you see red here, there is an arrow, a bullet, that is drawn and ready to fire."_

_ "It is a simple matter to relax an arrow in one's bow. How do you do this here?" _Tsaro asked. His arms were folded across his chest, an intense look on his face as he held onto Jake's every word.

Both Jake and Kyle smiled. _"Another excellent question. It is not as easy as removing an arrow from a bow. Let me show you." _So Jake did. One could not well return a bullet to the magazine once it was chambered, but Jake showed everyone the importance of the rifle's safety, as well as how to remove the magazine and the unused bullet.

_"This is needlessly complicated," _Rai'uk grumbled.

Jake calmly replied without disagreeing, _"It takes practice, yes. It is not unheard of for a person to fire his gun without meaning to." _Jake traced a line down his right calf with his finger. _"I have done this. My Tawtute body bore scars from such an accident."_

Rai'uk fought to keep from smirking at the Olo'eyktan. _"You shot yourself?" _he asked carefully. The thought of Toruk Makto shooting himself in the leg was inordinately humorous.

Jake's gaze remained deadly serious. _"Perhaps you think it is funny?" _he asked. _"The only thing funnier than shooting yourself would be shooting the friend next to you without meaning to."_

Rai'uk blinked and frowned as Jake's words hit home. He remained silent and merely nodded in understanding.

Jake continued to speak, to teach. They spent all day in that clearing as they absorbed the former marine's extensive knowledge. Questions and interruptions were encouraged, each curiosity or request for clarification turning into a valuable, detailed tangent. When the time arrived to return to Kelutral, not a single shot had been fired by anyone, even Jake. And no one minded in the slightest.

* * *

"How'd it go, General?" Norm asked Jake later that evening.

The Olo'eyktan rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that," he groused. "It went fine. Everyone took to the training well. I can tell they'll learn proper gun safety and handling faster than I did. How were things here?"

Norm shrugged in response. "Things were fine. Nice and quiet," he said. Norm frowned slightly as he said, "The only incident of note was that Ateyo looked mighty pissed when he couldn't find Tsaro anywhere. I think he figured out pretty quickly where he went to."

Jake sighed and nodded. "I'm going to tell him to start fasting tomorrow. He's ready for his Uniltaron."

"Wow, that's a big step," Norm said with an impressed look.

Before Jake could answer Neytiri walked by, and Norm noticed how Jake's eyes lost focus on all other things but her. She smiled covertly when out of the corner of her eye she saw Norm snapping his fingers in front of Jake's face.

"Dude, you've got it bad," Norm chuckled softly at his friend's enraptured look.

Jake smiled almost self-consciously and scratched the back of his head. "Norm, I've got something important to tell you." Norm's eyebrows rose expectantly. "I'm going to be a father," Jake informed him proudly.

For second Norm stood rooted to the ground, his only movement the incredulous widening of his eyes. When they finally reached comically large proportions he jumped up and let loose with an excited "Whoopee!" that set the ikrans to rustling, all the way at the top of Kelutral. "Oh my God, congratulations Jake!" he said as he clapped his friend on the shoulders. "That's awesome!"

Jake laughed too, resigned to accepting the scene that Norm was making. "Thank you, Norm. Now calm down before you wake up the whole forest," he chuckled. "We're going to announce it officially tomorrow, but I wanted to let our close friends know, first."

Norm nodded furiously, still grinning like an idiot. "Wow, this is just...this is...," he trailed off and shook his head in wonder. "Can I tell Max when I get back tonight, or do you want to?" he asked, his tail wagging furiously behind him.

"Nah, you can tell him, we don't mind," Jake said with a smile. For a second his expression faltered, and he admitted, "Actually, just between you and me, I would prefer you tell him."

Now Norm managed to contain himself, and he asked, "Why is that, Jake?" His expression turned curious and concerned.

Jake blew out a long exhale as he turned his eyes upwards for a moment. "A part of me is really nervous, Norm. For a while Neytiri and I wondered if we could even...you know...," he trailed off and barely avoided a grimace. "I want the baby to be safe. I want my mate to be safe." Jake bit his lower lip as his ears rocked back slightly.

Norm quickly sobered as he understood Jake's concern. He gripped his friend's shoulder and shook him slightly. "As a scientist, I'll inform you that the only differences between an avatar and a full-blooded Na'vi are almost entirely neurological. The percentage of human DNA is really very small. Your concern is entirely valid and not unreasonable, but I seriously think that Neytiri and the baby will be fine. If you guys weren't compatible, Neytiri wouldn't have conceived."

"I know, I know," Jake muttered as he ran a nervous hand through his dark hair. "That's what Max and Janelle have already told me."

Norm colored and looked away. "Um, to the best of my knowledge, Na'vi don't practice birth control. So there has to be something else biologically at work here. This couldn't have happened by accident."

"Eywa willing," Jake murmured softly in response.

Norm tilted his head as he said, "If you don't mind me asking... How did you and Neytiri find out that she was pregnant?"

Despite his concerns Jake smiled again. "Through tsaheylu. For the past few weeks Neytiri kept feeling this funny sensation when we linked. I never realized it until she pointed it out, and when she and I both focused we both felt the baby's emotions." Jake swiftly wiped at his eyes, which were starting to moisten suspiciously. "God, Norm, it was amazing. It was perfect. It was our kid..."

Norm's expression grew awed. "Jake, are you telling me that you and Neytiri can sense your baby's feelings?" His eyes had grown huge again, and he could only stare at his friend in wonder. "And did anything feel...wrong?"

Jake shook his head vigorously.

A small laugh bubbled out of Norm as he said, "Then Jake, don't you think your baby would tell you if something was wrong? Don't you think Neytiri could feel it? You know better than I do how amazingly sensitive, how 'in tune' the Na'vi are." His expression softened. "Jake, I've never been...mated. So perhaps I'm speaking out of turn here. But I really think you and Neytiri would know if something went bad. Trust your mate. Trust your child. You haven't hurt anyone here, Jake. You've helped bring a new life into existence!"

"Alright, Norm," Jake said, speaking with a confidence that he trusted would come later. "But please...can you tell Max and Janelle? I just...I just want them to know, too."

Norm quickly nodded. "I will, I promise. If you or Neytiri ever need anything from us, you have but to ask. We'll drop everything for you two."

"I hope that won't be necessary," Jake breathed, even as he sighed in relief. He shook his head again, this time in amazement, and he let out an incredulous chuckle as he rubbed his face. "We're having a kid, Norm. This is terrifying! I don't know the first thing about being a dad."

"Well, I'm sure you and Neytiri will spoil him or her rotten. You'll raise a perfect brat, no doubt," Norm assured Jake with a smile.

A group of women nearby laughed at something that one of them said, and Jake noticed Norm's ears twitch in response to one particular voice. "Let me guess. A certain Dr. Ferris, I presume?" Norm's darkening cheeks confirmed Jake's assessment. As much as he would enjoy teasing Norm, Jake chose to proceed with a little more tact. "Things been going good?" He left the question open-ended on purpose.

Norm sighed. "Yeah. It's good that I can get some things worked out with... With Trudy," he stuttered. "She's really helping me move on, as strange as that sounds."

"It's not strange," Jake softly assured him.

Norm chewed on the inside of his cheek for a second as he accepted Jake's words. "And Amber... Well, she's a mystery packed in a puzzle, wrapped in an enigma."

Jake snorted. "Most women are, dude."

"She's been acting really flighty," Norm commented. "It's been borderline mixed messages, and I can't tell what she wants from me half the time."

The two men pondered this in silence for a moment before Jake said, "You realize she's still probably grieving her husband, right? She doesn't have the closure from him like Trudy is giving you."

Norm's mouth worked for a moment before be produced an underwhelming, "Oh."

Jake rolled his eyes and said in friendly irritation, "My God, Norm. You're the dumbest genius I've ever met. Ouch!" Norm had punched him in the arm - he had hit Jake on a freshly healed bruise, and Jake had no idea whether or not Norm had done that on purpose. "I should have you booted from the clan for assaulting the Olo'eyktan," he complained as he rubbed his arm.

"You deserved it," Norm replied absently, his vacant gaze indicating his mind was elsewhere.

* * *

Norm rubbed his human eyes blearily as he emerged back into the Hell's Gate link room. He and Jake had talked for quite a while, about both serious and frivolous things. They had both forgotten about dinner, and Moat and Neytiri had eventually joined them, bearing several delicious food wraps. Their insights, along with Jake's own somewhat surprising wisdom, proved invaluable.

Max powered down the link units. "I think Dr. Ferris saved you some dinner," he commented easily. His acute powers of observation indicated that something was definitely afoot between the two.

With a chuckle Norm replied, "You know, it really is a pain in the tail to have to eat every meal twice."

"Be still my bleeding heart," Max responded dryly, earning a laugh from Norm.

"Oh, by the way, I've got some really great news to tell you!" Norm began.


	28. Chapter 28

**Arg, so here's a new record: Longest Between Updates. I'm so sorry that this took so long to go out - life got really chaotic. In fact, it's still chaos. I blink, and it seems like a week goes by. Some of my various distractions include, but are not limited to: taking the opportunity to take a firearms course, getting caught on the set of a reality TV show, and having to pick up someone's severed finger off the ground at work. **

**Yes, I really meant all of what I just said.**

**If this chapter seems a little choppy, I apologize for that, too. It's probably a result of so many different ideas and forces coming into play, as well as the fact that it took so damn long to come out. Finally, I'll drop a reference to pandorapedia(dot)com as one of my sources for a...certain main idea in this chapter. I'm striving to have even my original ideas be as "realistic" as possible.**

**And finally, please drop me a review if you have time. Your notes are really encouraging to me! A few of you readers have sent me some PMs during this long hiatus, and I can't say enough how grateful I am to you for those.**

**Well, without further ado...**

Chapter 28

Tanhi's mind was still spinning as she processed what Neytiri had just told her. She was, of course, thrilled and ecstatic for her friend, for the Olo'eyktan's mate. It was always a major event when a clan's leaders were blessed with child. And for Jake and Neytiri, it was a great personal triumph as well - both of them knew that there were many who doubted their ability to contribute to the Omaticaya's biological future. What many of those doubters never took the time to think about was that Neytiri and Jake had agreed wholeheartedly with them.

There was much more to Neytiri's joy than just the knowledge that she would be a mother. And knowing what this news would mean to Tanhi in particular, she had allowed some of that vulnerability to show, if only just a little. Tanhi and Neytiri had been friends, but not best friends, when they had been younger - this fact was rapidly changing, though.

Jake sorely wished that they could be there to tell Kyle as well, but something requiring the Olo'eyktan's immediate attention had come up, and he and Neytiri needed to attend to it quickly after one more round of congratulatory hugs.

It was nearly time to bed down for the night, but Kyle had not been by to invite her up to sleep with him. Tanhi got the distinct impression that he still had too much on his mind to allow rest to come to him easily.

She found Kyle seated alone on a log by one of the smaller outlying campfires, elbows resting easily on his knees and hands clasped loosely together, staring entranced at the gently crackling flames before him. Except for the tip of his tail he was completely still, no doubt deep in thought.

Tanhi sat down on the opposite side of the fire from Kyle and quietly observed him through the flickering flames. She softly cleared her throat, causing Kyle's ears to flick forward and his golden eyes to lock onto hers. He had not flinched, but somehow Tanhi knew that she had surprised him, and this revelation brought a faint smile to her lips.

Kyle did not return her smile, though. His expression was intense and almost stern as he regarded Tanhi, and the dancing firelight across his face only added to the impression. _What are you thinking about, Yawne? _Tanhi silently inquired. Was he mad or upset? Tanhi blinked a couple of times as she realized that she had yet to see her mate truly angry about something.

_"It is late," _she offered after a moment.

Kyle merely grunted in response, his shoulders shrugging noncommittally as his gaze returned to the fire.

_"Would you like to go for a walk along the river before we retire for the evening?" _she asked.

Kyle silently shook his head. A few of his braided bangs had come loose and swayed with the motion of his head, their shadows sliding back and forth over his face. His eyes remained on the fire, his mind no doubt far away.

Tanhi snorted in exasperation, and a well timed sparky _crack _from a burning branch in the fire covered the noise. She frowned; her ploy to get him to say something, _anything, _had not exactly been successful. You could tell a lot about someone from their tone of voice, but Kyle was keeping even this secret to himself.

_Fine, if you will not tell me what is on your mind, I will just take it from you, _Tanhi mentally grumbled in exasperation, rapidly growing tired of the moody-silent-aloof Kyle. Well, not that she would actually force anything on or from her mate, for she loved him too much to do that. But that did not mean Tanhi was above using her considerable powers of persuasion on her mate.

Tanhi silently rose and stalked around the fire towards him, the familiar anticipation of the hunt bringing caution to her motions. Her movement finally brought his attention back to her, and his serious eyes shifted to track her progress. Tanhi silently knelt down in front of him, her knees coming to rest right between his bare feet. The fire immediately began to warm her back, and Tanhi mindfully curled her tail around to her front; the fact that said tail was currently rubbing against Kyle's left ankle was entirely inconsequential, as far as she was concerned.

She gazed steadily up at Kyle's features, and his serious eyes finally focused away from the mesmerizing fire and onto the more pressing image of Tanhi's face, which was now less than a foot from his own. He remained silent, but the image of his life mate kneeling before him as though in supplication did cause a faint frown to crease his brow.

Tanhi simply stared back and waited patiently for a reaction. Other than the initial faint frown she got nothing else, even after a minute of anticipation. _Wiya, _Tanhi cursed to herself. Tanhi leaned forward a bit, forcing Kyle to spread his legs a little to make room for her. She moved fractionally closer until her face was just below his, and she had to tilt her head back so that she could keep staring at him; each of her breaths were close enough to caress his chin with every exhalation. As though catching on to her ploy Kyle's frown disappeared and was replaced instead by a slight tensing of his jaw muscles and faint narrowing of his eyes.

Tanhi caught the subtle change in him, and the corners of her lips twitched upwards. Kyle jumped ever so slightly when Tanhi gently grasped his hands in her own and began to rub soft patterns on his palms and wrists.

And still he did not say anything! Of course, he had not yet objected to anything, either.

Keeping her eyes open and locked on his, Tanhi leaned forward until their lips brushed together. She ran her tongue along the edge of his mouth before gently nibbling on his lower lip with her teeth. To Kyle's credit he maintained eye contact with her through all of this, though she could see his gaze begin to unfocus as various distractions mounted.

Kyle's eyes remained open when he finally began to kiss her back. Tanhi allowed a gratified moan to escape her, but when she tried to bring a hand up to hold Kyle's face she suddenly found her wrists trapped by his strong grip. This was no chaste peck on the lips, and even as the intensity of their kiss rose Kyle and Tanhi continued to stare at one another as though silently willing the other to give in first.

Her mate was definitely an excelling kisser, as evidenced by a certain episode with a banana fruit. Still, Tanhi was a quick study and she gave as good as she got, and she firmly repressed the desire to cave in to him, despite the feeling of his warm tongue fencing oh so suggestively with hers. Tanhi's efforts began to pay off as Kyle's eyes almost fluttered closed when she ran her tongue over his fangs, and this time it was his turn to have his hands restrained when he sought to caress Tanhi's neck.

At last Kyle broke away. He pulled back from her with a groan and a sigh, and Tanhi felt quite pleased to discover that he was breathing heavier than she was - though she had certainly enjoyed the experience. "What was that for?" he gasped after a moment.

Tanhi smirked. "So it does speak," she replied. And it kisses, too. Thankfully.

Kyle's ears briefly rocked backwards. "And what is that supposed to mean?" he muttered darkly.

Sailing easily past Kyle's less than welcoming tone Tanhi replied, "Oh, I was just curious to see if you had been stung by a Smaoe plant. You are clearly capable of movement and speech, so I shall no longer worry for you."

With that she stood up and made to step past him, fully intending to leave him stewing. Kyle quickly grasped her elbow, though, drawing her up short. "Wait," he commanded, more gruffly than he meant to. "Please...," he added contritely as he felt Tanhi tense in his grip.

Tanhi stepped back into his field of view and stared down at him, her head cocked to the side as she waited for him to elaborate. She was beyond asking him what was wrong by this point in time.

Kyle groaned and released Tanhi's arm so that he could rub his face with both hands. "Tanhi...," he began. "Tanhi, I'm not happy with you learning how to shoot a gun."

Tanhi's expression was surprised, even though she actually was not. "Really?" she said in a tone that Mal'ek would have been quite familiar with, but that Kyle had yet to truly encounter. If Tanhi had yet to experience Kyle's anger, Kyle had yet to experience Tanhi's stubbornness.

"Let me rephrase that," Kyle said as he closed his eyes in concentration. "I don't mind you learning how to shoot, but I do mind you putting yourself in harm's way. I just want you to be safe." His tone was pleading as he tried to convey his sincerity.

A feeling of déjà vu tickled the back of Tanhi's mind as Kyle's words registered with her, but damned if she would admit that to him. At least right now. _"Of course, Kyle,"_ she said, and he looked up at her with a vaguely surprised expression. She was getting fired up now, and it was easier for her to say what she wanted to in Na'vi. _"You know, I was perfectly safe when the Tawtute destroyed our first home and killed my mother. I was perfectly safe when the People went to war. I was perfectly safe when I braved the storm of Tawtute arrows to drag my wounded brothers and sisters to safety. I, too, have killed in battle - not with a bow and arrow but up close with the blade, where I could watch the life fade from my enemy's eyes after having plunged my knife into his heart."_

Kyle winced. This was heading nowhere good. _"Please, hold on..."_

But Tanhi was not yet finished. _"And I was perfectly safe that night when I rode out a great distance into the forest to rescue your tail from that tree. Surely the palulukan, the nantang, and the lenay'ga were no risk to me then. As I remember it, the worst thing that happened was that I was nearly stabbed myself. But I assure you, I was perfectly safe the entire time."_

Kyle was on his feet in the blink of an eye, his face twisted into an angry, ugly mask as his fists clenched at his sides. He was taller than she was by almost half a foot at least, more than enough to be noticeable. Not that Kyle was overtly trying to intimidate her, but seeing him like this reminded Tanhi of just how big a man he was. _So that is what you look like when you are angry, _Tanhi thought grimly.

"That's not fair, and you know it," Kyle gritted out through clenched teeth as his ears pinned back. The tanhi along his face, chest, and shoulders flared bright with anger for a moment as tension crackled in the air between them, along with the campfire behind them.

It took Tanhi a second to catch the hurt behind the anger in his eyes at having that particular event recalled in this context, and this was only after some of her own fury had faded. "Tam tam, Yawne," she murmured as she stepped up to him and cupped his face in her hands. Some, but not all, of her own frustration bled off as she sighed and kissed the tip of his nose. "You are right, I should not have said that. I know you would never hurt me, my Kyle."

Kyle growled in agreement as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "Never," he whispered against her hair as he breathed in her scent. No matter how hard she may have worked during the day Tanhi always smelled clean to him, like freshly fallen rain.

With a frustrated sigh Tanhi realized that she may have lost the initiative. She truly had not meant to remind Kyle of what had almost happened - that part had slipped out by accident in the heat of the moment. _"I want to be as capable as you are in protecting that which we care about," _she murmured beside his ear as she rubbed his strong back. _"Trust me, as I trust you."_

Despite their near-argument Kyle had to chuckle, though the sound was mostly devoid of humor. _"A difficult request in this circumstance," _he replied, and strangely enough Tanhi had to agree with him.

_"There is one more reason that I sought you out this night," _Tanhi said.

Kyle leaned back from their embrace to better look at her. Every trace of the anger and hurt that had marred his features was gone, vanished as if it had never been. Though not so foolish as to think that they would never disagree on anything, Tanhi vowed to herself to do all that she could in order to prevent him from ever looking like that again. _"You mean, there is more than the kiss?" _he asked wolfishly.

Tanhi groaned and let her forehead fall forward to rest against his shoulder. _"Eywa grant me patience," _she muttered. And endurance. Kyle was truly possessed of a one-track mind. Then again, not that she minded too terribly much.

Kyle chuckled again and rubbed her arms. _"What else is there?" _he laughed as he tilted her chin up with his finger, and this time it was he who placed a gentle kiss against her nose.

_"Jakesully and Neytiri are with child," _she informed him as she carefully watched his face for a reaction.

Kyle blinked in surprise as numerous thoughts and emotions flashed through him, and he felt like he was changing mental gears without the benefit of a clutch. _"That is good news, indeed," _Kyle said slowly. _"I should congratulate them as soon as...," _he trailed off as his eyes widened, and it was then that Tanhi knew for sure that he had caught on to the full importance of this announcement. Before Tanhi could react Kyle wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, spinning her around as he laughed with joy. "That is very good news!"

Seeing as how her own arms where crushed firmly to her side, Tanhi could do little more than squeal and laugh in protest as she ordered him to set her back down on the ground.

* * *

The next day was a joyful one indeed for the Omaticaya. Those who had decided to take Jake up on his offer to train with Tawtute weapons would have been puzzled by the pause in training, but the reason was made clear when Moat made it known that her daughter was with child.

If ever there was a cause for celebration, this was it.

Jake was mildly surprised that afternoon when an alarm went up, indicating that they had unannounced visitors arriving via ikran. Perhaps "alarm" was too strong a word - it was merely an alert indicating that Na'vi who were not Omaticaya were approaching Kelutral.

Jake, Neytiri, Moat, and Mal'ek walked out into the space between the tree and the river, waiting patiently for the two circling ikran to land. The two riders were women, and Jake was pleasantly surprised to recognize Trr'ong, the chieftess of the Ikran Clan. She was certainly ripped for a female Na'vi; her lithe muscular was markedly defined, and she moved with an almost predatory grace, as though she were poised to spring upon someone or something at any given moment. Even without her broad swath of solid crimson warpaint, she was quite an intimidating person. This time, Trr'ong's torso and arms were decorated with intricate lines and swirls of red paint to denote her status.

"Oel ngati kameie, Olo'eyktan," Jake greeted as Trr'ong dismounted from her ikran with a single smooth, liquid motion. Like the rest of her people, Trr'ong was an exceptional flyer. _"What occasion is it that you would honor the Omaticaya with your presence this day?"_

Trr'ong smiled and bowed her head in greeting. "Oel ngati kameie, Toruk Makto, Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite," she replied with an amused smile. _"It is because of the two of you that we partake of the Omaticaya's hospitality." _Her smile only widened at Jake's slightly befuddled expression, and she continued, _"We crossed paths with one of the Omaticaya hunters at the edges of our territories, and it was with great joy that he informed us of Eywa's gift to you both."_

Jake's eyebrows rose. _"It would seem that word travels on the wings of ikran, then," _he said with an amused chuckle.

Trr'ong laughed and agreed. _"Forgive us, Jakesully, for we did not bring anything to offer you that is worthy of such an occasion." _The fierce looking woman actually looked a little sheepish as she admitted, _"My haste to offer my congratulations to the two of you is solely to blame."_

_ "The presence of a friend to celebrate with us is gift enough, I assure you," _Neytiri said with sincerity, and Jake quickly agreed. _"You must be tired. Please stay, and rest! It would be an honor for you to join us for the meal tonight." _

Trr'ong bowed graciously. _"The pleasure would be ours, Neytiri." _Turning to the attractive young woman who stood politely beside and just behind her, Trr'ong said, _"This is my daughter, Sìlpey. She became ikran makto one hand of days ago."_

Sìlpey appeared appropriately awed to be standing in the presence of the sixth Toruk Makto. _"It is a privilege to meet you in person, Nawm Tsamsiyu," _she said as she looked at Jake through shyly lowered eyes. _"Your actions are legendary among the People, and our singers and teachers are still creating songs to remember you by."_

Jake managed to pull off an admirably honorable response, and it was all Neytiri could do to help preserve her mate's dignity by not bursting out with laughter as she observed Jake's cheeks darken tellingly. Even Mal'ek grinned faintly, and Moat coughed to hide her own smile. It was commonly known that Neytiri had to stand on Jake's tail in order to prevent him from fleeing anytime the clan's singers performed any of the songs of the Sixth Toruk Makto.

_"Please, there is no need for formalities," _Jake said as he turned and invited everyone up to the shade of Hometree._ "Relax as our guests, and it is I who thank you for traveling so far to congratulate us."_

As they walked Sìlpey ventured forth a cautious question to Jake. _"If I may ask, Toruk Makto... Is it true? That you were not born here, and were once a uniltìranyu?" _Sìlpey had thus far only heard of Sky People and Dreamwalkers...she had yet to actually see either in person.

Neytiri gently squeezed Jake's right hand with her left; Jake did not even remember taking hold of her hand, or her taking his. It had been completely natural for them to reach for one another as they walked. He chuckled ruefully and replied, _"I am sure that some of the stories about me may be slightly exaggerated..." _He grinned and continued in perfect English. "But for better or worse, that part is true."

Sìlpey may not have understood the foreign words, but the alien language and the sight of his offered five-fingered hand was a clear answer, and her eyes widened.

* * *

_"You do not want to wait a day? It would seem to me to be an unnecessary hardship to skip tonight's dinner," _Kyle said as he and Tsaro hauled their yerik over to the cooking stations. Kyle was, of course, thinking with his stomach rather than his head again.

The kill really did belong to both of them in equal measures. The herd that they had been stalking caught wind of their presence and began to flee before either were in a good position to take a shot. Still, neither Kyle nor Tsaro were in any mood to come back empty-handed, and without any prior coordination both of them decided to take aim at one of the deer-like creatures. Apparently great minds do think alike, for both of their arrows sank into the same animal at the same time, killing it instantly. There had been much debate on the way home as to whose arrow had struck first, or who had fired the killing shot.

Tsaro smiled faintly in response as he gave Kyle a pointed look. _"Would _you_ have wished to wait one more day?" _he replied, turning the question around and aiming it squarely back at Kyle, knowing full well what the response would be.

Kyle blinked and stammered, _"Well, no... But, um, I suppose I had a rather specific goal to strive for." _He recovered swiftly and countered in a slightly teasing and accusatory tone, _"Wait, so what is her name?"_

_ "How can I know her name when I have not yet met her?" _Tsaro said by way of a response, and he laughed softly and shook his head. Then he grimaced slightly and added, _"Besides, the privilege of being a man and having a man's voice is more than enough for me right now."_

Kyle mentally kicked himself. Of course, giving his recent family issues it was rather obvious that Tsaro would like to be fully independent right about now.

Sensing that Kyle was mentally backpedaling, Tsaro quietly assured him, _"I know that you did not mean any harm by your question, Kyle. I will meet the right woman for me when it is time."_

_ "Eywa willing," _Kyle murmured as he heaved the yerik up onto the racks, and Tsaro gave him a quick, surprised look. Kyle tilted his chin towards the two unfamiliar Na'vi who were conversing with Jake and Neytiri a short distance away. _"Who are they?" _Kyle asked curiously as he changed the subject.

Tsaro squinted in concentration, remembering one of the faces in question from a much less happier time. _"I believe the woman speaking now is called Trr'ong. She is the Ikran Clan Olo'eyktan. I do not recognize the other one."_

Kyle merely grunted in response. _"She is cute," _he offered in passing.

_"If she looks at you the wrong way I will poison her meal," _a new voice flatly stated in a completely serious tone, surprising both men.

Both Kyle and Tsaro flinched, Kyle in particular as Tanhi rested her hand with firm familiarity on Kyle's shoulder, her fingers rubbing suspiciously close to that debilitating pressure point. "I really didn't mean anything by...," Kyle hastily began, his speech lapsing into English as his ears flattened back. It was only an observation, after all... And how the heck had she been so sneaky?

Tanhi's smile was somehow one of the most threatening sights that Kyle had seen in his entire life, human or Na'vi. _"Of course not, Yawne. You are not that stupid," _Tanhi soothed in a rather patronizing tone as she rubbed one of Kyle's drooped ears. With an exaggerated sigh she admitted, _"It is already an enormous task to keep the Omaticaya's women away from you. I would hope that this woman will not add to my burden."_

Kyle's eyebrows rose in honest surprise and slight embarrassment. "Um, what are you talking about?" he asked, his voice hitching slightly as he struggled to determine whether or not Tanhi was being serious.

Tanhi offered him that strangely scary smile again, and her tail took two measured flicks before stilling behind her. _"Are you really so blind as to not have noticed some of the glances that you have received?" _Granted, the number of "glances" had fallen off dramatically after Kyle and Tanhi had chosen one another. Tanhi stepped closer, leaning forward on her toes to press a kiss against his lips as she braced her hands none too subtly on Kyle's chest. _"I truly am a fortunate woman," _she purred.

Kyle's face purpled as he processed Tanhi's words. Behind his mate, Tsaro clearly mouthed _Blind!_ as he pantomimed covering his eyes with his hands. With a nervous swallow Kyle managed in Na'vi, _"I guess I really am a blind skxawng." _He spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness that he sincerely hoped would soothe Tanhi's rather possessive mood.

_"You speak wisely," _Tanhi said, her voice suggesting that she knew Kyle was receiving input from another source. Still, the caress of her fingers along his jaw was only loving, and Kyle found himself sighing and leaning into her touch.

That is, until he heard Tsaro mutter "Whipped," whereas he promptly leapt backwards as though stung by a Kali'weya.

* * *

Having completed his duty to provide for the clan, Tsaro spent the rest of the day generally alone. Well, one could hardly be considered "alone" when one formed tsaheylu at Utral Aymokriyä. But for the longest time he thought he would be ignored, and at last Tsaro sighed as he found a sense of peace in simply dwelling among the voices, laughter, and songs of the Ancients. Being invisible in the midst of a crowd, living or dead, was not a new experience for him.

Only when he arrived at this place of contentment did a voice reach out of the void to him, speaking with an amused and impatient air as though he had been interrupted from some important task. _Srane, Tsmukan?_

Tsaro's ears fell back; his right one not so much, unfortunately, as the scarring there did not let it move as freely as it should have. Even so, he snorted softly in amusement, as he could easily imagine in his mind's eye the speaker tapping his foot with impatience. _I go through Uniltaron tomorrow, _he admitted to his brother.

_Ah, _came the reply as pride began to filter into the voice. _I shall make sure that I am there for you, then._

_Thank you, _Tsaro responded, somewhat surprised by the sense of relief he felt upon hearing his brother's words. _It would mean a lot to me for you to be present._

There was a pause in the conversation. It stretched out for so long that Tsaro almost thought that no more words would be exchanged between them. He jumped a bit when the sudden inquiry came, _Is sempul doing well?_

Tsaro was surprised by the question, as well as startled by its suddenness. _You do not know?_

A harsh laugh was his answer. _If I knew, I would not have asked the question of you. _Tsaro was not the only one that was possessed of a rather biting personality at times. _It has been too long since I have spoken with him._

Tsaro sighed, both aloud and in the spirit world. _His mood has not been the best as of late. He still grieves for you, even now..._

_ And he has let that grief poison his relationship with the living, _Tsaro's brother finished. _Bah! When you see him next, ask if it is him or if it is you that is coming of age. He will know from whom the message came. He must not forget his love, even in his anger._

With a rueful chuckle Tsaro agreed. His brother was conveniently immune from any retaliation that such an inflammatory comment might cause - Tsaro did not yet have that luxury. _As you say, Tsmukan._

Tsaro shivered as he felt ghostly hands playfully shove on his shoulders. _Enough moping! You have a celebration to attend to tonight!_

_ But I will not be eating, and besides - _Tsaro began to object.

_ You can still dance on an empty stomach. Trust me, _came the response, and Tsaro knew his brother was smirking in that unique way of his. _At least show up!_

And then Tsaro's queue disconnected from the tree, leaving him reeling for a moment in the land of the living. _That _had certainly never happened before! After a moment spent regaining his bearings, Tsaro stood up with another sigh and stretched out the kinks in his back and tail. Tsaro was self-aware enough to realize that he was not well known within the clan for his social skills. This, of course, did not bother him in the slightest, for one did not need to be an accomplished socialite to be an effective hunter.

So what the heck had gotten into his brother?

Despite his words to Kyle earlier, it really was difficult for him not to be bothered by the mouthwatering smells of dinner. Still, he schooled his features, even if he did not feel overtly glad; the entire clan was in a celebratory mood, and damned if Tsaro would be the one to spoil it. And he was happy for Jakesully and Neytiri...there was just a lot of other things on his mind.

He was unspeakably grateful to Kyle and Tanhi for the chance to spend time with them, as no one else in the clan really knew him better than they did. It was only when the musicians began to play that an excited Kyle insisted on dragging a less than resisting Tanhi out towards the growing dance around the fire.

With a faint smile Tsaro thought that maybe now would be an appropriate time to make his exit. That is, until an unfamiliar person stepped up beside him, a drinking bowl balanced in her delicate hands, staring thoughtfully out into the crowd. Tsaro was mildly surprised to see that it was the young woman from before, the one who had been talking with Jakesully and Neytiri. Now that she was closer, Tsaro could see the clear resemblance to Trr'ong. This woman truly looked like a younger copy of the Ikran Clan chieftess.

Tsaro turned away briefly and frowned; for a moment he was irritated that the woman had chosen to stand on his right side, rather than his left. His head was beginning to itch again, but he firmly squelched the desire to scratch at it. It never sat well with him to bring attention to his scar in a public setting.

_"I See you, Omaticaya," _the woman spoke, her voice soft and melodic, as though she were singing even when speaking normally. Then her lips turned up in a small smile and she added, _"If I knew your name, I would greet you properly."_

Tsaro's frown deepened slightly before he simply responded with a gruff, _"I am called Tsaro." _For a moment he strongly considered leaving things at that, but something in the woman's tone caught his interest. And she was quite pretty to look at, too. Deciding with a sigh and an amused smirk that he had absolutely nothing to lose he replied,_ "Now tell me your name, so that I may do the same for you. A favor for a favor?"_

He watched out of the corner of his vision as she turned slightly and regarded him with liquid golden eyes that flashed ever so briefly, and Tsaro could not tell if it was with annoyance or merriment. _"If you so wish to return the favor, you may call me Sìlpey," _she replied crisply. This young man bordered on the rude and arrogant - unlike many of the Omaticaya's other youths who, like her clan mates back home, seemed to treat her with almost sickening politeness and formality. It was as if being the chieftess' daughter made it so that others were unable to hold a normal conversation with her, and Tsaro's...irreverence...was intriguing, as well as a little refreshing.

Tsaro motioned a greeting and offered her his most disarming smile. _"I do wish so. I See you, Sìlpey. May Eywa smile upon our meeting."_

Sìlpey tilted her head in the direction of the dance as she asked in an impressively casual voice, _"Is it common for you to stand alone and watch while others celebrate?"_

Tsaro kept his face carefully neutral as he formulated an appropriate response. It was quite a pointed question, but then again he did not know Sìlpey well enough to be hurt by such an inquiry; instead he felt rather amused by it. Without batting an eye he answered her with a question of his own. _"Is it common for you to pry so deeply into the personal lives of those whom you have only yet spoken three sentences to?"_

Sìlpey did not miss a beat. _"How many sentences should I wait, then, before I ask you what is on my mind?" _she replied as she turned to fully face Tsaro.

A strange flush came over Tsaro's features, and for the life of him he could not figure out how he had been so handily outmaneuvered. Feeling like a tongue-tied 'evengan, he somewhat ingloriously admitted, _"I am not in a very celebratory mood right now. And I am not dancing because I have no partner."_

Sìlpey nodded calmly as though the explanation made perfect sense, and it really was all that she could do to refrain from offering herself as said partner. But _that _might have been a bit much, at least after only four sentences. After a moment she offered him the bowl she had been holding, and it was only then that Tsaro realized that she had yet to take a drink from it. _"You have not eaten at all tonight," _she stated._ "Even if you are fasting, you are still allowed to drink, if my memory of your customs serves me correctly. You will need energy for whatever task it is that you are about to accomplish."_

The offered drink was not a fermented beverage as Tsaro had first thought. If that had been the case he would have politely but firmly declined. No, this was a warm, hearty broth that had been carefully strained to remove any solid pieces of food. Tsaro was thrown off guard yet again by Sìlpey's kindness and astuteness, and he accepted the bowl with wide eyes. _"Thank you," _he murmured softly. He met Sìlpey's eyes, who was observing him quietly. _"Tomorrow I take Uniltaron," _he admitted as he took a sip from the bowl. The broth was good, and it was seasoned in a way that he had never tasted before.

Sìlpey nodded solemnly. _"I do not know for how long my sa'nok will wish for us to stay," _she said in a surprisingly gentle voice. _"I will pray that you have a successful hunt, and my congratulations for you will be waiting when you return." _She frowned thoughtfully before adding with a strange gleam in her eye, _"Perhaps you will feel like dancing tomorrow."_

Before a completely stunned Tsaro could respond, Sìlpey pivoted smoothly on her heel and melted away, disappearing like smoke carried away on the breeze. Tsaro considered himself a man who was quite adept at handling the unexpected, but somehow he was unable to reconcile the fact that the daughter...no, the _beautiful _daughter of another clan's Olo'eyktan had been observant enough of him to realize that he had been fasting, and perceptive enough to offer him the only sustenance that he was allowed to consume. Just how long had she been watching him?

Then Tsaro's mental processes froze and his eyes widened as he reviewed the transcript of their conversation. He covered his eyes with his free hand and groaned, _"She must think that I have the manners of a prolemuris!"_

Unbeknownst to Tsaro, his and Sìlpey's exchange had not gone unnoticed. _"Are you still going to poison her if she glances at me the wrong way?" _a highly amused Kyle inquired of his mate.

Tanhi huffed and rolled her eyes, which was the total extent of her response.

* * *

Tsaro woke before dawn, completely of his own volition. His biological clock ticked over, turning him from restful to awake in an instant. It only took him a second to remember why he needed to be up so early this morning.

_Uniltaron._

With a determined mindset and deliberate movements, Tsaro readied himself. Some part of his mind wondered why he was not more excited - after all, today was the culmination of all of his life's training thus far. All of the teaching he had absorbed since he was a youngling, his first kill, Iknimaya...it all lead up to this. After today he would truly be Omaticaya, with all of the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that were entailed therein.

And Tsaro just could not wait for it all to be over.

If Tsaro felt bitter for having the joy of this great life-step be absent from him, he did not show it. Tsaro had long ago grown used to difficulty, discomfort, and opposition. As he rubbed his scalp while mentally locating the nearest stash of Paywll ointment he thought simply, what was a little more? The fact that it seemed this latest persecution came from his own father was of no consequence to him. Tsaro's movements froze as he thought of this. With a shrug and a quick shake of his head he dismissed this revelation and padded silently over towards the nearest spiral.

No, this fact somehow did not bother him in the slightest.

At least, that is what Tsaro kept telling himself.

The only thing that stood a chance of bringing a smile to his face this morning was the thought of Sìlpey. He had tried seeking her out again last night, at least so he could apologize for his rather tactless behavior, but the young woman proved to be quite elusive and Tsaro was not about to go around and start asking for her. A growing part of him was looking forward to seeing her when all of this was said and done, though he would most likely never admit this fact to any person...well, any living person.

It was early enough that one would be forgiven for thinking that the darkness of night would continue on for quite a while. It was so early that when Tsaro reached the ground he discovered Ateyo still in the process of mixing the ceremonial paint, and Tsaro steeled himself against the strange twist of emotion in his gut. His mother was beside Ateyo, helping organize his materials, and Tsaro nodded in greeting to her. "Oel ngati kameie, Sempul, Sa'nok," he murmured. _"Do you need any help?" _he asked softly. It seemed to be the polite thing to do. And the efficient thing.

Ateyo's movements stopped, and he blinked as he pondered his son's words. Somehow the thought of _anyone _having to assist in the making of their own Uniltaron paint was...perverse to him. Ateyo did not know what bothered him more: the fact that Tsaro had felt compelled for whatever reason to offer this in the first place, or the fact that he did not seem disturbed in the slightest by the concept.

Tsaro's honest question made Ateyo's heart clench in his chest, and he took in a deep, measured breath in the desperate ploy to keep his emotions level and his eyes dry. _"Thank you, 'Itan, but I do not need any assistance," _he responded, silently thanking Eywa that his voice did not shake as he spoke. He looked up from his work and met Tsaro's eyes, and for a moment the sight of his son's emotionless expression chilled him. _"I am thirsty, though. Would you be so kind as to fetch me a drink of water?"_

At last the faintest sign of positive emotion, in the form of a small smile, crossed Tsaro's face. _"Of course, Sempul."_ He nodded silently and left quickly to find and fill a clean container with fresh water.

When Tsaro was a sufficient distance away Ateyo's shoulders slumped, and he seemed to age exponentially in that moment. Sempul. _Father. _ He could not remember the last time either of his sons had ever referred to him as simply, _Dad. _No, those moments were long gone, faded by more than just the passing of time. Ateyo felt a pair of arms encircle his waist, and loving lips caress the back of his neck. _"I have lost both of my sons, my Yawntu," _he choked out in a bitter voice. His hands began to shake, and he reluctantly surrendered the mortar and pestle, if only for a moment. _"What have I done?"_

Marali was not sure how to immediately respond, torn as she was between her mate and her son. _"You may still gain this one back, Ateyo," _she whispered in his ear after a spell. He could feel a few of Marali's own tears dampen his skin. _"You cannot hold that which is most dear to you so tightly. Do you realize this?"_

_ "But I love him!" _Ateyo responded as he scooped up some more whole river shells that were the base for the white pigment. Marali knew that this was true.

She stopped him before Ateyo could deposit the shells into the pestle. Marali tenderly rubbed his forearm, her right hand sliding inexorably forward until she held his hand within her own. _"You must hold him gently," _she whispered; then she suddenly squeezed his hand, the shells within Ateyo's grasp crunching together with a startling loud noise that caused both parents to flinch.

Ateyo shuddered as Marali smoothed open his palm, allowing the crushed shells to clink and clatter into the bowl before him. He watched, strangely fascinated, as Marali traced random patterns in the white dust that had adhered to his skin before he sighed and took up the mortar again.

* * *

_"Is this what Eywa says to him?" _Neytiri asked. She almost wanted to ask twice, just to be sure.

_"It is," _Ateyo responded in a near whisper. Any ill feelings towards the man regarding his words to her mate fell away as Neytiri saw the anguish in his eyes. She could see the dual pains that were stabbing at his heart this morning. The first was the obvious fact that after this day he would be looking at Tsaro as a man, as an equal within the clan. The boy he had raised, who had sought first his father's opinion and approval above all else, would be gone forever.

The second pain was really only visible to Neytiri and Moat, owing to their Tsahìk skills. And to Ateyo himself, of course, seeing as how he was the one who had painted Eywa's blessing upon his own son.

Tsaro was truly gifted with a warrior's spirit. He possessed the ability to discern with brutal efficiency what was the best course of action in a tense situation. This was a valuable skill to have in a clan's warrior. Moat, with all of her extensive experience, had not often seen such a blessing upon a person. It could be also be a negative portent, to be completely honest. For the same fierce drive that gave Tsaro his protective nature could also transform into a strange sort of ruthless tyranny. Tsaro was balanced on the edge of a knife, and a slight tip one way or another could decide very different paths of life for him.

There was one more thing, and this is what disturbed Moat, Neytiri, and Ateyo the most: Eywa never prophesied the death of her children. She did not break this unspoken rule now, but with Tsaro it was plain to see that his life had the great potential to be very short indeed.

_"Let it be as she says."_

* * *

Jake had no doubt that the young, serious-faced man standing before him would be an excellent hunter and a strong warrior for the clan. Like many Omaticaya his age, though, Tsaro appeared much older than he should have. The entire clan was silent, faces bright and eager as they waited for the Olo'eyktan to conclude the ceremony. Just outside of the circle, Trr'ong and Sìlpey looked on.

As he placed his hands on Tsaro's shoulders Jake leaned forward to whisper something in his ear, on impulse. _"Never forget, brother, that you were once called Ateyo'itan. That is an honorable title. Though no one may ever address you in that manner again, do not forget it. If you forget who you were, you will never discover who you will be."_

Tsaro's head dipped imperceptibly as his eyes drifted closed in thought. Finally he nodded, and then Jake began to recite his final lines.

Afterwards, when Tsaro had rightfully become the center of attention, Jake turned to Neytiri, his expression curious. He was not yet privy to what his mate and Moat had sensed during Tsaro's dream hunt. He was no Tsahìk, but he knew Neytiri well enough to know that something was afoot. He rubbed his mate's back tenderly between her shoulder blades in order to gain her attention. _"What is it, Love?" _he asked quietly. _"I know that something has you uneasy."_

Neytiri sighed and leaned against Jake, but she looked to Moat for permission to speak. The elderly Tsahìk smiled, for this would be a teaching moment for both of them. _"When you are Tsahìk in my place, it is your duty and privilege to interpret Eywa's voice for the People, is it not, 'Ite?" _Moat asked of Neytiri, who nodded. Turning to Jake, Moat asked, _"And as Olo'eyktan, is it not your duty to lead the People wisely and honorably in the way that is best for them?" _Moat's tone nearly made Jake brace to attention._ "In a way, 'Itan, you are father to all of them as Eytukan and even Tsu'tey was before you. And I am their mother, as Neytiri will be in time. Do both of you understand me?" _

"Srane, Sa'nok," Neytiri and Jake both murmured together, and their symmetry made Moat smile.

_"Though both of you are in different roles, you are one family. Jake's ear is attuned to the People, though this does not mean he is deaf to Eywa." _Moat smiled proudly and said, _"You showed this by your words to Tsaro." _Turning to Neytiri she said, _"And it is your duty as Tsahìk, Neytiri, to bring to attention Eywa's words to the Olo'eyktan, as it is not his place to listen as closely as you do. His attention is first for the People, as yours is first for Eywa. Are these differences clear?"_

Jake and Neytiri nodded solemnly.

Moat took hold of Jake and Neytiri's hands and brought them together. _"Sempul and Sa'nok." _She smiled proudly at them as she said, _"Both for your own family, and for the Omaticaya. This is why it is so preferable that the Tsahìk and Olo'eyktan be a mated pair, as your two different roles require such an intimacy as only mates should know. Neytiri, it is your duty to tell Jake what you have Seen. Eywa will make it clear to you if there is ever a time to hold your words. And believe me, child, those times are few and far between."_

Neytiri nodded before admitting to Jake in a quiet voice, _"Tsaro's spirit animal... It was the palulukan."_

Jake's eyes widened in surprise as he glanced back and forth between Moat and Neytiri. "I'm sorry...," he began in a genuinely sheepish voice. "I don't know enough about our customs yet to understand the significance of that. I thought that a palulukan would be a less than desirable totem animal, though...," he hedged.

Moat sighed and nodded. _"In this you are correct. Though my own daughter has shown us that even these creatures are capable of nobility," _she said, referring to Neytiri's fierce palulukan mount that had sacrificed his own life during the Time of Great Sorrow. _"It is this one fact that brings me comfort. Jake, watch over Tsaro closely. His path in life is not clear."_

_ "These last several hands of days have been difficult for him," _Neytiri acknowledged.

Jake's senses tingled suddenly, telling him that they were being observed. He glanced quickly to the left and found that Trr'ong and Sìlpey had approached and were standing at a respectful distance away, and he quickly sketched out a formal greeting with his hand.

Sìlpey stepped forward first, and Jake was struck by the way that the two women held themselves. It seemed like an exact reversal of their first meeting yesterday, for this time Sìlpey stood confidently forward while her mother waited patiently behind her as though in deference to her daughter. _"There is something that I would ask of you, Toruk Makto," _Sìlpey began.

Jake quirked a small smile and replied easily, _"You may of course ask it." _The chieftain would admit he was now more than a little curious.

_"I would seek your permission to remain here with the Omaticaya," _Sìlpey asked.

Jake glanced quickly to the Ikran chieftess for confirmation, his expression clearly showing surprise, but Trr'ong simply replied with a faint smile, _"My daughter is a woman who is able to make her own choices. She has my permission as Olo'eyktan; now she must seek yours."_

A glance at Neytiri and Moat revealed faintly amused expressions and no hint of any objections. _"You have my permission, then," _Jake said easily. Then he said something that both surprised and impressed Moat; though she hated to admit having missed it, Jake's amicable personality often hid his sharp sense of perception, even from her. _"I would request, Sìlpey, that if you wish to take a mate from among the Omaticaya that you would seek my permission first." _Jake grinned unashamedly as Sìlpey's cheeks darkened; the smile that Trr'ong wore was all the confirmation that Jake needed to have to know that he was on the right course.

"Srane, Toruk Makto," Sìlpey murmured as she intently studied the earth at her feet.

_"You are welcome to stay as long as you have need for," _Neytiri added.

"Irayo," Sìlpey repeated before she politely and shyly made an exit.

Jake turned to look at Trr'ong, his expression curious. _"May I ask you what you think of this matter?" _he inquired bluntly after Sìlpey had drawn a sufficient distance away. A few Na'vi from other clans had never left the Omaticaya after the war - Moat had informed him that this was not unusual, and actually a most welcome occurrence. Jake was just rather curious about this particular arrangement, seeing as Sìlpey was the Olo'eyktan's daughter.

Trr'ong sighed as she stared after her daughter. _"A word of wisdom for you, from one Olo'eyktan to another: Despite your best efforts to the contrary, your child will always have a different standing within the clan. It has not been decided that Sìlpey will succeed me as Olo'eyktan when my time is complete. There is another who would potentially be a fitting replacement. But it is a truthful thing to say that Sìlpey has no desire to follow my path in life." _Trr'ong slumped faintly as she spoke. _"She would be Olo'eyktan in my place if she had to. But her heart would not be for it."_

Jake blinked as he processed this. He knew his son or daughter would already be a bit of an...oddity, what with a former uniltìranyu for a father and all. He had not even considered what it would mean to have one's parents be the clan leaders. Perceptive with some matters, clueless with others... Neytiri will probably whack me upside the head for that, he thought wryly.

_"My daughter is a fine huntress, Toruk Makto. She will earn her keep while she is with the Omaticaya." _Trr'ong paused as she thought about her next words. Then, with a soft snort of amusement she added, _"Do not show her any more favor than she deserves."_

_ "As you say," _Jake chuckled in response.

* * *

Several days later it was training time again for the Na'vi who had chosen to learn how to handle a rifle. Many of Jake's lessons had puzzled them - they had not actually shot their weapons as much as they thought they should have. But their faith in Toruk Makto kept them from voicing any objections.

There was one addition to their group today, Kyle noticed: Sìlpey was present, and though she voiced no desire to touch a Tawtute weapon, she was watching the lesson with great interest. Or, more accurately, she was watching the lesson and Tsaro with equal amounts of interest. A simple, questioning look in his friend's direction earned him a withering glare and a quick motion to remain silent. Kyle grinned impishly as he dutifully returned his attention to loading a magazine for Jake.

Jake noticed Kyle and Tsaro's wordless exchange, but his amusement was tempered with the knowledge gained from his conversation with Neytiri and Moat after Tsaro's Uniltaron.

_"Done," _Kyle said as he handed Jake the magazine.

Jake nodded his thanks before he said, _"This next lesson will teach us several things." _He smiled and added, _"It would be best for me to tell you what you are learning after you have seen it, though. These bullets are not the Tìfnu rounds," _Jake explained, using the Na'vi word for "quiet." _"Also, Kyle has randomly loaded several training rounds that do not shoot. I do not know what order he loaded them in. Observe."_

Jake loaded the magazine and chambered a round before stepping forward and sighting on a target that had been placed a ways away at the edge of the clearing, against the small hill. He squeezed the trigger, but the gun only emitted an unimpressive _click. _

Most of the Na'vi present had their fingers shoved into their ears, and several of them flinched.

_"Neytiri, the gun did not fire. What should I do?" _Jake inquired firmly to his mate.

Neytiri quickly responded with the mantra that Jake had taught them all. _"Slap. Pull. Reassess."_

Jake slapped the magazine with his left hand, checking to make sure that it was firmly seated. He pulled on the charging handle to eject the dummy round, which had simulated a faulty live bullet, and then resumed aiming downrange. He squeezed the trigger again and this time the rifle fired a live round, the gun kicking back into his shoulder from the recoil's force. The normal 7mm bullet was definitely louder and more powerful than a Whisper round as Jake had promised.

Four more shots were fired off in rhythmic succession before Jake came across another dummy round. "Rai'uk?" Jake snapped.

_"Slap. Pull. Reassess," _he quickly responded, echoing Neytiri.

Jake repeated his previous motions, checking the magazine and cycling the charging handle. _"Tsaro. Why do we reassess instead of shooting immediately?"_

Tsaro's answer was quick. _"You have already fired four times, Olo'eyktan. Perhaps your target is already down?"_

With a nod of affirmation Jake said, _"You are correct. That target is down. The next one is not. You would not use two arrows on your prey when one has clearly sufficed." _He rotated and pumped six more shots into the next target before the gun refused to fire. Instead of quizzing anyone else Jake cleared the weapon on his own, his hands a blur as he moved and resumed shooting. All told, Jake came across six total dummy rounds before he emptied the magazine; Kyle had not loaded it to its full 50 round capacity.

After ensuring that the rifle was truly empty Jake turned back to the group and presented the rifle to Entu, one of the more experienced hunters. _"Now you do the same. Place measured shots on each of the targets. Clear your weapon when it refuses to fire, and maintain accuracy." _Jake handed Entu a magazine from a pouch at his waist, one that he had loaded himself.

As everyone looked on Entu loaded the rifle and stepped forward. Entu's first three shots were live, and he placed them quite accurately on his target. The fourth was a dummy, and the hunter jerked imperceptibly as the firing pin clicked onto the snap cap. Without being told he quickly checked the magazine and cycled out the dummy round as he changed targets. _"Stop!" _Jake ordered just before Entu pulled the trigger for the fifth time.

_"Have I done something wrong?" _Entu asked as he glanced curiously back at Jake.

Jake shook his head. _"No, Entu, you have not. You cleared the weapon quickly and correctly, and you have also demonstrated that which I want most to show you all. When you fired for the forth time, do you remember flinching?" _Jake asked.

Entu frowned and shook his head. _"No, Olo'eyktan, I do not."_

Jake smiled encouragingly as he said, _"You did, though the motion was small. Please continue."_

Entu continued to shoot, and again after three live rounds he came across another snap cap. Again was the imperceptible flinch, but this time Entu noticed. He looked back at Jake, his ears lowering slightly in puzzlement.

With a reassuring smile Jake explained, _"This happens to anyone who learns how to shoot a gun. The kick is something that takes time to grow accustomed to, and it is natural for one to flinch as your body anticipates the motion. But this is not desirable for it decreases your accuracy - you have the same flinch when the gun shoots, and it makes it difficult to aim. It is something that can be trained out with practice, which is what we will be doing today."_

This set out the lesson for the rest of the day. All of the Na'vi paired up and took turns loading magazines with randomly placed practice rounds to simulate both a faulty cartridge and to tease out the inevitable flinch that came about when one expected the gun to kick back from the recoil.

Kyle was pleased that he did not have to assist Jake with much of anything, for the Na'vi were attentive students and quick learners. He did not want to appear favored at all and he chose to keep a low profile after he and Tanhi had partnered up, only answering the questions that were asked directly to him by his clan mates.

_"You have done all of this before,"_ Tanhi noted after a while as she observed Kyle thumb rounds into his magazine with quick, practiced movements.

He looked up and met her eyes as he continued to work. _"Yes, I have," _he admitted.

Tanhi tried to gauge his expression, but her motions faltered and she had to look back down at her hands as a bullet flipped out of her grasp. Kyle, on the other hand, only smiled faintly as he continued to work - he could have done this in his sleep. _"Were you a warrior before, like Jakesully?" _Tanhi asked as she retrieved the wayward bullet. _"Or are all Tawtute so skilled in their strange ways of destruction and killing?"_

Kyle paused and sighed as he squinted at his mate. _"No. I could have been a warrior. I enjoyed flying more than fighting, though." _He thought for a moment and then commented, _"And no, not all humans are good at making war. Would you say the same thing of my cousin?"_

_ "He learned quickly," _Tanhi responded, and Kyle found he had nothing he could say to that. It was not pleasant for her to think about her mate being like the Tawtute who had destroyed her home, killed her mother and first betrothed, and had tried to destroy Vitrayä Ramunong.

Before she could speak again, Kyle asked her a question. _"You told me earlier that you have killed before. How did it feel?"_

Kyle's mate glanced up sharply at him, her own eyes narrowing suspiciously. Unpleasant images of that soldier's face flashed through her mind - his booted foot was placed cruelly against the neck of a Na'vi who lay there wounded and defenseless on the ground, his gun casually aimed at the warrior's head.

Tanhi still did not know how to reconcile within her the fact that the man had not looked particularly satisfied as he prepared to shoot his enemy in the forehead. Tanhi had been enraged - who was this ketuwong, this _alien, _to decide who lived or died? He was an invader in Tanhi's world, a cold-blooded murderer. He was no instrument of Eywa.

Tanhi had pounced from the bushes, her knife already driving straight for the human's chest by the time the soldier became aware of her presence. His last expression was one of pure terror as he beheld the 10 foot tall Na'vi swing a knife straight at his torso - Tanhi had hit him hard enough that her blade had pierced his body armor and erupted out of his back.

The wounded warrior was a young man from another clan, just barely into his adulthood. Tanhi had been unable to save him - the AMP Suit's GAU-90 had done its job too well. Tanhi had been forced to administer the blow of grace herself.

Kyle had stopped his work, too, as he waited patiently for her answer. He noticed the way that her countenance appeared faintly ill. _"Why do you want to know?" _Tanhi responded, her voice quavering slightly. She frowned once before the ugly expression vanished, replaced by what Kyle suspected was a false-calm.

_"Because the answer is important to me. I can ask you again later, if you would prefer," _he offered as he motioned to the end of his queue. His tone was soothing and gentle.

Tanhi stared at his braid and swallowed nervously. _"It felt wonderful, Kyle. And it felt terrible."_

The two did not speak another word.

A short time later Jake brought everyone back together. _"Alright. Kyle and Tanhi, you two will go first." _Tanhi calmly handed her mate their rifle and the magazine that she had loaded for them, and Kyle stepped forward to take his place at the firing line. _"Begin," _Jake commanded simply.

Kyle fired two shots in quick succession before he came across his first dummy round, and much to his frustration he did flinch ever so slightly, even though he had known the purpose of Jake's lesson from the beginning. Some of the Na'vi noticed as well and made their observations known with a few friendly, teasing calls. Kyle grinned in good humor as he cleared the round and squeezed the trigger again.

The firing pin clicked onto a snap cap a second time, and Kyle did not move a muscle. Jake chuckled under his breath as Kyle turned and gave Tanhi a faintly smug look. Tanhi's expression was neutral, and she folded her arms over her chest and tilted her head downrange. _Keep shooting._

Kyle's form was perfect as he emptied the magazine - none of the dummy rounds gave him any more trouble.

Jake stood back, content to observe as all of the trainees took their turns. Kyle had been the best, as he suspected - his experience with firearms certainly came into play here. Tanhi, Neytiri, and the rest of the Omaticaya all displayed varying degrees of recoil anticipation, but in the group session the problem soon quickly corrected itself - nothing helps like some friendly peer pressure from one's spectators.

Jake found he had to reassess the mental "ranking" that he had in his mind when Tsaro stepped forward. He was the last Omaticaya to take his turn, and the young hunter's expression was intense as he waited patiently, his rifle angled towards the ground as he looked to Jake for his signal. _"Begin," _Jake said with a nod.

Tsaro's rifle came up quickly, and he fired off his first set of live rounds. He had already begun to shoot his second set by the time Jake processed the fact that Tsaro had cleared out his first snap cap, almost without anyone realizing it. Tsaro hit the second dummy round and again retained a perfect stance, and his hands were a blur as he slapped the magazine and racked back the charging bolt. Two more genuine rounds had been fired on a new target by the time bright, DayGlo orange snap cap had hit the ground.

Kyle and Jake quickly exchanged discreet, incredulous glances. If Jake did not know better he would have thought that Tsaro had possessed some of the same military training that he himself had. He made a mental note to run an idea of his by Tsaro when they had some privacy, for Jake had no desire to waste the talent that he saw.

It takes a certain kind of special mindset to make an effective sniper, and Jake did not doubt for a second that Tsaro had what it took. The young man moved like a machine through the firing drill as though he had done such a thing hundreds of times before; he was picking up the nuances of working with human weaponry remarkably quick, and Tsaro was already one of the best hunters and trackers that the Omaticaya had. Jake glanced at Rai'uk, who had loaded Tsaro's magazine, and gave him a questioning look. Rai'uk shrugged helplessly: Tsaro had not seen what order Rai'uk loaded the snap caps in.

Besides, Jake thought grimly, though it was an extremely demanding post, a sniper was seldom on the front lines. The Olo'eyktan had not forgotten Neytiri and Moat's warning to him concerning Tsaro - a position as a sniper would keep the young man suitably safe without having to wound his pride.

* * *

_"Will you leave when the new Sky People get here?" _one of the young girls asked Amber. Her expression was pleading, and it tore at Amber's heart. Math lessons were thus quickly forgotten.

_"Why would I do that, sa'nutsyìp?" _Amber managed to respond in an easy tone. For the moment she ignored the way that Norm, who had been working on grammar and punctuation with one of the other young boys, tilted his head in her direction.

The little girl's answer was intense; it seemed surreal to Amber to hear one so young speak in such a manner. _"Some people say that you should not have been allowed to live here." _At first Amber thought she was referring to her presence here at Kelutral. _"They say that the new Tawtute should have been left to die, far above Eywa'eveng. They say you will turn bad when the next big Tawtute ikran comes." _

Amber's eyes widened. _"And... And what do you think, little one?"_

The girl wrinkled her nose and her ears drooped cutely. _"I think they are wrong. You are a nice uniltìranyu. You helped save Tsaro from the palulukan with Kylefischer. Not all Tawtute are bad." _The girl's frown deepened. _"Are they?"_

_ "Tam tam, what some people say about Amberferris or any of the other good Sky People is not right. They do not See," _Marali said as she crouched down beside Amber and the little girl. She smiled comfortingly at the dreamwalker scientist. _"Do you think that Amberferris would have risked her life to save one of the People if she did not have a kind and noble spirit?"_

The little youngling shook her head vigorously, and her braids swung wildly around her small head.

Marali smiled proudly and rubbed the young girl's chin. _"There. You See better than some of the People who have many more years than you do." _Marali clapped her hands, gaining everyone's attention. _"Alright, that is enough sitting still! It is time to play now!"_

This announcement was met with excited cheers and yelling from the children, who transformed from quiet, attentive students into little balls of energy in an instant. A game of Chase and Catch quickly metamorphosed out of the chaos as the Omaticayan children dispersed away from the shade and out into the bright, cheery sunlight.

_"I never knew the children understood that much," _Amber said forlornly as she stared after them.

"They understand humans too well," Norm replied sadly. Turning to Marali he said, _"Thank you for the opportunity to teach."_

Marali laughed good-naturedly. _"You do not have to thank! You are always welcome here. The younglings love you...and at the very least, the other teachers and I appreciate the help." _Marali touched Amber comfortingly on the arm. _"I appreciate both of you being here," s_he said sincerely. _"Those that speak ill of you are not many."_

_ "How can that be, though?" _Amber began helplessly.

Marali quickly shushed her. _"Where were you both when the first Kelutral fell?" _Norm looked stricken, and Marali made a tut-tutting noise before she repeated the question, aiming it precisely at him. _"Where were you, Normspellman?" _

_"I... I was watching," _Norm replied bitterly as his gaze fell to the ground. His fists clenched at his sides. _"I was watching, instead of stopping them."_

_ "Ha!" _Marali said. _"The Olo'eyktan says that you struck one of the Tawtute warriors when they began to take you prisoner. You were fighting with Jakesully and Toktor Augustine then, just as you fought with the clans during the Time of Great Sorrow. It does not sound like you were only watching." _Her expression softened as she said, _"I will answer little Rini's question: Not all Tawtute are bad. Anyone with eyes in their head and a heart in their chest can See that."_

At that moment one of the younger children began to cry, having just taken an unexpected tumble to the ground after an older youngling accidentally bumped him too hard. Marali shook her head in fond exasperation as she turned and jogged over to the child. Norm and Amber watched in contemplative silence as Marali scooped up the little boy, cooing comfortingly - he was more startled than hurt.

"What's going to happen when the next ISV gets here, Norm?" Amber asked as she stared off into the distance. "What is going to become of this place?"

Norm shrugged, but otherwise remained silent. After a while he replied quietly, "Hopefully we can just send them away, like we wanted to do with your ship. I don't know, though... This one might be tougher." He shrugged again. "We'll fight, if we have to. I'm not afraid of it."

After a while Amber whispered, "You aren't ever going back to Earth, are you?"

Norm's answer was so quick that he surprised even himself. "No, Amber, I'm not." He chuckled darkly and shook his head as he finally looked at her. "Besides, aren't I race traitor, and a thief and a murderer? That's what the RDA would call me. They'd shoot me on sight."

Amber was silent for another spell. "I know a lot of the people who came on the _Enterprise Star _will fight with you," she murmured. "They've seen what you have done here...and why you did it."

"Will you?" Norm asked her.

Amber simply nodded, and Norm smiled grimly as he turned to resume watching the children play. They were so happy - no, joyful was a better word. So carefree. Happiness was only a surface emotion, but joy ran deep within the spirit. The Omaticaya's children had recovered quickest from the destruction of their first Hometree; in truth, it was the children that helped pull the adults out of a morass of grief. Norm truly envied the resilience of youth.

Norm felt a gentle touch on his hand and glanced down. He was surprised to see Amber's blue avatar fingers gently rubbing his knuckles, and he instinctively grasped her hand in his own. After this touch neither of them was startled, or bothered, when their tails twined together behind them.

* * *

Back at Kelutral's LZ Kyle was seated in the cargo bay of his Samson, resting back-to-back with Tanhi, as he ran the bore snake down the barrel of the bullpup that currently lay broken apart in his lap. The chopper had become the impromptu storage location for the Omaticaya's stash of weaponry. Kyle was on his eighth rifle - Tanhi her third - and they had two more weapons to clean between them. They would be at it for at least a little while longer.

_"This is tedious," _Tanhi grumbled from behind Kyle. She got no answer from him, but she could feel him begin to shake with silent laughter. _"A bow is much simpler to maintain."_

_ "A bow _is _much simpler to maintain, and for that I am grateful," _Kyle acknowledged. _"I am sure that the Omaticaya would be slow to accept the regular use of Tawtute weapons based on this one fact. Not to mention that Jake expressly forbid anyone from hunting with a rifle."_

_ "Remind me again why you volunteered us for this torture first?" _Tanhi asked as she began to oil her own weapon. She was going much slower than Kyle, and getting herself infinitely messier while she was at it. Not that Kyle minded one bit - he was unspeakably grateful for the help, not to mention the company.

Kyle chuckled, _"Because now we have several hands of days where we will not have to worry about this duty! I, for one, am glad to get it out of the way." _The cloth on the end of his bore snake finally emerged cleanly from the end of the barrel without any trace of dirt or grime.

Much to her own frustration, Tanhi realized that she had no comeback for her mate's logic. And that fact pissed her off most of all.

Kyle, bless his heart, kept talking: _"Besides, I figured after all of this hard work we could...you know...relax together when we are finished."_

Tanhi's work froze, and she leaned to the side and craned her neck so that she could look at her mate's face, her own features scrunched in puzzlement. Kyle's expression was hopeful, and he was grinning like an idiot. _"Kyle. We are both filthy," _Tanhi observed.

Kyle almost choked on his tongue in an effort to squelch his laughter. Well, his thoughts had been appropriately dirty, after all. He blinked innocently and said, _"Well, I distinctly remember you hauling me away into the bushes and accosting me after returning from hunting yesterday. I was all sweaty and dusty, and that did not stop you from -"_

"KYLE!" Tanhi shrieked as she tried to cuff him on the back of the head. Unfortunately, the angle at which they were sitting made it too easy for Kyle to duck and he laughed heartily at his mate's consternation. He always derived perverse satisfaction from making Tanhi blush.

_"Do you have a brain, or are you only a walking sex drive?" _Tanhi demanded as she turned and took a second swing at Kyle, who easily caught her wrists and blocked her blow. For better or worse, this threw Tanhi's balance off and she ended up pitching forward into Kyle, who found himself shoved up against the Samson's forward bulkhead with Tanhi sprawled in his lap while both of their rifles clattered to the floor. Tanhi caught her fall with her left hand on Kyle's right thigh and her right hand on Kyle's lower belly, dangerously close to a certain sensitive part of his anatomy. She only barely avoided face-planting into his stomach.

Kyle quickly took hold of both of Tanhi's wrists again, simultaneously helping her back up and keeping her from trying to assail him a third time. "You see?" Kyle said, snorting with ill-contained laughter. "You're already throwing yourself at me!" His expression turned infuriatingly serious, but Tanhi could see it in his golden eyes that Kyle was still laughing uproariously on the inside.

"Skxawng!" Tanhi exclaimed, predictably. She was trying her damnedest not to groan and lean in to smell her mate a second time.

Keeping Tanhi's wrists firmly in hand, Kyle leaned forward and swiftly kissed her on the mouth. Tanhi's response was to nip him hard on the lip, hissing with displeasure, but this did little to dampen his mood. "Be careful, Tanhi," he admonished, his eyes flashing playfully as he withdrew. "I might bite back."

Tanhi yanked her hands free and folded her arms across her chest with a huff. She refused to look at him and settled for glaring outside instead. Despite her outward irritation, Kyle realized that his admittedly tactless tomfoolery was having its desired effect on his mate. Though she would never admit it - at least just yet - Kyle could observe a telling twitch at the corner of Tanhi's mouth that indicated she was trying not to smile.

"You're really sweet looking when you get all hot and bothered," Kyle commented easily.

Tanhi turned and finally offered him the expected smile, albeit a frigid one. _"You should thank Eywa that I am not 'dragging you into the bushes' right now, my Kyle. The things I would do to you may not be so pleasurable." _

Kyle leaned forward, his ears flaring with interest. "Really? Just what kind of devious things would you do to me?" he said as he clasped his hands before him attentively. Rather than sounding threatening, Kyle thought with an internal chuckle that his mate sounded rather exotic and sexy when she spoke to him like that, and a multitude of kinky scenarios were running rampant through his mind.

Tanhi mumbled something that Kyle did not quite catch, and with an out-loud chuckle he said, "Sorry Sweetie, I didn't hear that."

Kyle's mate glowered at him and replied a little louder, _"I said that sometimes I need a stick to beat you away with."_

Right there in the Samson Kyle keeled over onto his side, his body quaking with laughter. Now that his eyes were tightly shut Tanhi allowed herself to smile as she looked on with amusement. Kyle managed to glance at her as he wiped tears from his eyes, and when she realized that she was being observed Tanhi's expression quickly changed back to her formerly stern glare.

This triggered yet another laughing fit from Kyle, and with a sigh and a shake of her head Tanhi retrieved the rifle that she had been trying to clean and resumed her work. _I really have nothing to complain about, _Tanhi thought with a smile. Kyle was everything she could ever ask for in a life mate. Everything and so much more. _"Get back to work, skxawng, before we get in trouble for taking too long," _she admonished, though her voice was soft with love.

Tanhi's ears twitched as she heard Kyle pick himself up off of the floor behind her, and she could hear him shuffle closer in the cramped cargo bay. Thus, she was not surprised at all when she felt her mate wrap his arms around her, and she sighed in contentment as he kissed her on that sensitive spot just beneath her ear. "Nga yawne lu oer," Kyle whispered.

After a moment where neither moved or spoke, Kyle withdrew almost reluctantly and picked up the weapon that he had dropped and resumed cleaning it.

The couple was silent for a while, and no one spoke as they worked. Kyle finished cleaning his final rifle first, of course, but then he set about oiling the separate pieces of Tanhi's disassembled gun. Tanhi nodded her thanks.

"Kyle...," Tanhi said, speaking slowly as though to break the silence gently. Kyle glanced at her, his eyebrows elevated with curiosity. "Kyle, does it upset you to fight the people of your birth?"

The cam block that Kyle had been working with made a break for freedom and jumped out of his hands - Kyle would blame its freshly oiled status for its newfound slipperiness - and he leaned over to retrieve it. _"What makes you ask that?" _he replied.

Tanhi sighed. Kyle was quite fluent in Na'vi, though a few of the language's idioms and nuances still escaped him sometimes. His Na'vi was heavily accented, and it would probably remain so for the rest of his life. "Please, speak 'Ìnglìsi," Tanhi said. When Kyle squinted oddly at her she added, "I enjoy hearing you speak it."

Kyle wiped away the last few traces of dust from the cam block before he handed it back to Tanhi. She stared at it for a moment as she recalled Jake's lessons before she swiftly and accurately rejoined the block with its accompanying spring assembly and slotted it back into the rifle. "No, it does not bother me to fight humans," she heard him reply. Kyle chuckled darkly and shook his head. "As I am sure you know, there are some humans who are quite evil."

Tanhi nodded as she accepted his answer. "You are still upset over what happened to you," she stated. She could see Kyle's jaw muscles clench out of the corner of her eye. "I have Seen this in you," Tanhi said softly as she looked up at him.

"If I had not been shot, Tanhi, I would never have met you," Kyle pointed out. He gazed steadily at his mate and said firmly, "Tanhi, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me." Kyle leaned forward and tenderly stroked his hand across Tanhi's jaw. "I've completed all of the trials. I have gained my voice, I am Omaticaya. Is there some other thing you would have me do? You have only to name it."

Tanhi reached up and placed her hand over his, keeping him from withdrawing. She shook her head.

Kyle slid his hand back along her jaw until he gently held her slender neck, and he carefully encouraged her to lean forward until they could rest their foreheads together. "I killed the one responsible for killing me. We're settled. It's done," Kyle murmured.

A faintly sorrowful smile crossed Tanhi's lips and she lowered her eyes. "You wish you could have done more to that person, though," she countered. Kyle had directed some most unflattering thoughts towards the late major who had gifted him with a gut shot.

"And you wish you could have found the one who killed Tsaro's brother," Kyle replied, and Tanhi's gaze snapped back to his. Kyle smiled reassuringly. "You aren't the only one who's been spying," he said gently. Tsaheylu was the damnedest thing.

"I am sorry -" Tanhi began, but Kyle swiftly cut her off.

"Don't be," he said. "It is best that both of us did not get our wish in the heat of the moment, for I am sure that both of us would have done things that we would not have been proud of later." Kyle drew back with a sigh and placed their last two guns back in their protective cases. "It's getting late. Let's go back home." He glanced up at her, his eyes twinkling. "We have the rest of the evening to do...whatever we want."

Tanhi laughed and accepted Kyle's offered hand as she gracefully jumped out of the Samson's cargo bay. Once they had shut the doors the two began to walk hand-in-hand back to Kelutral, their tails touching and sliding against each other behind them. The day had just reached the tipping point where darkness was beginning to assert itself over light, and the nocturnal creatures were beginning to wake to replace their diurnal counterparts.

"I am glad that we are mates," Tanhi said after stretch.

"I know," Kyle replied sincerely without any hint of teasing arrogance. "I am, too."

Tanhi sighed and said, "I do not want to fight anymore." She grimaced and shuddered as she added, "I wish there was a way to just make the evil Tawtute go home." Kyle froze and stopped walking, and within a couple of steps Tanhi was drawn up short by their still connected hands. She looked curiously back at him, for Kyle had the strangest expression on his face as he stared at something off in the distance. "What is it, Yawne?" she asked.

"Fuck me," Kyle muttered as his golden eyes grew large. Tanhi frowned, as she was not quite sure what to make of his words in this context. "Holy fucking shit," he breathed.

"Kyle?" Tanhi asked as she took a step closer, her voice becoming worried. "Kyle, what is wrong?"

Kyle blinked rapidly and refocused his gaze on Tanhi's face. "I've got an idea, Tanhi." He shook his head and blinked a few times more for good measure. "I know how to make the RDA go back home." Tanhi stared at him incredulously, but Kyle only stepped past her and pulled frantically her arm. "Come on, I need to find Jake!" he urged, and the two began to sprint back to Hometree.

* * *

Neytiri stood a short distance away as Jake finished up receiving the reports from today's hunts. Moat was next to her, carefully watching her daughter out of the corner of her eye. _"What thoughts do you wrestle so vigorously with, daughter?" _she asked after a moment.

The Tsahìk's voice startled Neytiri, and she jumped slightly. She stared down at herself and tenderly rubbed her stomach before she admitted, _"I am worried about my Jake, Mother. Why would Eywa give us a child now, when we are so close to danger?"_

Moat chuckled. _"You know you will have as good a chance as I in finding out the answer to that question, 'Ite."_

Neytiri huffed in frustration. _"I do not want my Jake to be distracted. A warrior cannot fight so well when his mind is not on the battle. I do not want him to worry for our child, but as a father he cannot help it."_

_ "Ah, so this is what is truly on your mind, then," _Moat said. After a moment of reflection she asked, _"Do you wish to know what I think, or do you only want someone to talk to?" _Moat's voice was laced with amusement.

Neytiri finally tore her gaze away from her mate and shot an incredulous, exasperated look at her mother. _"Actually, I want you to solve the problem for me," _she muttered.

Moat laughed again and rubbed her daughter's arms affectionately. _"I cannot do that, child," _she said. _"Tell me, is Jake's spirit joyful?"_

A smile crept onto Neytiri's face as she admitted, _"Yes, Sa'nok." _She blushed and added, _"He is even more...attentive to me than before. I did not think that was possible."_

Moat fondly remembered how the stoic Eytukan seemed to melt into a mushy puddle when presented with his mate's first pregnancy. _"Yes, fatherhood does strange things to men." _Moat turned away and glanced at the Omaticaya's Olo'eyktan, frowning thoughtfully. _"I remember how Jake was during the Time of Great Sorrow. He was discouraged. He was fearful. Toktor Augustine's death still anguished his spirit."_

Neytiri nodded in agreement. Her ears drooped slightly as she recalled that terrible time.

_"He is different now, though," _Moat said, and Neytiri looked at her questioningly. _"Jake is a man in love with his mate. He has a home to defend. He is focused." _Moat placed a comforting arm around Neytiri's shoulder as Jake looked over at them and smiled. _"If you are in danger, he _will _worry, but have faith in him. His child and his mate give him a powerful purpose. I would not wish to be one who stands in his way."_

Jake finished up with the hunters and began to make his way over to them. Moat was right - Jake was positively glowing. He dispensed with the normal greetings and knelt down right there before Neytiri, much to her consternation and Moat's amusement. _"Are you feeling well? Is everything okay?" _he began, diving right in with his typical barrage of questions about her health and wellbeing.

Neytiri laughed and stroked his hair. _"Yes, my Jake, I am fine. Now get up! People are staring."_

_ "Let them stare!" _Jake said with a laugh. Jake pressed a quick kiss against Neytiri's belly and asked, _"Can you feel anything yet? I think you are getting fatter."_

"Jake!" Neytiri exclaimed, and she traded rubbing his hair for yanking on his ears in order to get him to stand back up.

Jake laughed a second time and regained his feet to oblige her. He kissed her again, but this time on the lips and for a much longer stretch of time. _"You see what I mean?" _Moat chuckled as she observed her daughter and son-in-law.

Neytiri cupped the back of Jake's head and kept his face close so that she could quickly whisper, _"Can you really see anything?"_

With a shrug and his trademark lopsided grin Jake replied, _"I think so. But I am biased. What were you and Moat talking about?"_

Neytiri smiled and replied simply, _"You," _which only caused Jake to cast a quizzical glance between them.

Jake's ears flicked as he registered someone shouting his name, and he stared in surprise as Kyle came tearing breathlessly up to him. "Jake! I need to talk to you! Right now." Tanhi was right behind him, chewing her bottom lip with concern.

"What's wrong?" Jake quickly asked, thinking that someone might be hurt.

Kyle shook his head and wiped at his forehead with the back of his hand. "Nothing, but can I please have a moment to speak with you? In private?"

Jake nodded. "Sure," he said as he placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder to help calm him down. To Neytiri he quickly promised, "I'll be back in a minute."

The two men stepped away and began to walk towards the river where it was quieter. Kyle was fidgeting with his hands nervously as he organized his thoughts, and Jake waited silently for him to speak. Finally, Kyle began, "You've heard the phrase, 'Burning your ships,' right?"

Jake nodded. "Supposedly Hernando Cortez torched his ships upon reaching the New World in 1546 in order to motivate his troops to press forward. He didn't actually burn his fleet, but the phraseology kind of stuck through history."

Kyle chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head as he turned and said, "Oh, I know that. It's just a saying. But what if I said I can burn the RDA's ships, so to speak?"

Jake glanced sharply at Kyle as his tactical mind mulled over the concept. "You mean...make it so they couldn't leave? That's not really the goal, Kyle."

"Ah, exactly," Kyle said as he jabbed with his finger for emphasis. "But in keeping with the legend, if you had told Cortes' men _ahead of time_ that they'd be stuck there with some conquistador in the New World, do you think they would have been so willing to go along?"

Jake folded his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at Kyle. "I'm listening," he fairly growled.

Kyle pressed on and said, "An ISV only transits to Pandora with the barest amount of fuel on board. It's all about weight conservation. Jake, our silverware had holes drilled in the handles to save a few fractions of an ounce. Each ship needs to refuel here for the return trip to Earth. Do you know how to refuel an ISV?" The former marine shook his head. "Repurposed TAV-37 Valkyries are used to skim hydrogen and deuterium from the upper atmosphere of Polyphemus."

Jake frowned in concentration. "I'm not tracking with you yet," he admitted.

"Those Valkyries don't have human pilots. They're shuttles that have exceeded their service life for manned flight, and the whole process is almost entirely automated - they're practically self sufficient robots." Kyle was becoming quite animated, and his tail thrashed behind him as he paced back and forth for a few steps in front of Jake. "It would have been part of my job as one of the head pilots to oversee the refueling process for our ship while we loitered in orbit over Pandora."

The barest inkling of what Kyle was thinking about began to dawn in Jake's mind. "My God," he muttered as his eyes began to widen. Oh, the possibilities...

Kyle gripped Jake's shoulders with both hands and shook him once for emphasis. "Jake. I've got the freaking keys for the gas pump here. I know all of codes. Right now we have the _Enterprise Star's _second Valkyrie at Hell's Gate. We've got the ability to totally rewrite all of the programming for the refueling UAVs. We can make it so that _we _have control over that whole process. Fuck, I could turn one of those shuttles into a fucking kamikaze if you wanted. It would knock an ISV right out of the sky. Imagine what the Na'vi could do with that kind of leverage."

A tight, feral grin was slowly forming on Jake's face, and he slowly ran his tongue over his fangs. "I think I like this plan."


	29. Chapter 29

**And here we go! Still doing a crazy amount of planning. I hope the pacing isn't getting too deliberate for everyone. There's a lot of stuff coming down the pipe that needs to be worked out. Yay for a week of vacation at the end of this month! THAT will definitely help speed things along. And thank you so much to the ones who are helping me. You know who you are! **

Chapter 29

"What do you need to make this work?" Jake asked as he and Kyle walked back up to Kelutral.

Kyle was still fidgety, all amped up on adrenaline like he had downed a few too many shots of espresso; he constantly kept wringing his hands, over and over. "A data pad. Hell, I can just borrow Norm's. I can get the software from Valkyrie 25 tomorrow, if you want. The servers should still be alright - if not, I can just copy what I need from Valkyrie 61. I can start rewriting things from there after all that."

Jake nodded. "How long will it take?" he asked.

"That part...I'm not sure," Kyle admitted. "Most of it should be relatively simple modifications of the code that is already there. But then I'd have to troubleshoot it, run tests and simulations and the like. I don't know - several days? A week? More? It depends on how fast I can work."

"Okay...I'm following you so far," Jake said. "But how are you going to get all of this to effect the UAVs in orbit? Will you, or someone else, need to go up there in person? Or can this be done wirelessly?"

Kyle swore. "No, someone would need to go up there and do a manual download. There's three automated harvesters in orbit around Polyphemus right now, and we'd have to hit up each one of them. The equipment is basically a glorified remote control device. It's not designed to receive software 'updates' from the surface."

Jake placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder and gently pulled him around so that he could look him in the eye. "Kyle, there's only four people on Pandora who are capable of pulling this off, isn't there," he stated. That was by knowledge alone - one of those people was not even human anymore. Would the other three even be willing to help?

With a humorless smile Kyle shook his head and held up his hand with two fingers extended. "Wrong. Only Roger Oros can fly a shuttle. And me. Serina Rowley and Robbie Jonas are systems officers, and they aren't fully qualified for flight." Kyle's eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. "If Roger won't do this, I will." Kyle's stomach turned ice-cold in his abdomen as he said these words.

"What will you be doing, Yawne?" Tanhi's voice said, interrupting the two men. Neytiri was stepping up to them with Tanhi trailing close behind, and both women wore expressions of concern.

Kyle's ears were folded back as he stepped up to his mate and gently gripped her shoulders. "I'm not doing anything yet, Tanhi. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Neytiri studied the intense face of the warrior who was her mate. "What is it, my Jake?" she asked. She could tell he was chewing over something of grave importance in his mind. One corner of his mouth was turned up in a devious little smirk, and one of his canines had gotten hung up on his lip.

As soon as he heard her voice Jake offered her a tight smile. Neytiri's abdomen was only faintly swollen - it was barely discernible, but the knowledge that it was their child inside of her made him feel like a flurry of butterflies had taken up residence in his stomach. No other thing could motivate him more than this fact. "Kyle may have come up with a plan to help us send the RDA back to Earth. We may have a way to keep the Tawtute from ever stepping foot on Pandora again."

Neytiri nodded gravely as she received this news. "Let us hope that the cost for such protection does not outweigh the benefit, my Love," she murmured as she rubbed Jake's arm. She glanced at Kyle and Tanhi, who were deep in quiet but intense conversation, and offered her life mate a serious look and reminded him, "Nothing good in life comes easy. You know this."

Tanhi's hands cupped Kyle's face, her fingers tightening behind his jaw a little more harshly than normal as though she were afraid they would be yanked apart. "What is happening?" she hissed out in a quiet whisper. "Why are you upset?"

Kyle reached up to stroke his mate's hands comfortingly. "I... Please give me a minute," he managed as he looked down at the ground. He was still too much on edge to speak clearly; the incredulity of his plan was too fresh. Could he really do this? Then again...could he afford not to?

Kyle felt Tanhi's lips kiss his brow, which was deeply furrowed in thought. "I can wait... But please, Yawne, do not hide," Tanhi whispered as she traced some of the darker blue stripes on Kyle's cheek. _"Do not hide from me," _she repeated in Na'vi.

Kyle jerked his head back up to meet his mate's gaze. In Tanhi's eyes he saw only worry and concern for him, and that picture was all he needed to keep him from withdrawing. "I won't hide," he said firmly. "I'll tell you before we go to sleep tonight, I promise."

Tanhi nodded. She was inwardly relieved to have been given such a specific timeframe. An idea came upon her, and she suggested, "Would you want to go flying with Txopuluke? You always seem...calmer, after spending time with him. When you come back, we can talk."

Her mate blinked in surprise, even as a faint smile tugged up the corners of his lips. Kyle gently held Tanhi's jaw and kissed her softly on the lips. "You're a genius," he chuckled. Some time with his ikran would indeed most likely help settle him down.

Tanhi allowed herself a small laugh as she sifted some of Kyle's braided strands of hair through her fingers, gently feeling the small beads there. "Yes, well, looks are not everything, as you sometimes say," she chuckled, and felt quite pleased as she watched both of Kyle's eyebrows climb in amusement. "Go, and fly safe," she said, and she gave the side of his bare rump a light smack before he drew out of reach. Kyle shot her an incredulous look over his shoulder as he jogged towards Hometree.

Tanhi's smile was sweet and alluring, but as soon as Kyle turned away she sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. Though the feelings were genuine, the flirtatious show was more for his benefit than hers; she felt a distinct sense of impending danger, and the last time she had felt such a thing it had not turned out well for the one that she loved. _Eywa, you _must _keep him safe, _she silently prayed.

* * *

Amber Ferris sat back in her chair, her booted feet unceremoniously propped up on a computer console. She and Norm were taking the evening watch shift in the Hell's Gate control room. An enviable post, as both of them would not have to stay up all night. Amber flushed a bit - well, maybe they would be staying up late together, but thankfully it would not be because they were on watch duty.

She held a data pad in her hand, which she was currently staring at with intense concentration. It was Norm's private journal, his own personal notes, photos, and videos in electronic form. Norm had offered to show her all of it, and at first Amber had declined. "This is your personal life," she had quietly objected. "I don't have to see that."

Norm had gently gripped her chin in his hand, gently rubbing her smooth skin with his thumb. "But you've seen everything else," he had said, one eyebrow rising slightly in coy humor. "You don't have to look. But you can. I want to be open with you."

A blush darkened Amber's cheeks, the full meaning of Norm's words not being lost on her. Yes, they had been very "honest" with each other, lately. Reflexively, she glanced over at Norm. His hair was becoming quite shaggy, though he was still taking care to shave frequently. Exopacks and facial hair did not mix well. As though sensing her eyes on him, Norm looked up from his own computer and smiled warmly, looking somehow goofy and dashing at the same time. Amber smiled back despite herself, thinking that only Norm Spellman could pull off that kind of expression.

"What is it?" Norm asked curiously.

Amber chuckled and shook her head, and she habitually brushed some of her stray blond hair back behind her ears. Most, but not all, of her long blond hair was contained in the single long braid that fell down her back. "Nothing, Spellman," she said. She tilted her data pad so that Norm could see. It was a picture of him in his avatar, pinned to the earth by several smiling, laughing Omaticayan children. "Just thinking that you look pretty good in this picture."

Norm leaned over and squinted at the photo. "Amber. My face is being shoved into the dirt by some kid's bare, filthy foot."

Amber chuckled again as she nodded. "You're right. And you're still laughing."

Norm shrugged helplessly and said, "Yeah, well, I was enjoying myself. What can I say?"

"Can't fault you there, I guess," Amber admitted with a smile. She looked at him intently and asked, "Are you still enjoying yourself?" There had been a few pictures of Trudy and him in his journal, taken out at Site 26 where none of their bosses could object to them being together. Norm had warned her that they were there; she was beautiful, Amber had to admit. Short and compact, exotic dark skin and piercing brown eyes. Amber felt a surge of jealousy for what Trudy and Norm had shared; she could see the love between them, even in the pictures. But then the feeling fizzled quickly out - Norm had never done or said anything badly to her because of her own prior relationship.

Norm tilted his head in puzzlement at the expressions that flickered across Amber's face and responded readily, "Yeah, I am. Why do you ask? Are you?"

Amber rolled her eyes as she set the data pad down on the console. With a grunt she hauled her feet off of the desk and tucked her knees up under her chin, and she wrapped her arms around her legs and sighed in a melancholy fashion. "I'm trapped on an alien moon that's four lightyears from Earth at a colony that's effectively been stolen from the largest corporation that man has ever created. What I thought were the plans for my future are rapidly dissolving around me. I don't know if I even have a job or a career anymore." She cast an exaggeratedly thoughtful look up to the ceiling. "Yep. Couldn't be better."

Norm mulled over some of the other things that Amber had left unsaid. "Seriously?" he asked.

Amber's gaze turned back to him. "Seriously," she confirmed.

The communications console beeped before any more words could be exchanged, and Norm got up to answer the call. Amber waited while he spoke, and she listened half-heartedly to his one-sided conversation. She heard more surprise than worry in his voice, so she did not let the call bother her.

"Who was it?" she asked. Perhaps that was a silly question. Unless it was an internal call from within the base, it was probably from the Omaticaya, and only a handful of the Na'vi possessed the knowledge, or more accurately the desire, to utilize a human radio.

Norm's expression was still puzzled as he responded, "It was Jake. He and Kyle will be visiting tomorrow. I don't know about you, but I probably won't be spending much if any time in link tomorrow." His frown deepened as he said, "He made it sound like it was pretty urgent. I wonder what it's about?"

Amber felt she could probably put forth a decent guess as to what kind of urgent business Jake Sully might need to attend to. "How long until the _Commerce Star _arrives?" she asked.

"A little over two months," Norm replied. "It feels like it's going to be tomorrow."

Amber sighed and got up, padding across the floor towards Norm in her bare feet, her shoes back under her own desk. Norm observed her calmly until she moved behind him. Amber wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning against the back of his chair as she ran her fingers through his longish hair. "Well, then we've got all night to be together, then," she said.

* * *

Tanhi had been right. She usually was, Kyle thought with a small smile as he disconnected his queue from Txopuluke's tswin. Like Kyle himself, the big ikran was still breathing a little heavily - Kyle could still feel the force of the beast's inhalations, even from where he was standing up by his head. "That was a workout, wasn't it?" Kyle asked as he stroked the ikran beneath his jaw.

Txopuluke snorted and tossed his head, and Kyle would not be surprised if the ikran understood his spoken words even without the benefit of tsaheylu.

Kyle absently wondered if he should go bathe before bed. With a rueful snort he recalled some of the day's prior conversations, and he correctly reasoned that Tanhi would probably not mind snuggling a little, even if he was not perfectly fresh smelling.

While Tanhi had been thinking that a peaceful flight would have done her mate some good, what Kyle needed was some hardcore acrobatics, something demanding to take his mind off the rut he was digging himself into. Txopuluke did not fully understand the nuances of Kyle's budding plan, but he was more than happy to offer his hunter some useful distraction. And the ikran definitely knew how to fly.

"Thank you, that was just what I needed," Kyle complimented as he crouched down and loosened the straps on Txopuluke's saddle. He received a grateful bump on the shoulders in response. Txopuluke's own unique pattern of bioluminescent spots flickered and glowed in unique patterns across his body and wings, reflecting the contentment and joy he felt from flying.

_"I have grown used to you doing odd things at odd times of the day," _a voice spoke, and Kyle was quick to recognize the faux serious tone as Tsaro's.

_"And is it perfectly normal for you to be up at this time of night?" _Kyle asked as he pushed his flying visor up onto his forehead and turned to face down the branch towards Kelutral's trunk. It was then that Kyle realized Tsaro was not alone, that the young woman from the Ikran Clan was with him; she was staring at Txopuluke with wide eyes. Kyle's eyes darted back and forth between the two before finally settling on Tsaro. _"I hope I am not interrupting anything."_

Kyle did not actually have to smile for Tsaro to know that he found the situation humorous. _"We were...hoping for some privacy," _Tsaro managed to get out in a suitably dignified voice.

Now Kyle smiled, a suitably smug and self satisfied grin that only made Tsaro roll his eyes and mutter something uncomplimentary under his breath. Turning to the woman next to him, Kyle smiled graciously and greeted, _"I See you. My name is Kyle Fischer. Normally my friend is not so rude as to leave me to introduce myself."_

The young woman laughed and gave Tsaro a wry look. _"Yes, well, it was actually Tsaro's rudeness that intrigued me first about him, as odd as that sounds." _Tsaro's tanhi brightened noticeably at this. _"I See you, Kylefischer. My name is Sìlpey. Your name and your accent are...different," _she hedged as she looked at him, squinting slightly.

Kyle was unoffended and smirked. _"Let us just say I am not originally from around here," _he offered.

_"You are uniltìranyu," _she said quietly, her eyes widening in surprise as she finally took note of his five-fingered hands in the darkness.

With a small chuckle, Kyle shook his head. _"Close. Maybe I was, but not anymore. There will be no waking up from this dream for me. Thankfully."_

Sìlpey nodded slowly as she accepted Kyle's explanation. Then she said something that completely rocked him back on his heels. _"Jakesully was chosen by Eywa to be Toruk Makto. I wonder what thing she has chosen you for, then."_

Kyle blinked as all of a sudden the various bits and pieces of the last several hours clicked and fell into place in his mind, fitting together perfectly like the tumblers in a lock. _"That may not be a mystery for much longer," _Kyle breathed. Tsaro heard him, and his eyes narrowed with curiosity. Speaking to his friend, Kyle began, _"I..." _ He trailed off and sighed, and closed his eyes. _"My job before, as one who flew the tawsìp. I may be able to use that knowledge to help protect the People from the evil Tawtute. I will be going to Hell's Gate tomorrow."_

Tsaro could hear the conflict in Kyle's voice. _"You have said that you are one who does not believe in chance, or in luck. Is it so strange to you, brother, to have your path laid out before you by the All Mother? She chose you for something, and Eywa does take care of each of her children, after all."_

Kyle's eyes widened in surprise and his mouth moved once, but no words came out. Tsaro's words were strange to him...and yet, they made perfect sense. It seemed that right from the moment he had been shot aboard the _Enterprise Star, _something had been guiding him up to this. Even if he still felt bitter for having his human life taken from him, Kyle would have to admit that he really had traded up. He turned and looked over his shoulder at Txopuluke, who was still sitting quietly on the branch behind him, preening his wings with the self-obsessed pride of a cat licking its claws. That ikran had freed his mind from the prison that Kyle's crash had trapped it in. Who was to say that Kyle would have even had the presence of mind to think up this plan if the concept of flying was still terrifying to him?

_"I guess...I do not know how to respond to that," _Kyle admitted with a shake of his head.

Tsaro smiled, and Kyle noticed that his friend's hand settled with a certain amount of fondness on Sìlpey's lower back. She did not seem bothered by the action in the slightest. _"It is not so odd for a man to wish to protect his mate, his family, his home. Do not be confused by what is normal. You are one of the People, after all."_

Kyle nodded in agreement. _"Yes, now that does make perfect sense to me. And speaking of my mate, I would very much like to see her, so I will bid the two of you good night."_

Sìlpey and Tsaro quietly murmured their 'good night' in return as Kyle stepped past them. Just before Kyle reached the branches that led down to Kelutral's lower levels, he paused and turned back. _"Tsaro, could I have a word with you? Excuse us, Sìlpey. _ _Brother to brother?"_

Tsaro nodded and stepped away to follow Kyle, leaving Sìlpey momentarily by herself. _"I can wait," _she murmured to Tsaro with a faint smile.

When the two had gained some privacy Kyle turned and asked in a quiet voice, "So should I expect to see you spending a lot of time with Sìlpey?" He tried to keep his tone as level as possible. He was genuinely curious, and did not want to tease his friend too much - at least at first.

Tsaro hissed in irritation and rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone ask me this?" he muttered.

Kyle snorted. "It's a reasonable inquiry. Why are you getting so defensive?"

"Because I am getting tired of being questioned!" Tsaro shot back. "Why are you being so much of a...a...a pxtxawng!"

Rather than take offense to the fact that his best friend had just called him a douchebag, Kyle shook his head and laughed softly. "Tsaro," he began, speaking in a distinctly patronizing tone that Tsaro immediately resented. "The first time I ever met you, you kissed my now-mate on the cheek." Kyle held his thumb and forefinger a few inches apart. "I was this close to breaking your nose right there on the spot. So forgive me if my sympathy for your current position is somewhat lacking."

Tsaro began to sputter in objection, but Kyle cut him off.

"And furthermore, I also believe that I promised to tease you mercilessly in return when you fell head over tail in love with some woman." Tsaro clamped his mouth shut, the swift motion causing his teeth to clack together. "And now I'm not even teasing you. I'm asking."

Tsaro opened and closed his mouth once more without speaking before he sighed and his shoulders slumped. "Fine. You are right," he breathed. Tsaro paused and looked back over his shoulder, looking up through the branches to where he knew Sìlpey was waiting. "Yes, I probably will be 'spending time with her,' as you say." As he spoke, Tsaro absently rubbed at the scarring over his ear.

Kyle cocked an eyebrow up and said, "There, was that so difficult?"

Tsaro rolled his eyes. _"How did you know that you and Tanhi were to be life mates?" _he asked, speaking in his native language to ensure that he did not misconstrue any of his words.

Kyle's own eyes unfocused, and he took a step away to rest his back against Kelutral's trunk. "I am not old or wise enough to answer that properly," he chuckled as he shook his head.

Now it was Tsaro's turn to go on the offensive. _"Do you doubt your choice? It is obvious to see that you two are infatuated with one another." _Tsaro smirked. _"Was that before or after tsaheylu?" _Tsaro's tone was teasing, but his question was serious.

Kyle rolled his head to the side and shot Tsaro a friendly glare. "No. I don't doubt. Not for a second." Kyle faced forward again and stared off into the distance as he organized his thoughts. "Was it love at first sight? Maybe..." His lips twitched up into a smile as he remembered the first time he had laid eyes on Tanhi. We may have been from two different worlds, but I was pretty damn sure she was something special... "This kind of thing is difficult to put into words. But... But I think I realized that I couldn't live without her after the palulukan attack."

Tsaro glanced sharply at Kyle.

With a nonchalant shrug Kyle clarified, "I'm really not afraid to die." He turned his head and looked his friend in the eye, his expression completely serious. "But it terrified me to be without Tanhi. So that's when I guess I knew for certain. I wanted to pull through that so that I could be with her."

Tsaro nodded slowly and said, _"I can understand that."_

_ "Why do you ask this, Tsmukan?" _Kyle gently inquired.

Tsaro's smile was faintly humorous as he said, _"I suppose this is the one thing in life that you learned faster than I. Part of me still does not understand..." _Tsaro trailed off as he glanced back up the limb-ladder that led to the ikran roosts.

_"It seems too good to be true," _Kyle provided.

A silent nod was Tsaro's acknowledgment.

Kyle chuckled and bumped Tsaro on the shoulder with his fist, who scowled at him as he took a step backwards to maintain his balance. "Pinch yourself when you're around her," Kyle said. "If she's still there, it means that you aren't dreaming. That's about the best I can offer you right now. I'm no Tsahìk."

"You speak truly," Tsaro admitted with a wry grin. "Thank you for sharing with me the limited wisdom that you possess."

Kyle rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "Whatever. That's probably the strongest praise I'll get out of you. I suppose I'll make my exit, now. We both have people we want to be with. Txon lefpom, Tsaro."

"Txon lefpom, Tsmukan," Tsaro murmured as he watched his friend leave. After Kyle drew out of sight Tsaro turned and silently began to ascend back up to the ikran roosts.

* * *

The soothing glow of the bladder lanterns illuminated Kyle's path down to where Tanhi and his nivi was strung. This level of Hometree was quiet, as it was the unspoken rule among the Omaticaya to be as unobtrusive as possible while in the sleeping area. Na'vi were communal beings, but the lower levels of Kelutral were where the socializing happened, and the resting areas were for solitude and privacy.

Kyle padded easily along the curving branch by their nivi - no longer did he pay any mind to the steep drop off only a few feet away. He caught a glimpse of Tanhi's silhouette as she slept in their hammock, her graceful form backlit by the dim bladder lanterns on the section of trunk opposite the nivi. As he unfastened his weapon harness, Kyle allowed his eyes to run appreciatively over the flowing lines of her hourglass figure as Tanhi rested with her back to him. He could make out the dim pattern of tanhi that smoothed across his mate's body, like a constellation that was only barely covered by clouds.

"Tanhi," he whispered. He really did not want to disturb her rest, but Tanhi had already rolled the nivi into a protective cocoon around her. Kyle was turning into an exceptional Na'vi, but getting the damn nivi open from the outside still confounded him for some as yet unknowable reason.

One of her ears rotated in his direction, and she rolled over onto her back to look at him. Her eyes shone softly in the dimness, and Kyle could tell from their shape that she was smiling at him. She yawned sleepily, revealing her fangs as she stretched her arms over her head. "Srane, muntxatan?" she asked quietly in a sleepy voice. Even still, her voice was tinged with enough humor to indicate that she probably could guess what Kyle was about to ask her.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Open up, quit hogging the bed," he hissed.

Tanhi laughed softly as she ran her hand along the edge of the living hammock, a trail of blue bioluminescent light following in the wake of her touch. Despite some of the unease that still resided deep in Kyle's spirit, a wide smile appeared on his face. I've married the Aphrodite of the forest, he thought to himself as the hammock opened upon Tanhi's touch. He swallowed, his mouth feeling suddenly dry inside.

Kyle crouched down slightly, balancing easily on the balls of his feet as his legs tensed before he silently sprang forward and took hold of a branch over their hammock. He took a single swing, his tail working to stop the motion, before he dropped gracefully into the nivi. The first time he had tried such a move (by himself, thank you very much) he had nearly flipped the hammock. Now the living bed only sagged a little, and it hardly wobbled as his weight settled into it.

Tanhi giggled as she rolled downhill into the new dip in the nivi, into the waiting arms of her mate, and Kyle laughed softly as well as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her close to himself. "I missed you," he murmured into her ear.

Tanhi ended up squished unceremoniously against Kyle's chest, and she took a moment to shift into a more comfortable position before she replied, _"I missed you too, Yawne."_

Kyle's face lit up upon hearing this. "Really?" he blurted without thinking.

Tanhi smirked at him, her golden eyes dancing with amusement. _"Yes. Even though you are stinky right now, and sometimes you toss too much in your sleep and hog the nivi, and you snore when you lie on your back for too long...yes. I missed you."_

"I...what? I snore?" Kyle stammered in surprise, and Tanhi laughed again and kissed away any further words.

For a while the two simply rested together face to face. Tanhi slid one of her legs over Kyle's, her heel rubbing gently against his calf as their tails twined together. She brushed some of his hair away from his face and finally said, "Tell me what is on your mind."

Kyle's lips compressed into a tight line, and after a moment he reached behind him with a quiet grunt to grasp his queue. The softly glowing nerve filaments emerged and curled about in the air between them, searching for their opposite counterpart. "Tanhi, know that I will always - oh, God...," Kyle trailed off and groaned as Tanhi touched the end of her queue to his, linking them together. A shiver raced down Kyle's spine, making his tail spasm and his toes curl. "Tanhi, I love you so much," Kyle finished once he had caught his breath.

Tanhi could feel tears prickling behind her eyes. _"I know," _she murmured. And she did. That was always the strongest sensation that leapt out at her every time she bonded with Kyle, and every time it nearly overwhelmed her. It did not matter if they were making wild, crazy, passionate love or simply resting contentedly beside one another as they were now. Kyle's love for her was always on the forefront of his mind.

It took a minute or two for Kyle and Tanhi to grow accustomed to tsaheylu together. When he felt he was able, Kyle began to try to answer Tanhi's question. "This is difficult to explain...," he grumbled, suddenly unsure that he would be able to explain things with sufficient clarity to his mate.

He had not counted on tsaheylu, though. "You were a pilot before, one who flew the tawsìp. I know that only you could have thought of...whatever it is that you have planned. Tell me, Kyle. I will understand."

Kyle chuckled as he rubbed Tanhi's back, and he sighed and closed his eyes as he allowed his thoughts to speak to his mate. Watching through his mind's eye, Tanhi observed as Kyle laid out his plan. The need for ISVs to refuel here at Pandora. The robotic Valkyries in orbit around Polyphemus. How control of those vessels could be wrestled away from the RDA, and the kind of strength that such a move would exert over the enemy.

_"You would use this as a threat against them,"_ Tanhi stated as she gazed deep into Kyle's eyes.

Her words set off a chain reaction of much more sinister thoughts. A Valkyrie on a collision course with an ISV, an arrow sinking with deadly intent right into the ship's antimatter heart. A new star is born, flaring brighter than the sun for a brief moment...

Tanhi gasped in shock as her eyes widened. She was once again amazed at the destruction that the Tawtute could bring about, and the conflict...or lack thereof, more accurately, within Kyle's consciousness almost scared her. Kyle's expression hardened and he clenched his jaw. "If it came down to that... I hope it doesn't, but if it did - Tanhi, that's not even a choice to me. It's the way things would have to be."

_"I am glad that you will protect me," _Tanhi finally said as she tucked her head beneath Kyle's chin and began to trace his collarbone with her fingers.

Kyle huffed once. _That's a given, _he thought to her.

_"What do you need to do, then?" _Tanhi quietly asked.

Tanhi felt Kyle's thoughts squirm in slight discomfort. "I need to go to Hell's Gate and speak to our friends there about this. I need to know how much they will be willing to help me with...and how much I will need to do myself."

Tanhi smiled as she listened to Kyle's words, which did not exactly mirror the thoughts that she was currently focusing on. _I want to go with you, _she declared, sending the thought through their bond, then she placed a gentle kiss against the hollow of her mate's throat.

"Will you be able to? I wasn't sure...if the clan could afford to be without a healer." Kyle chuckled and kissed the top of Tanhi's head in return. "I hate to admit it, but you're important to more than just me."

Now Tanhi laughed, and she leaned back to look at her mate's face, her eyes twinkling lovingly. _"I am not the chief healer, Yawne...yet. Loak is old and grumpy, but not near death. The Omaticaya can stand to be without me for a few days."_

Kyle squinted at her in surprise as he asked, _"Wait, you are to be the chief healer? How did I not know this?"_

Tanhi blushed and averted her eyes for a moment, even as she smiled. Kyle could feel her pride mixing strangely with her humility in a way that could only be possible within someone's mind. _"Of course I will be, Kyle. This is the path that Eywa has led me down, for otherwise I would not be as good at what I do as I am." _Tanhi's pride prevailed for a brief, amusing moment.

Kyle chuckled again and began to rub Tanhi's back, lightly dragging his fingertips across the bumps of her spine, his touch running down her smooth skin from her neck all the way to the base of her tail and causing her to shiver pleasantly and emit a little noise that sounded suspiciously like a purr. "Clearly. This is something I should have noticed before," he said before he grasped the end of one of her ears in his mouth and gave the tip a little nibble.

Tanhi squirmed against him in a way that was positively delicious. _"You are insatiable, my Kyle," _she whispered huskily.

"Can you blame me?" Kyle breathed with a contented sigh. _Do you really mind? _he thought. Tanhi's own hands began to wander, and she began to rub Kyle's lower back just above the base of his tail. Kyle grunted softly and flexed his hips, almost without meaning to, as her fingers massaged him. "God, how do you do that?" he asked in a breathless whisper as the muscles beneath his skin shivered pleasantly. Much to his own amusement, Kyle recalled the way his parents' cat would arch its back when he stroked it.

Tanhi laughed softly at her mate's words. She could sense through tsaheylu exactly how much Kyle was enjoying her actions. _"You forget, I know exactly how to touch you in such a way that is enjoyable." _Her tone sent pangs of arousal shooting through Kyle's body.

"No fair. You already have an advantage," Kyle murmured before he moved his head to kiss Tanhi's neck, gently worrying the skin there with his teeth in such a way as to leave faint marks. Tanhi gasped, and he smiled. "I've got some catchup work to do, apparently."

Tanhi smiled as she caressed Kyle's cheek and gazed into his eyes. _"I am sure that you will learn this just as quickly as you have everything else, Yawne."_

* * *

Kyle did snore, but Tanhi truly did not mind. It was not loud or obnoxious; it was really only a rhythmic, breathy little growl that Kyle more often than not subconsciously solved himself within a few minutes. It was actually a comforting noise, Tanhi realized with a smile as she watched her mate sleep. It was just one more thing to remind her that he was close.

* * *

Perhaps an hour or so after the Pandoran equivalent of midnight Kyle awoke with a bit of a start. He blinked rapidly as he quelled his sleepy disorientation, and his mind spun as he tried to figure out why he was suddenly awake, rather than dreaming pleasantly. The frequency of good dreams was slowly starting to increase over the bad ones, and this latest was one that Kyle really wished he could have finished out.

Then it hit him - he was alone.

"Tanhi?" he asked as he sat up and glanced around, confusion beginning to give way to alarm. She was nowhere to be seen.

It's probably nothing, Kyle reassured himself. Maybe she was needed in the healer alcoves...or maybe it was something as mundane as a need to answer the call of nature. Still, Kyle thought with a frown, I wish she would have said something. There had been three other similar instances where Tanhi had gotten up in the middle of the night: one where Tanhi had to check on a sick member of the clan, and two others where she simply wanted to enjoy some evening silence and solitude. All three times, she had left him with a quick, reassuring word and a kiss on the cheek.

Kyle unfurled the nivi and quickly and quietly pulled himself up onto the branch. He checked their p'ah s'ivil chey, their personal belongings rack: both of their bows were still present, though Tanhi's knife was missing. Hopefully this meant that she had not left the safety of Kelutral's boundaries.

The first place that Kyle checked was their "crow's nest," the little bower way at the top of Kelutral. She was not there. All that Kyle discovered was that a few of the ikran who lived at Hometree did not appreciate being disturbed at this time of night. Txopuluke was swift to put any dissenters in their place, though.

The next place that Kyle looked was down at the healers' alcoves, but she was not there, either. The rooms were completely empty, devoid of both patients or healers.

Now Kyle was beginning to get a little more worried. Granted, he and Tanhi had not been mated for very long, but it did strike him as odd that she had left without saying anything. A quick search around the ground level of Kelutral revealed no trace of her either, and when he saw one of the hunters who was on guard that night Kyle quickly questioned him.

_"Did you lose your mate, Kylefischer?" _Entu asked, his voice tinged with amusement. Kyle's expression darkened, and Entu quickly held up his hands and clarified. _"Perhaps my teasing is misplaced, though I only do so because I know where Tanhi is. She is at Utral Aymokriya. I asked your mate if she wished for someone to accompany her, but she said that she desired to be by herself."_

Kyle sighed in relief. He knew that the patrols extended past the boundary of the sacred grove, so Tanhi would be reasonably safe from nocturnal predators. _"Thank you," _Kyle said before he turned and made off for the path to the Tree of Voices.

Nighttime on Pandora was never truly dark. The moon's strange and beautiful plant life burned with their own internal illumination, keeping the darkness at bay with a barrage of hues in blue, green, pink, and purple. Away from Hometree the trill of insects and the nocturnal scurrying of small creatures caused Kyle's ears to swivel this way and that as he tracked all of the noises around him.

It was only a short walk of perhaps five or ten minutes to reach Utral Aymokriya. The path emptied out into an open space where the younger, shorter trees began to grow. Kyle found himself taking extraordinary care to move in respectful silence - he felt like he was intruding on something sacred. Even the forest itself grew quiet in this place.

Kyle's ears strained, but he only heard the breeze whispering softly through the treetops far overhead. A single atokirina' drifted by his face, lofting along with gentle pulses of its delicate, bell shaped tendrils. For a moment Kyle found himself mesmerized by the seed's progress through the air, and he tracked its path with wide eyes.

Kyle blinked himself back into the here and now as his purpose for being here came swiftly back to him, and he pressed on into the clearing proper. The main tree was up ahead, and Kyle drew up short when through the glowing curtain of its willow-like fronds he caught sight of Tanhi kneeling upon the earth. Her queue was resting down the front of her body, no doubt bonded in tsaheylu.

Though Kyle's shoulders slumped slightly in relief upon seeing Tanhi, he was still rather nervous. Kyle did not often visit the grove... Tsaheylu with his mate, or with Txopuluke or a pa'li was one thing. Tsaheylu at the Tree of Voices, a connection with the People who had gone on to be with Eywa, was another matter entirely for him. Even though he completely respected it, this was an element of Na'vi culture that he was still not comfortable with.

Kyle knelt down on the ground beside and just behind Tanhi, his tail flicking nervously behind him. "Tanhi?" he whispered. Her eyes were closed, and she gave no indication that she had heard him. "Tanhi?" he asked again as he gently placed his hand on her back. She was still deep in meditation apparently, and with a sigh Kyle simply began to rub soothing patterns on her skin between her shoulder blades.

Several minutes later all of the breath left Tanhi's body in the form of a deep sigh, and her golden eyes fluttered back open. She jumped slightly as she registered her mate's presence beside her. "Kyle? What are you doing here?" she asked as her queue disengaged from the tree.

Kyle never ceased rubbing her back as he answered, "You left without saying anything, and I was worried. I came here to find you." A faint, sheepish grin quirked up his lips. "Are you alright?"

The pattern of glowing freckles on Tanhi's face brightened slightly, and she averted her eyes for a moment. "I... I did not want to disturb your rest. You are tired. I did not want to be a bother."

Kyle shuffled across the ground until they were sitting right beside one another, skin to skin. He placed his arm around Tanhi's shoulders and hugged her close as he said, "Tanhi, you are never, _ever _a bother to me. What's going on? You can tell me." Kyle could feel a subtle tenseness within his mate's body.

Even though the night was far from cold, Tanhi shivered. "I was... I was afraid. I was praying," she admitted. She looked away, as though she was ashamed to tell him this.

Kyle's first impulse was to leap in and demand to know just what thing had Tanhi afraid. Some part of his subconsciousness spoke up and gave him pause, though. Let her speak on her own, it said. His only outward reaction to Tanhi's words was to briefly tighten his arm around her.

His instincts proved correct, and within a few moments Tanhi began to speak again. "Kyle, I know that when the new Tawtute starship arrives there will be danger. And risk. I am afraid for you, Yawne. I do not think I could bear it if something happened to you."

Kyle froze for a moment as he listened. "You were praying for me?" he clarified. That thought settled strangely, though not unpleasantly, on Kyle's spirit.

Tanhi nodded and heaved another long, shaky sigh.

"We'll get through this together, Tanhi. That I can promise you with certainty," Kyle told her.

Tanhi nodded again. _"What would you have me do?" _she whispered as she tucked her head against Kyle's shoulder. Kyle's other hand came up to lovingly rub her head, his fingers tucking some wayward strands of hair back in place behind her ear.

Kyle thought about her question for a long time before he responded. "Live with me. Live each moment, Tanhi. You won't ever get another one like it again." Tanhi lifted her head and looked at him, her nose crinkling as she pondered Kyle's words. Kyle laughed softly at her expression and kissed the tip of her nose. "Come to bed, Tanhi. It's late, and I know that you are tired, too."

* * *

"You ready?" Jake asked from where he was standing beside Tswayon.

Kyle nodded, and he indicated the small woven net bag that he had strapped to his back. "Norm let me borrow his data pad. We're set. Let's go to the crash site first and see if we can get what we need there."

"Sounds good," Jake replied as Kyle called out for Txopuluke. After adjusting saddles and donning flying visors, the two men mounted up and took off, their ikran both crying out from the pure joy of being able to fly on such a fine morning.

Traveling by air, it did not take long to reach Kyle's wrecked Valkyrie. Kyle was once again amazed at the fact that the crash had gone so well, all things considered. From the sky, the river looked even narrower than he had remembered. The trench that the ship had carved through the mudflats was only a faint depression now, one that was mostly visible due to the shallow pools that dotted its length from an overnight rain shower.

The young Kelutral that had been the backstop for the shuttle was growing well, its expansive canopy almost entirely covering the downed spacecraft. Kyle and Jake landed on the mudflats. Txopuluke and Tswayon both wished to go fishing, and they quickly winged off with promises not to stray too far away from their hunters.

"Are you alright?" Jake asked carefully as he observed Kyle.

"What? Oh, I'm fine. Don't worry." Kyle smiled wryly. "I'm over it, trust me."

Pandora was doing her best to age the human machine before them. The ship had settled into the soft earth over time, and now the cargo bay flooring was level with the ground. Creepers, vines, and other fast growing plants were covering the shuttle in a green curtain. Moss was taking up residence in the places where thermal tiles had been shed away.

"Eywa'eveng cleans up fast, doesn't she," Jake commented as the two men began to walk towards the Valkyrie, sidestepping great puddles of water on the ground.

Kyle could only nod as they stepped into the shadow cast by the ship's overhanging tail. "This won't take long," he commented tightly.

Jake gave his friend a sideways look. Kyle might have said that he was fine with being here, but his body language did not necessarily agree with his words.

A cautionary glance upwards revealed that Valkyrie 25's resident stingbat population was absent, and both men breathed out a sigh of relief. Kyle and Jake propped their bows up along a wall before they climbed nimbly up into the crew cabin. It was a tight fit for the Na'vi - Kyle had to hunch over and shuffle awkwardly across the floor as he made his way through the dim living spaces. It was warm inside, the air dank and musty due to lack of a breeze. He was finally able to stand when he reached the ladder that went up to the flight deck; Kyle's head just barely extended up into the second level, and he was able to wriggle himself somewhat ungracefully up through the hatchway.

Jake elected to remain perched in the hatchway and simply watch as Kyle entered the electronics suite. The cabin of the shuttle was relatively well preserved - the stairs leading down into the cargo bay had been crushed in the crash, preventing most large animals from entering. A film of grime covered everything, and even in here small plants were starting to sprout in various cracks and crevices.

"What are you looking for?" Jake asked as Kyle prowled around in the electronics suite.

Kyle's tail swished behind him in steady, measured strokes as he concentrated, running his finger up and down banks of old displays and consoles. "The ship is still powered, but it would take too long to try to boot up the computers. That is, assuming they're still even working. Aha!" Kyle declared as he found what he was looking for.

He unsheathed his knife and used it to pry away some of the cracked and burned plastic shrouding that protected the Valkyrie's servers; he intended to simply take the entire hard drive with him. "It still looks salvageable," he commented as he cast off the old covers, revealing the metal frame underneath. The component he was after had not shorted out or burned in the crash, and the sealed hard drive did not look compromised. Suddenly, Kyle frowned.

"Need a screwdriver?" Jake quipped as a smile tugged up his lips.

"Do you have one on you?" Kyle responded dryly as he glanced over at Jake.

The Olo'eyktan was half-way through the hatchway, resting his chin casually on his crossed forearms. One of Jake's eyebrows rose, and he silently shook his head.

Kyle shrugged before he turned and wrapped his fingers around the computer's framework. Then, without much effort at all he grunted and yanked back, pulling the entire assembly out of the wall. A rat's nest of wires ran away from the back of the computer and disappeared into the bulkhead. Kyle could see that the connections were horribly corroded, so without preamble he used his knife to cut through the cables. He pried out the specific hard drive that he was after and deposited it into his carry net.

"Are you sure that thing is still good?" Jake asked, his tone doubtful as he eyed the dirty computer drive.

Kyle nodded. "Remember, these ships are designed to operate for years after they are deemed unsuitable for manned flight. All of systems can operate in hard vacuum, even - one crash landing won't hurt it."

Jake remained silent as he watched Kyle cast a look over his shoulder into the cockpit. Sunlight was streaming in through the shattered windscreen, and dust motes drifted to and fro in the beams of light; birds and other creatures could be heard calling back and forth in the forest outside. Kyle blinked a few times and shook his head as though coming out of a trance before he turned and made his way back to the hatch.

"Let's go," he stated gruffly.

* * *

"You want to do _what?" _Miles fairly shrieked, his eyes growing larger and larger. "Do you have any idea... Do you even know what that would mean for... How _could _you?"

Jake's ears lowered aggressively. "Watch it, Kennedy," he growled. Kyle was looking similarly irritated.

Max Patel, on the other hand, was stroking his bearded chin thoughtfully. "That's a really intriguing concept...," he murmured.

Miles rounded on him. "Intriguing?" he repeated. Turning back to Kyle, he pointed a finger at his chest and said, "Kyle, we know the men and women aboard that ship. They're coworkers! We can talk to them, reason with them! This is madness!" Miles looked up at the ceiling and exhaled through pursed lips. He shook his head and said, "No, I can't let you do that. I won't let you use Valkyrie 61 for this insane plan of yours."

It was silent for a spell before Kyle spoke. "Mr. Kennedy?" he began. "With all due respect, _sir... _I quit." Jake snorted once and looked away for a moment, quickly hiding a grin behind his hand. "Your objection is noted, and if you won't let Roger help me with this, then consider 'your' shuttle stolen." Kyle smiled, baring his fangs ominously. "You're welcome to try and stop me," he said as he glared down at his former superior.

"Which side are you rooting for, Mr. Kennedy?" Hoshiro quietly asked, his soft tone ill disguising his unspoken menace. "And please, keep your voice down." The small group was sitting in a corner of the cafeteria. The lunch hour was passed, but there were still a few people drifting in and out, and Miles' outburst had drawn a few puzzled glances.

Miles glanced around at his companions. Max was regarding him thoughtfully, and Hoshiro's expression was simply indifferent, as it usually was. That was no guarantee for what the man was thinking, though. The two Na'vi, even when seated on the floor, still towered over the humans, and both Jake and Kyle did not look too terribly pleased with Miles' response. Miles swallowed, suddenly nervous as Jake cocked an eyebrow up. The memory of an encounter with the warrior and his mate in a darkened hallway came rushing back. Jake had looked quite prepared to kill him on the spot.

"Right," Miles muttered as he slumped back in his chair. "I guess _I_ wouldn't have thought of it," he grumbled. "I still don't think it'll work. How do you know Oros will go along with this? Or Rowley or Jonas?"

Kyle sneered briefly at the mention of his former copilot, but he quickly settled his expression and simply shrugged. "I don't," he admitted. "Roger is out on a science flight right now. I'll ask him when he gets back, which should be relatively soon." All Kyle cared about was convincing his former mentor to help. If Roger was unwilling to fly the mission...then Kyle's plan would become infinitely more difficult to pull off.

Max leaned forward and tented his fingers on the tabletop. "You could really grant us remote control of the harvesters?" he asked with interest. "We simply deny them a bridge home unless they comply with our orders...," Max mused. "How easy would it be to use one of the ROVs to actually take out an ISV?"

"As easy as removing the safety parameters for the docking maneuvers," Kyle replied.

Suddenly Miles paled noticeably. "Fischer, you know what'll happen if you rupture the antimatter vessels, right?" he asked. "Fuck, there's still over a hundred tons of the stuff aboard when an ISV reaches Pandora."

Kyle never blinked as he directed his intense gaze back at Miles. "Once free of its containment field it would mix with the native matter around it and instantly annihilate. Instant star." Kyle snapped his fingers for emphasis. "Don't forget, I was up there when something similar happened. Trust me, I thought of that."

Miles rubbed at his face and groaned. "That detonation would be positively...cosmic. You guys realize this, right? If it happened in atmosphere, it would be as devastative as an asteroid or meteor impact. You're talking about mutually assured destruction." He shook his head in disbelief and said, "If you're going to do this, you'd better damn well get it right the first time."

Kyle and Jake traded a look before Jake leaned forward. "We know. We won't let that happen, if it actually comes down to destroying the ship. That wouldn't be my first choice, believe me."

"But you're not opposed to it!" Miles objected.

At first Jake did not say anything further; he merely grunted and leaned back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest, his golden eyes smoldering silently. "Miles, I'm defending my home, my clan, and my family by any means possible," he said at last. His voice was level, but his tone was granite hard. "Why is that so difficult to understand? Perhaps I could show you the Omaticaya's first hometree. I can still remember which graves are the ones for the children that we couldn't find families for."

Miles quickly averted his eyes and looked down at the table.

"Them or us," Max said quietly, much to everyone's surprise. Jake in particular had thought that the scientist would be opposed to the plan. "We're all alone out here. There's nothing at all preventing the RDA from wiping us out. Hell, they'd probably just say the Na'vi did it. All of us who stayed behind after the battle took a risk, a big one that could well cost us our lives - we understand that. But it was the right thing for us to do." Max sighed and lifted his glasses to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Miles. You and all of your crew and passengers. I know it wasn't your choice."

"This isn't my war," Miles said forlornly as he examined the design of scratches on the Formica table.

"I know that, sir," Kyle said softly. Kennedy glanced up at him, surprised by the sudden change in his tone of voice. "But it is mine, now."

Miles nodded slowly. "It's your call, Fischer," he said at last. He stood up and pushed his chair back. "I'm sorry, I need to think about all of this," he said as he stepped away from the table. Miles walked slowly from the room, his head bowed in concentration.

The four remaining people were silent until Jake spoke. "Was it a mistake to tell him anything?" he asked to no one in particular.

Max answered, "He's a good man, Jake. He's just...conflicted. Can you blame him?"

"Can you blame me?" Jake responded. When Max gave him a funny look Jake shrugged and continued, "I don't mean to sound like a selfish prick, but seriously. You're either for us or against us."

"Is there any middle ground with you?" Max asked quietly.

Jake smiled humorlessly and shook his head. "Not really. Not when the next ISV gets here, at any rate." Jake's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared after Miles. "Have there been any more messages exchanged with the _Commerce Star? _Incoming...or outgoing?"

"No, there has not," Hoshiro answered. "I am quite sure of this, Olo'eyktan," Hoshiro said as he saw the question on Jake's face.

Max snorted. "I think he sleeps in the control room now. He's taking security quite seriously."

Jake unfolded his legs as he stood up to his full, impressive height. "Good. Because so do I." Jake glanced at Kyle and said, "Alright, it's your show, brother. Let's get it done."

Kyle smirked confidently. "Yes, sir," he replied.

Hoshiro stood as well and said, "Olo'eyktan, if you have the time, there are some items of importance that I need to discuss with you in private."

"Of course, Hoshiro, lead the way," Jake replied easily.

The two men, so alike and yet so different, left the table talking in low voices. "Probably guns. Or knives. Or something of that sort," Kyle commented dryly.

Max chuckled in agreement. "I'll help you with whatever you need, Kyle. I think your plan is sound. I'm sure you know those systems better than I do, but if you need anything, just ask," he said.

Kyle nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, Dr. Patel," he said, one corner of his mouth quirking up in a small smile. Thank you for everything, in fact, Kyle thought.

* * *

Kyle wanted to get back outside as fast as his legs could carry him. In the roomy cafeteria the sensation had not seemed so bad, but now the indoors was beginning to feel claustrophobic. It smelled funny. The floor was cold. His back was aching from slouching. Most of the people he came across would give him a double-take before they recognized him, and even then they would talk to him as though meeting him for the first time. Somewhere, one of the fluorescent lights in the hallway was going out, and it whined and buzzed irritatingly. Kyle clapped both of his hands over his ears and growled softly.

He reached an intersection and spun in place, trying to remember which direction led outside. He could feel panic begin to gnaw at the corner of his consciousness in a way that he had not felt since before Iknimaya. "Shit. Shit, Goddamnit...," he muttered as he squinted down one passageway. This _really_ should not be this difficult, he thought in frustration.

"There you are!" someone shouted, the sound unnecessarily loud in Kyle's ears.

Kyle whirled to face the voice, his teeth subconsciously bared. Norm stopped hard in his tracks and Amber, whom he had been holding hands with, bumped into his side.

"Are you okay?" Norm asked sincerely as Kyle's expression registered with him.

Kyle forced himself to breathe slowly. And to not scowl. "Yeah, I'm fine," he fibbed. "I'm just turned around." Kyle forced an embarrassed smile and said, "I haven't spent much time indoors here in a while. Where's the closest airlock?"

Amber took in Kyle's expression, her own brow creased in concern. "Airlock's over here," she said quietly as she pointed behind her.

Kyle clenched his fists and sighed as he took note of the way that Amber and Norm were looking at him. Kyle's knuckles popped, and his cousin's eyes flickered down to his hands. Amber and Norm both appeared worried for his sake, for which he was grateful, but he also noticed that Amber was subtly hiding herself behind Norm's body. That fact disturbed him. "Lead the way," Kyle whispered.

Norm nodded. "Alright, come on then," he said as he motioned for Kyle to follow. It was only a couple of hundred yards and three turns before they reached a small auxiliary airlock. "After you," Norm said.

Kyle opened his mouth to object, but he thought better of it at the last second. "Irayo," he murmured automatically as he placed a cautionary hand on the top of the door frame and stepped inside.

Norm blinked twice and then smiled. "Nìprrte'," he replied easily as he closed the interior door behind his cousin.

Once they heard the noise of the atmosphere interchange Amber turned to Norm, her eyes wide. "Did you _see_ him?" she said, motioning emphatically towards the door.

Norm nodded and winced. "I wonder if he meant to speak in Na'vi," he said quietly. The hissing from the airlock stopped, and the red light over the hatch remained illuminated as Kyle exited. The light turned back green, and Norm opened the interior door as Amber handed him an exopack. He gently took hold of her elbow and led her inside.

* * *

"I'm sorry Norm, I was just flustered," Kyle said a few minutes later as the three stood outside together in the sunshine.

"You don't have to apologize," Amber quickly interjected.

Kyle looked down at her and smiled slightly. "And I'm sorry for scaring you," he added.

Amber shrugged dismissively. "You didn't mean to," she excused, and Kyle was relieved that she at least did not deny it.

"I forgot how short you are," Kyle said in an attempt to be humorous with a grin that was directed at his cousin.

Norm rolled his eyes. "I'm six-foot-two, Kyle. That's pretty tall for a -" Norm swiftly cut himself off.

"For a human, I know," Kyle finished as he stared into the distance. "Why aren't you in link?" he asked suddenly. His tone darkened.

Norm frowned behind his exopack. "Kyle, my avatar is at Hometree. You are here. I just wanted to -"

Kyle threw his hands up in the air and interrupted, "Fine, you're right Norm. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. It was a stupid question."

"Kyle, don't start this again," Norm said, and both Amber and Kyle turned to give him a surprised look. "You've killed and buried this particular demon, cousin. You don't have to breathe new life into it again."

Kyle's eyes narrowed and his ears lowered. "Who the hell are you to tell me -"

"I'm your family!" Norm shot back as he pointed his finger up at Kyle. "And so is Tanhi. So deal with it. Now you have a job to do here. Only you can do it. Now let's stop your moping before you bury yourself in it. If you aren't comfortable being inside, that's fine; it's not a big deal! It's nothing to be ashamed of. Most Na'vi aren't."

Kyle's eyes widened. "That's the problem!" he said.

Norm tilted his head and set his hands on his hips as he stared up at Kyle. "Hold on, wait right here. I'll go back inside and get my gun. I can shoot you again if you aren't satisfied with your life right now. Just let me know."

"Norm!" Amber said as she gave him an appalled, wide-eyed look.

"What, does the truth hurt?" he asked. The question was directed at Kyle, who looked nearly livid. "I now how happy you've been these last few weeks and months. You've really turned things around for the better, so don't backslide on me now. Suck it up, cousin."

Kyle's ears were flat back now and an angry growl rumbled in his chest. He was about to deliver his retort when the sound of an approaching Samson reached his ears. Kyle turned and shaded his eyes, watching as the aircraft appeared over the top of the buildings. "I need to talk to Roger. We'll finish this later, cousin," he snarled back in his cousin's general direction.

"Bring it," Norm responded, but Kyle was already leaving, his long strides carrying him quickly away.

Norm was still staring after Kyle as he felt Amber set her arm around his waist. "That was harsh, Norm," she said quietly.

Norm snorted and shook his head. "No, it wasn't. Kyle needs someone to smack him around a little when he gets in a funk like that. I'm not in the right body to do that physically, so this will just have to suffice."

"He looked like he might have taken a swing at you anyway," Amber said, and she shivered slightly. It was easy to forget how big the Na'vi were compared to a human.

Norm chewed his lip thoughtfully. He had seen that in Kyle, too, though he hated to admit it. "He's better controlled than that," Norm replied with forced certainty. He placed his own arm around Amber's shoulders. "Come on, let's go for a walk or something. I could use some time outside myself. Even if it's in an exopack."

* * *

Kyle waited on the helopad, his tail lashing angrily behind him. His thoughts simmered at a low boil, and he clenched and reclenched his hands repeatedly. "The fucking nerve," he hissed to himself. If there was any validity in what Norm said, Kyle chose to ignore it at the current moment. Right now he was too angry to admit that Norm might be even a little correct.

Kyle was still trying to figure out what the hell had set him off after the meeting in the cafeteria. Stepping into Hell's Gate after spending so many months at Kelutral was more of a shock than he cared to admit. Kyle prided himself on how well he had adapted to an entirely new lifestyle with the Na'vi - stepping squarely back into his former life was a harsh reminder of how much he had changed, and he did not quite know how to deal with it.

He squinted up at the approaching chopper, and he frowned in puzzlement as he took note of the bulbous water floats that were attached to the Samson's landing skids. "That's different," he murmured. The pilot set carefully down on the hard (and hot) tarmac, and it was then that Kyle noticed the carcass of some ugly creature that was resting in the cargo bay.

The two human gunners and one damp and dripping avatar scientist hopped out of the cargo bay and began unloading their gear, seemingly oblivious to the dead monster in their midst. The wind from the rotors was abating as Kyle walked up, and he waved in response to the greeting from the two soldiers who were disassembling the door guns; through the cockpit glass Kyle could see Roger Oros speaking with the pilot.

Kyle crept cautiously up to the chopper, peering with undisguised interest at the ugly reptile-like creature that was inside. Its finned tail extended out one side of the aircraft and its head lolled lifelessly out the other. A decent smattering of bullet holes decorated the beast's skull and neck.

The bulkhead door separating the Samson's cockpit from the cargo bay hissed open, and Kyle got a whiff of Earth atmosphere as the cabin depressurized. "How've you been, Blue?" Roger asked cheerily as he stepped out.

Kyle smiled in spite of the sting he still felt from his and Norm's "conversation."

"Quite the monster, isn't it?" Roger asked as he lightly kicked the creature's flank with his foot.

"I've seen bigger," Kyle replied absently. The animal before him was only a little over 15 feet long. Still, it looked pretty damn mean.

Roger chuckled. "So I've heard. This crocolisk was big enough for us, though. Even if it's only a baby. Especially when the damn thing shoved itself unannounced and uninvited into the cargo bay, thank you very much. Poor Fletcher fell right out the other side into the drink. It's a good thing Lovell is a quick shot, or I don't know what would have happened."

Kyle knelt down and studied the dead creature. It looked like a six-legged, four-eyed crocodile. One pair of eyes was set on top of its skull, just like an Earth alligator. The second set was just below it, most likely so that it could see above and below the water's surface at the same time. Like almost all of Pandora's larger fauna, its nostrils were not located in its head. Rather, its breathing spiracles were set on a hump that protruded up between the creature's shoulder blades. A mossy waterline depicted where the beast would rest with most of its body submerged and only its top pair of eyes and its nostrils exposed.

"You said it came into the chopper?" Kyle asked as he looked over at Roger curiously.

The pilot laughed and nodded. "I shit you not. We set down on a lake about 30 klicks from here. We thought we'd be safer away from shore, but I guess not." Roger waved to where the soaked avatar operator was approaching again with Dr. Ramirez in tow. He was talking fast and gesticulating wildly. "Danvers was studying some readouts in the back. Fletcher and Lovell were lounging on the guns, and Petrov and I were up in the cockpit, minding our own business. All of a sudden there's this huge explosion of noise and the thing comes launching straight out of the water like a fucking marlin. Landed right inside - I thought he was going to tip the Samson right over."

"Damn," Kyle muttered as he observed the razor-sharp fangs that protruded from the crocolisk's mouth. The thing had a serious under- and overbite.

Roger continued, "Fletcher got knocked out - lucky he had the presence of mind to hold his breath, 'cause he lost his exopack. Lovell emptied an entire CARB rifle clip into it. I gotta hand it to Danvers, though. That man jumped right into the water without a second thought and rescued Fletcher's ass." Roger whistled through his teeth and shook his head. "Danvers tried shoving the thing back out, but he proved too slippery and heavy. At that point we all said, 'fuck it, we're getting out of here.'" Roger grinned crookedly and motioned around him. "And that's all, she wrote."

"Actually, it's a 'she,'" Dr. Ramirez, in avatar form, corrected as he sat down on the Samson's float and examined the creature. "Only the females have the purple striping here," he said as he indicated the colored highlighting on the crocolisk's lower jaw. "Males are red and orange."

"You finally managed to get some womanly attention, I see," Lovell guffawed as he playfully shoved Fletcher, who objected soundly to this observation.

"Yeah, and you shot her," Fletcher responded morosely as he stared dubiously at the creature that had tried to eat him.

Roger laughed as well, but he trailed off as he observed Kyle's distracted expression. "What's up, Fischer? Why so serious? Looks like you have something on your mind."

Kyle sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I kind of do. Could we step away for a second?"

Roger shrugged and jammed his hands in his pockets as the two began to stroll away from the activity buzzing around the crocolisk. He calmly studied Kyle as the man tried to speak but then trailed off with a huff.

"I need to ask a favor of you. A really big favor," Kyle finally said.

"Sure, what do you need?" Roger quickly responded.

Kyle chuckled nervously and scratched his head. You may not be so quick to agree when you hear what I have to say, Kyle silently thought. With another sigh, Kyle carefully outlined his plan to his former mentor.

Amazingly, Roger Oros listened calmly to Kyle's entire story without voicing any incredulous objections. Kyle kept pausing and stuttering over the tense points in his plan, but Roger would simply motion calmly for Kyle to continue.

Finally Kyle finished, and he waited and fidgeted nervously for Roger's response. "Kyle, that's a sound plan," Roger said at last, and Kyle felt quite relieved to have his mentor's backing. "But Kyle, I can't help you with it."

Kyle's hopes came crashing down around him, and his shoulders slumped dejectedly. "But you just said...," he began.

Roger held up his hands. "I said it was a good plan. But let me clarify: I can't fly it for you."

"Can't? Or won't?" Kyle asked in a tone that was now tinged with suspicion and bordered on the accusatory.

Roger sighed and he bowed his head for a moment. "Can't. I can't, Kyle," he said finally. "I wish I could. I know what you're doing, and I know why you're doing it, and I agree with it. But I cannot help you. And that's the honest truth. I'm really sorry, Kyle."

Kyle turned his gaze to the horizon, and he closed his eyes against his mounting frustration and disappointment. He breathed in a few steadying breaths to help calm himself down. Somewhere over the forest an ikran's hunting cry rang out, and Kyle was almost positive it was Txopuluke.

Roger peered up at Kyle, his expression somber and regretful; he idly swatted at the thighs of his pants, a motion more of habit than of a need to remove any dust. With a weary sigh Roger admitted, "Kyle, I had a stroke a couple of months after we arrived at Pandora. I... I knew my age was going to catch up with me eventually. No one thought it'd be this quick though."

Kyle's eyes flashed back open. "My God, Roger. Why didn't you tell me? I would have visited or something. I would have come back...," he said as he glanced sharply down at his friend. Roger's not even in his 50s, Kyle thought in amazement.

Roger waved him off and made a dismissive noise. "Mirhadi checked me over afterwards. I don't think I'm going to keel over again anytime soon, but she says there may still be some clots in my brain. The g-forces involved in a shuttle launch... I'm told it could probably kill me. Even riding as a passenger." Roger snorted and rolled his eyes. "The doc had a fit when I insisted on at least helping with the science sorties. She's probably not too far off the mark, though. There's been a few maneuvers that have given me a bit of a headache. I won't ever be Pilot In Command again, at any rate."

Kyle froze for a second as another thought hit him. "Roger, what about going back to Earth? What about going home?" Ignoring Roger's objections, Kyle crouched down so that he could look his friend in the eye.

"I am home, Kyle," Roger responded quietly, and ignoring their size difference Roger stepped forward and placed a fatherly hand on Kyle's shoulder. "I'll help you with your programming, but you're going to have to do this thing on your own." One corner of Roger's mouth flickered upwards. "You still remember how to fly, right?"

* * *

Kyle pounded through the obstacle course. In truth, the name was somewhat of a misnomer for him. If you replaced the manmade constructs with trees, rocks, or hanging vines, the "obstacle" course would simply be another run in the forest for Kyle.

A small smile tugged at Kyle's lips as he launched himself over the top of the net wall, remembering full well what was on the other side. His stomach lurched for a split second at the sensation of falling; Kyle landed on his feet this time, bending his legs to absorb the impact and tumbling once before he was off again, pumping hard with his arms as he sprinted for the next obstacle.

He never missed a beat.

Jake was waiting for him at the finish, arms folded across his chest, expression unreadable. "What did you find?" he demanded without preamble as Kyle finally drew up to him.

Kyle took a few more panting breaths as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Roger can't fly anymore for medical reasons. This idea is finished unless I do it myself."

One of Jake's eyebrows rose imperceptibly. "Will that be a problem?" he asked.

Kyle squinted at Jake, taking note of the certain hard edge in his tone. "I don't know yet," Kyle managed. He just barely avoided growling at the chieftain.

"Norm mentioned that you weren't doing too well after the meeting," Jake stated flatly.

Kyle threw up his hands and turned away for a second. "Son of a bitch, does everyone have to know about that...," he trailed off with a mutter.

"I already knew," Jake informed him, still using his clipped, official tone of voice. "I could tell you didn't appreciate being inside the second we went in there. I was _hoping _you would work it out yourself, but Norm kind of forced my hand."

Kyle looked back at Jake and clenched his jaw, but otherwise remained silent.

"My dad had a saying, back when Tommy and I were kids," Jake said. "He would say, 'Are you a man or a mouse? Squeak up!' So what'll it be?" Jake's eyes flashed in warning. "Can you do this or not? I don't think I have to explain to you the benefits of having orbital assets when, or if, things get nasty around here."

Tension crackled between the two men for a moment. Kyle spoke next and muttered under his breath, "That's a stupid phrase," as he looked at the ground between them.

Surprisingly, Jake's expression lightened a little upon hearing this. "I'll only let that one slide because Tommy and I agree with you." Turning more serious, he said, "You get the point, though. There isn't a lot of time for you to waste on this. You need to make up your mind."

Kyle blew out a big breath and rubbed his temples. "I... I think I can -"

"Thinking isn't good enough!" Jake snapped. His ears were starting to fold back along his skull.

Kyle growled unintelligibly with frustration. He bent over with his head hung and his hands on his knees, even though he knew the posture was bad for his breathing after such a strenuous workout. Right now he did not want to look Jake in the eye. "How do you handle it, Jake?" he asked.

"Handle what?" Jake asked with a frown as he squatted down next to Kyle, much to the latter's frustration.

"Handle being... Being human, but not," Kyle said in a huff. Kyle stood back up and turned fully away. "Stop that. I can't catch my breath with you staring at me," he muttered.

Jake smiled slightly at this. "Do you recall what I said before your Uniltaron? Back when we were hunting?"

After a pause Kyle replied in a somewhat embarrassed tone, "You said lots of things, Jake."

The Olo'eyktan rolled his eyes. "Fine. Whatever. What I was getting at was what I said before we flew home. Changing bodies didn't alter who I was from before. I said that it freed me up to be me again." When Kyle remained silent, Jake continued, "What I'm telling you is that you don't have to be so at odds with your former life. Maybe it's a little different for you, not really having a choice when you switched into your avatar. But I really think that the concept is the same."

"That's putting it lightly," Kyle grumbled.

"Maybe so, but like you, I don't really believe in chance, either," Jake said. "At least not anymore. I've seen too much. And besides, from everything I've seen, I'd say you don't really regret how things have gone. Nothing is holding you back from yourself."

Kyle stayed silent for another long spell as he digested Jake's words; he could see Kyle's jaw muscles working, and he started tapping his thumb against the tips of his fingers. He repeated this motion 48 times before he said, "It's going to be a hell of a lot more difficult to get me to fit into a Valkyrie cockpit again."

"You've flown a Samson," Jake countered. "Difficult isn't impossible."

"I'll need a spacesuit. This will involve an EVA. That might be more than the stereolithography plant can handle."

"It'll be easier to train someone to use a spacesuit than to fly a Valkyrie, and that's if none of your former crew members are willing to lend a hand," Jake replied. "No one says you have to do this by yourself."

"Is it safe for Na'vi to breathe Earth atmosphere for a week or more?" Kyle asked as he turned around. Kyle specifically chose to say, "Na'vi" rather than "avatar."

"I dunno, ask Max." But Jake still ultimately had an answer for this problem, too. "We can modify one of the field research trailers to circulate Pandoran air and strap or weld it down in the cargo bay." Jake smirked. "You could have your very own cabin. Something of a rarity, I believe."

Kyle squinted at him. "You're just full of answers today, aren't you?" he quipped.

Jake grinned and replied, "I may not have Neytiri's insight, but I am trying to outgrow the title of Blind Skxawng, after all." His expression sobered slightly as he added, "And like you, if I'm not mistaken, I want to protect that which I hold most dear."

"Your baby," Kyle said quietly as he nodded. "How is Neytiri doing?"

Jake chuckled as he answered, "Well, she threw up on me this morning. Not very romantic, but I've been assured that a little morning sickness is normal, if a bit soon, anyways." Jake sighed and looked back at the base. "I'd just as soon have her hooked up to every machine at Hell's Gate, just to make sure she and the baby are okay, but I know she'd hate that. Neytiri is able to better sense the baby more and more every day. We've got a...a happy kid, I'm told."

When Kyle glanced at Jake he saw that the Olo'eyktan's gaze was fixed on something unseen. "I don't know if I could work with that kind of distraction," Kyle admitted.

"Oh, it doesn't distract me," Jake replied as he blinked back into the here and now and looked Kyle square in the eye. His tone was silky-smooth, almost sinister. "It gives me a focus like you wouldn't believe."

Kyle nodded silently as he, like many before and many would after him, thought that Jake was not someone he would ever want to cross. The man was a potent combination of battle-trained marine and fierce Na'vi hunter/warrior. Every now and then the lion would reveal itself beneath the lamb, and Kyle was once again inordinately grateful that Jake Sully was someone he could count as friend rather than enemy.

* * *

Tanhi arrived at Hell's Gate in the late afternoon, just in time for dinner, which had by now come and gone. Any talk of war, of fighting or conflict, was studiously avoided. Also avoided, for now, was the fact that by all accounts Kyle would be the one to pilot his mission personally. The three Na'vi and their human friends made much lighter conversation. No, there would be plenty of time to talk about war making later.

Kyle left for the avatar cabin after he had helped Tanhi set up their tent that evening. Tanhi was more comfortable in a Na'vi dwelling, and Kyle still did not relish the concept of sleeping in the same room as all of the dormant avatars. More accurately however, the process of tent making had gone like, "Hold this," or "Put that there," or "No, skxawng, that is backwards!" Kyle got the distinct impression that he was hampering more than helping Tanhi's efforts to make them a temporary home. Excellent hunter though he was, every now and then Kyle would run headlong into an aspect of Na'vi life that was still a complete mystery to him.

Tent construction was apparently one of them.

Jake was no help, having flown back to Kelutral for the evening. Kyle did not hold his desire to be with his pregnant mate against him in the slightest, though.

"Okay, I can't take any more verbal abuse from you," he told Tanhi with a laugh. He gently set his own pitiful donation to the process down on the ground and stepped over to Tanhi, giving her a hug from behind.

"Well, I cannot do this by myself if you are holding me down," Tanhi complained. Her tail curled around his waist in contradiction to her words.

Kyle chuckled and gently pulled aside her queue so he could kiss the back of her neck. "I'm going to get cleaned up in the cabin. See you in a bit."

As he entered the avatar longhouse Kyle had intended to only take a shower, a human luxury he rather missed. He did not count on the distraction that his own reflection in the mirror over the sinks in the changing room would cause him, though. It was not that Kyle was particularly vain or narcissistic, but as he passed by the mirror he expected to see a human on the other side, not a Na'vi.

His grip on the edges of the sink tightened as he leaned forward until he was nearly nose-to-nose with himself. It was amazing how similar the avatar face looked to his real one.

Kyle blinked as he regarded the golden eyes of the character opposite of him. This is my real face, he reminded himself firmly. He relinquished his hold on the sink and held up his hands, studying anew the pattern of dark blue stripes that decorated his cyan skin. He smiled as he remembered that outside was a beautiful woman whose body was identically patterned with the bioluminescent freckles that decorated his own form.

Kyle pushed away from the sink and began to unfasten his palulukan skin weapons harness and his knife sheath as he visually located the lockers with the towels and soaps. As he removed his harness a startling thought struck him, and he gasped and quickly turned back to face the mirror.

The scar along his right ribs was hardly visible, and it took him a second to locate it by feel. Janelle had done an exceptional job stitching him up. He glanced down at his side, then up to the mirror, then back again, comparing what he had always seen to this new perspective.

His mouth felt suddenly dry, and he pushed back what he thought was unnecessary nervousness. With a deep breath, Kyle turned away from the mirror and looked over his shoulder to view the reflection of his back.

"Holy shit," be breathed, and his eyes widened as he beheld the three long, prominent scars that marred his skin for the first time. He groaned involuntarily as he rubbed at his lower back, comparing what he had only felt before to what he was seeing now. _How the hell did I survive that? _he thought as he touched the ridges of scar tissue. _I should be dead._

He suddenly recalled with vivid clarity the feeling of his skin rending, the crushing weight of the palulukan's clawed hand slamming into him and dragging him backwards through the dirt. Kyle inhaled greedily as though to confirm to himself that he still had the ability to do so. The slight tightness caused by the scarring was something he had grown used to, but actually seeing its direct cause was amazingly startling.

_"When I saw you at first, I thought you had passed on. I thought you were dead."_

Kyle whirled to face the doorway. Unbeknownst to him, Tanhi had crept into the doorway and was observing him silently.

_"There was so much blood. The smell of it was rank in my nose, like a freshly butchered animal," _Tanhi shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. Hot, fetid, and coppery. Blood was sticky. It really did make an incredible mess when it was not properly contained within a body. Blood was sacred, it was the water of life. The Na'vi only spilled blood in the hunt; it was not right to have one's inner working so vulnerably exposed. Even the killing of a prey animal, something that was necessary to feed the People, was accompanied by a prayer to Eywa on behalf of a life that had been ended._ "I could not smell you at all, my Kyle; your scent that I had grown to love and cherish was gone. I could only smell your blood." _Tanhi sighed, breathing deeply in and out as her eyes drifted closed. This was not one of the more fond memories she had of her mate.

"I'm not dead," Kyle offered softly.

Tanhi's gorgeous eyes slid back open, and they quickly shone with love and a healthy sense of good humor. _"Thank you, Yawne. Your words confirm what my eyes already tell me."_

Kyle smiled in relief as well, his mate's playful tone gently helping to center him back in the present.

"Tonight, at dinner," Tanhi said, making no move to disguise the change of subject away from Kyle's near-demise. "Thomcollins, the kunsìp pilot, called me 'Mrs. Fischer.' What does this mean? Why did he call me your name?" she asked.

Kyle smiled faintly and looked down at the floor, feeling suddenly self-conscious. "It's...it's a human thing. It's nothing, really."

Now Tanhi was definitely interested. "It is not 'nothing,' Yawne. Tell me, I am curious!"

Kyle looked back up and met her eyes. He chuckled nervously, scratching self-consciously at the base of his queue as he explained, "When people on Earth get married - become mates - the woman traditionally takes the man's last name. That's more of an old tradition, though. It doesn't happen too often anymore." Kyle huffed and rolled his eyes. "Nowadays the wife may just add on her husband's last name to her own. It's not uncommon for her to keep her name the same, to not even change it."

Tanhi puzzled over this in her mind. This was a Tawtute tradition that she had never heard of before. "What does it mean when a muntxate takes the name of her muntxatan?"

With a shrug, Kyle said, "My parents were pretty traditional - at least my dad was. They explained that it was a way of showing the woman's willingness to leave her own family and create a new one with her husband." Kyle blushed and looked down at the floor. "I never put much stock into it. As you know, there were plenty of things I chose to disagree with my father on."

Tanhi stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She tenderly cupped Kyle's face in her hands and tilted his head back up. His gaze was steady, if a little embarrassed. Tanhi brought a finger up to his forehead and traced his pattern of tanhi that just so happened to now be identical to her own; her touch trailed down the bridge of his nose, gently dragging over his lips and down his chin. "I do not think this is 'nothing.' I am quite unfamiliar with most ways of the Tawtute. It is not often that I hear of something about them that is so...balanced."

Kyle could only nod, and he sighed and chuckled nervously again as he placed his hands on Tanhi's sides, his palms gently rubbing up and down her flanks.

Tanhi leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his. _"I would take your name, Kyle," _she informed him, causing his eyes to widen briefly with surprise.

For a moment the two stood holding one another in silence. Then Tanhi smirked, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "What is this 'shower' that you do?" she asked. She glanced curiously around the room, pulling back a step as she said, "I do not see a stream, or any water here. This is another Tawtute habit that I do not understand. How do you get clean?"

Now it was Kyle who smirked. He was grateful for the lighthearted change of atmosphere - there would be plenty of time for hard, stressful work tomorrow. "If you want to, I can show you," he told her with a small laugh; Tanhi nodded at this. "You'll need a towel to dry off with when you're done." Kyle stepped over to the lockers and grabbed a towel for himself and for Tanhi. He also collected a bottle of unscented soap.

Tanhi followed Kyle's movement closely with her eyes, her tail swishing steadily behind her. "Wary" would have been too strong a word - it was not as if she did not trust Kyle, but she was aware of a slight change in the atmosphere. In many aspects of her relationship with Kyle she had subtly taken the lead as she had patiently and lovingly taught him what it meant to be Omaticaya, to be Na'vi. Now it was _he _who was showing her something new, and the suspense was almost tantalizing in its tangibility.

"Here," Kyle said in a thick voice as he handed a towel to his mate. It was a ridiculously girly shade of pink.

Tanhi's eyes widened when her hand touched the cloth. "It is so soft!" she declared, and she could not help but sigh blissfully and rub her cheek against the incredibly fluffy towel. _This is amazing! _Tanhi thought giddily, and her tail wagged gleefully behind her in testament to her excitement. She could probably stop this "shower" experience right here and still be completely satisfied with it.

Kyle laughed and took hold of her free hand, gently leading her towards the actual shower room proper. He hung his towel on a hook just inside and made to relieve Tanhi of hers, but that task proved easier said than done. "Tanhi, you can't get your towel wet. It needs to be dry for later."

With a perfectly pouty expression, Tanhi surrendered her precious towel. She stepped over the raised doorsill and looked around the room curiously as she shivered. "The ground is cold," she stated as she shifted her bare feet on the tiled floor. And she still could not see any water, even though she could smell it. "What are you doing?"

Kyle paused in the act of lifting Tanhi's necklace from around her neck. His eyes danced with laughter, along with something more, as he explained, "Well, you aren't supposed to shower with your clothes on, Tanhi. This is for cleaning bodies, not garments."

Tanhi's ears perked forward with interest as understanding began to dawn over her. "I think I like this 'shower' thing," she informed Kyle.


	30. Chapter 30

**Greetings from Lake of the Ozarks! Thank goodness tubing, wake boarding, and cliff jumping hasn't impeded my typing, eh? Vacations are never as long as they should be, right? :-)**

Chapter 30

Neytiri woke up slowly. She really hated starting her day like this, but despite her best efforts she could not simply "snap to" like she used to. _It must be the pregnancy, _she thought. _I suppose it could be worse... _She had upchucked on her still-sleeping mate yesterday by accident. _Ug, there are some things that I really wish Mother had told me about BEFORE they happened._ The nausea came on quickly and caught her completely by surprise; Neytiri had tried to wake up Jake to let him know that something was wrong, she really did, but things just sort of got away from her...

Oh, yeah. She most definitely woke Jake up.

Thankfully she did not feel sick this morning. Just...lazy. And Neytiri hated feeling lazy. It went against everything that she was. The morning smelled fresh and early; it was a day just begging to be jumped into with both feet. She could tell from the brightness around her that it was well past the time she should have been up by; both of them should be up, but she could still feel Jake resting beside her as well. Neytiri also became slowly aware of a quietly murmured conversation nearby, and she blinked her eyes groggily. Was something wrong? Did someone need to speak with Jake so urgently that they had to wake him up?

"You need to behave. You can't be making trouble! You made Sa'nu sick yesterday, and I got urpped on. Can you try to do better? Can you behave for Sa'nu and Sempu?"

Jake was deep in intense discussion with the slight bulge in his mate's belly. He was propped up on one elbow, his free hand gently and lovingly stroking Neytiri's side. _"My Jake," _Neytiri groaned through a wide yawn as she leaned forward slightly to see what was going on. _"What are you doing?"_

Jake glanced up at her. "Shhh, you're interrupting," he chastised. "I'm trying to have a conversation here." He had the audacity to sound serious, but his eyes were smiling.

Neytiri let her head flop back, and she smiled as well when Jake resumed his whispered discussion with their child.

"Is he listening to you?" Neytiri asked after a while.

Jake froze for several seconds as his brain registered Neytiri's use of a masculine pronoun. "He?" Jake squeaked. Actually squeaked. "Can... Can you really tell that we're having a son?" Jake had been steadily preparing himself for the surprise of a son or a daughter when the time came. Though he rather hated surprises in his life, a side-effect no doubt from being a marine and a Na'vi Olo'eyktan, Jake had figured that there would be no escaping this one. But now...?

Neytiri craned her neck back up to look at her mate, who was staring back at her with comically wide eyes. It was the same expression that he wore when he swallowed a bug by mistake when flying with Tswayon. "Only another man could cause me so much trouble," Neytiri reasoned. Jake's eyes widened even more, and Neytiri laughed softly as she reached her hand forward to rub the side of his face. _"I will be able to know for sure soon. It is too early to say with certainty, but... I suspect I am right."_

Jake blinked rapidly and turned his gaze back to Neytiri's abdomen. "'Itan," he whispered softly before tenderly pressing his lips against Neytiri's skin.

Neytiri continued to stroke Jake's hair as both of them pondered the blessing that had been graced upon them. _"What should we name our child, my Jake?" _Neytiri asked him after a spell. She had a few names already picked out - she had started thinking about it a few days ago, in fact, when the feeling of her child's gender began to grow more clear.

Jake pondered her question, for surely it was a very important one. _"If we are having a son...or a daughter, it makes no difference... I want to name our child after someone important to both of us." _Jake sighed and tilted his head so he could see Neytiri's face while resting his cheek against her belly. _"If we are indeed having a son, he should be named after someone great."_

Neytiri's faint smile grew into a markedly larger one. Actually, it was more of a smirk. _"We should name him after his father, then," _she declared. There would be plenty of Na'vi children who would bear the name of the sixth Toruk Makto, whether Jake liked it or not.

Jake blinked a few times and blushed self-consciously. _"I was actually thinking of maybe naming him after _your _father," _he countered.

Neytiri nodded slowly. Eytukan was a good, strong name. Her father was certainly a great man, and there would surely be no objections from Moat. _"I was thinking of another name," _she said slowly.

Jake frowned thoughtfully. _"Tsu'tey?"_ he asked. He held nothing against Neytiri's first betrothed, against the man he had effectively stolen her from. For the brief, but ever so important, time that they had been on good terms with one another, Tsu'tey had been like a brother to Jake. It would be a fitting honor indeed.

_"No, though that is a good name, too," _Neytiri replied gently. _"I was thinking of the name of the one whom none of this would be possible if not for him." _Jake continued to stare silently at her with an inquisitive expression. Neytiri smiled and thought in amusement, _he really does not get it yet. _She waited a moment longer before clarifying things for him. _"I was thinking of naming our son, 'Tom.'"_

Without being bonded in tsaheylu, Neytiri lacked the insight necessary to know precisely what was going on in Jake's mind. She could feel his body stiffen against hers, but his expression hardly changed. Jake simply blinked once and turned his face away as he resumed resting his head against his mate's stomach. He never said a word.

"My Jake?" Neytiri asked, her words tinged with caution. Had she said something that she should not have?

Jake shuddered once before he spoke in a muffled voice. _"You do not want a Na'vi name?" _he asked, still facing away from her.

Neytiri frowned. What kind of response was that? "I only sought to honor your family... My Jake, what is wrong?" She could feel wetness against her skin, and she realized with a shock that Jake was crying. Neytiri sat up with a grunt, not expecting the motion to be so difficult, and grasped Jake under his armpit, tugging gently. "Rutxe, please, be close to me," she beseeched him.

Jake allowed himself to be pulled upwards, and he shuffled forward in their nivi until he was resting side by side with Neytiri, who was gazing worriedly at him as she stroked his shoulders. Jake's cheeks were damp, his eyes were tightly closed; he swiftly buried his face against the side of Neytiri's neck as he drew in a long, shaky breath. He wrapped his arms tightly around Neytiri's chest, and she quickly and eagerly returned his embrace.

Neytiri lovingly kissed Jake's head as she asked, "Please, Love, say something to me. I did not mean to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me," Jake whispered. A tension that Neytiri did not even know she was holding left her body upon hearing these words. "I'm just... I'm just overwhelmed." Jake finally leaned back enough for Neytiri to see his face. It was strange to see him weep and smile at the same time. He sniffed loudly, making Neytiri's lips turn up in fond amusement. "I just don't know what to say. So I guess I'm crying. It's dumb -"

Neytiri objected to this with a swift, passionate kiss which Jake readily returned. All of the emotion that Jake was feeling, every ounce of it, suddenly poured into his actions like water from a ruptured dam; the crush of their lips and the thrust of their tongues, and soon both of them were panting and gasping for breath as they held each other close.

"Not dumb," Neytiri corrected softly as she rubbed her nose against Jake's once they finally pulled apart. "Skxawng," she added, making both of them smile.

Jake sighed and pressed his forehead against Neytiri's. "I miss my brother," he admitted. The thought that the avatar, his body, was made with a part of his brother's own body still messed with his mind sometimes. It was a strange connection that he wished he did not have to endure. Bittersweet did not even come close to describing how he felt about the matter.

"I will worry for you when you begin to stop missing him," Neytiri informed him softly.

Jake hummed in agreement, and he began to slide one of his hands down Neytiri's body, his fingertips dragging softly over smooth, cobalt skin. He smiled as Neytiri gasped and squirmed when he passed over the peak of a breast. "So, we're having a son," he murmured, almost to himself, when his hand came to rest on Neytiri's stomach.

He looked back up at Neytiri, who held his gaze as she nodded slowly.

Jake's throat moved as he swallowed down a fresh upwelling of emotion. "'Thomas' is a good name," Jake declared in a suddenly thick, constricted voice. "Tommy would be honored, I know he would be. He'd be proud of us, proud of his nephew. This is a good way to remember him by."

* * *

Colonel Samantha Barnes sighed and let her head slump forward until it landed with a _thump _against the tabletop while one hand brusquely slid her data pad out of the way. "Unbelievable," she muttered to herself. Can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, she thought to herself. And yet that was just what RDA Central was asking her to do.

No, not asking: telling. Retake and hold Hell's Gate. At all costs. No recourse.

"Damnit," she said to no one in particular.

That did not mean that her words went unheard, though. "Troubles, boss?" a male voice asked.

Barnes' head snapped up and her icy blue eyes settled on the doorway, where Major Link was casually lounging. Normally his dark eyes were flashing with his own unique brand of sarcastic, biting humor. But now his expression was serious. He could tell the boss was not happy. And if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

"Need another mind to bounce things off of?" Link offered. His speech was deceptively casual. This was a work conversation, and both commander and soldier were very aware of that fact.

The Colonel nodded. "Yes, that would be helpful." She rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. "I've just finished going over the basics, and I was going to get you in here anyway for a second opinion."

Link slipped into the _Commerce Star's_ tiny galley and sat in the chair opposite from his commanding officer. If the seat had not been bolted to the deck, he would have flipped it around to rest his arms on the backrest. These ISVs are so damned uncomfortable, he complained silently, and not for the first time. "Lay it on me," he said aloud.

Barnes snorted and shook her head. "We don't know a whole lot. We don't know how many people are still at Hell's Gate. We don't know what their relationship is with the indigenous." She paused before adding, "Although I think it's safe to say they're on good terms with the natives if the Na'vi haven't killed all of them yet."

"Agreed," Link said. He was not a yes-man. He gave his affirmation to the Colonel's thoughts because they mirrored his own.

The Colonel's fists clenched on the tabletop for a moment. "Selfridge reports that there were a number of people who defected to the side of the natives. One of them in particular, an avatar driver, gives me pause: Jake Sully, formerly USMC. He was the instigator."

"So we kill him," Link responded easily. As if it was the most obvious conclusion in the world.

A faint smile formed on Barnes' lips. "Our orders do not explicitly call for such an action. It would be preferable to bring him back to Earth to stand trial." She paused meaningfully. "Although neither do our orders forbid the use of...force."

"What can we expect in terms of resistance?" Link asked as he tented his fingers. One regal eyebrow climbed imperceptibly. "Are we dealing with a bunch of scientists who've forgotten who hired them? Or will we face armed, organized resistance?"

Barnes shrugged. "Can't tell. We're maintaining radio silence with the base until we gain Pandoran orbit. Not my first choice, but also not my call. I've cross-referenced personnel lists from the _Venture Star, _compared it with the confirmed dead from Quaritch's little cluster-fuck, and with the staffing reports for Hell's Gate." She sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "That took forever, let me tell you. We could be dealing with anywhere from 10 to 50 trained troopers who have by all appearances changed sides, along with perhaps the same amount of scientists."

Link winced. "How could anyone do that? How could someone betray their own...humanity?"

Again Barnes shrugged. "Don't know that, either. But I am reviewing RDA's bylaws and policies regarding the Pandora operation to see how much...leeway we have concerning our misguided coworkers."

A rather unkind grin slid onto Link's face. "We're an awfully long ways away from home," he said nonchalantly, his unsaid menace plain in his tone and expression.

Barnes responded with a grin that was equally cold. "We are indeed, Mr. Link. We are indeed."

"Our biggest disadvantage will be our lack of hardware," Link mused aloud. "Do you know anything about the remaining inventory at Hell's Gate?"

"A bit," Barnes answered. She snorted and smiled as she said, "Someone on the _Venture Star _has a brain between their ears. Nothing concrete of course, but I've been told that by all reasonable estimates perhaps around ten or so helicopters and AMP suits survived the battle."

"But with the stereolithography plant, they could always make more." Link shook his head in frustration. "All we have are parts for this and that. And a couple of cargo pods full of firearms. That's it."

"Maybe," Barnes replied. "We have a numerically superior trained fighting force. And we have the high ground."

"The men won't be at their best when they wake up from cryo," Link murmured.

Barnes held Link's gaze. "Nothing a few stim shots won't fix," she said in a hard voice. "Everyone will need to grow a pair and deal with it. We don't have a choice." The Colonel rubbed at the bridge of her nose, a habitual gesture that she did when deep in thought. "We'll know more once we gain orbit."

"But we need to be ready for a hard drop," Link countered. "What are the odds of using any of the auxiliary landing zones?"

The Colonel shook her head. "Slim to none. What would that gain us? We would have no shelter; only the avatars could withstand any reasonable amount of time out in the elements. No, all roads lead through Hell's Gate, first." Barnes grinned humorlessly. "Yes, we should be ready for a hard drop."

* * *

Captain Silva's head turned upon hearing the bridge hatch slide open. His smile was lukewarm at the appearance of the Ice Queen, as he likened the Colonel in his own mind. "What can I do for you at this fine time of morning?" Silva asked.

Barnes' gaze automatically went to the mission clock, which was synced to the RDA's corporate headquarters in Tampa, Florida. It was 3:56. "I need to ask you for a favor," she responded in an unreadable tone as she held up a data pad.

She made no move to approach closer, so with a grunt Silva pulled himself out of his command chair. It was difficult to maintain any kind of reasonable fitness on a space voyage; gravity could be such a drag, Silva thought as he stepped up beside the Colonel to see what she was after now. The Captain quickly recognized his own ship's cargo manifest. "I need to access these three cargo pods," the Colonel stated.

"I'll be more than happy to prioritize those pods for you once we begin the unload process," Silva responded smoothly. Now go away, he thought to himself as he made to turn back to his work.

"No." Barnes' one spoken word was quiet, so that no one else but Silva heard it. That did not make the power of the command any less. "I need them now."

Silva could feel blood rushing to his face, and he blinked back a rapidly blooming rage. "It is impossible to access the cargo pods while we are decelerating," Silva said through gritted teeth.

One of the Colonel's delicate eyebrows climbed ever so slightly. "So stop, and get them for me."

Struggling to maintain a calm and professional demeanor, Silva replied in a low hiss, "Do you think you can simply switch a matter-antimatter engine on and off like a light switch? Not only that, but the braking maneuver is precisely timed. If we deviate from the mission profile, we will miss our target." He waited for any kind of response from the Colonel, but her maddeningly calm expression never wavered.

"You have reserves of fuel built into the mission profile for maintenance emergencies. It is not ideal to 'flick' the engines on and off, but neither is it impossible." Samantha Barnes' calm gaze never faltered as she practically ordered, "We will make up for lost time by increasing the thrust for the remainder of the braking maneuver."

Colonel Barnes still had not raised her voice; Silva almost wished that she was yelling at him, rather than talking to him like a parent to a petulant child. It infuriated him that she was right. "That is _exactly _the point of the reserves. They are for an _emergency. _They are not to be tapped into on a whim," he growled.

"This _is _an emergency," Barnes responded in a low, dangerous voice. She took a step closer until her face was a foot from Silva's, invading the Captain's personal space. "I should remind you that you and I are not private contractors. The RDA owns both of us; body, heart, and soul. I truly wish I did not need to clean up this shit storm. But due to events beyond our control we are now required to step up, _man _up, rise to the occasion, and take some risks necessary to get the job done. Do you follow what I'm saying, _Captain?"_

Silva stared down his nose at the shorter woman. His hands clenched at his sides, and he was beginning to shake from anger.

"Now if you can't get me what I need, _Captain, _I will find someone else who can," Barnes said, emphasizing his title with obvious disdain.

Silva's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?" he snarled, and his eyes darted against his will to the Colonel's sidearm holster. It was empty.

Colonel Barnes' crystalline blue eyes flashed, their depths swirling with a miniature storm. "That's a fact," she growled.

Neither person moved a muscle for the span of several seconds. The breath hissed in and out of Silva's nostrils as his mind spun to determine the seriousness of the Colonel's words. And Barnes never gave an inch to the Captain's murderous glare.

"Helm!" Silva snapped, still scowling fiercely at the Colonel.

"Sir!"

"Emergency stop, sound the general alarm," Silva ordered. The response was slow in coming, and Silva glanced back over his shoulder to find the entire bridge crew staring at him incredulously. "Move it!" Silva bellowed.

Barnes' expression was still stone cold when Silva turned back to face her. A two tone electronic alarm began to wail, and Silva could already feel his stomach protest and clench as gravity began to lessen. The _Commerce Star _began to pop and ping as the force that her great engines had been exerting against her structure fell away.

"You've got 20 hours, Colonel. 24 hours before our bingo point," Silva in a low voice. "After that we resume the deceleration burn, otherwise we miss Pandora and shoot off into the wild blue yonder. And that too, _Colonel, _is a fact."

* * *

Major Elias Link flinched as the alarm began to sound, and he scrabbled for a hold against the galley table as he found himself growing rapidly lighter. So that's why the furniture's bolted to the floor. I suppose that makes sense, he observed dryly.

Cursing could be heard in the galley, and Link watched incredulously as what was supposed to be breakfast began to float away from the cook, who was struggling to corral his wayward ingredients before they splattered into something vital. Beside him a container of dry oatmeal was disgorging its contents in a mesmerizing arc through the air.

"Link!" He spun ungracefully as he inverted unintentionally above the table. His data pad floated by, and he made a wild grab for it and ended up bumping back-first into the ceiling. Barnes was upside down in the doorway, her short hair fluffed out in an almost ridiculous afro. "Get Smith, Stoltz, and Thiele! We've got 20 hours to get what we need organized in the Valkyries before it gets real heavy again. Make it snappy, soldier!"

Link clipped the data pad to his belt and floundered through the air, struggling ungracefully to comply with the Colonel's orders.

Nearly 17 hours later Barnes was still working like a madwoman in one of the Valkyrie's cargo bays along with the rest of the Sec-Ops troopers who were awake. Weapons and ammunition needed to be sorted and stowed for easy access later. Gear needed to be checked and organized. The rumbling sounds of the autoloader could be heard as it finished stowing the last container into the second shuttle, a constant audible reminder that more work was piling up.

It had been a tough call for her to make, choosing what went where first, and what she would personally supervise. Ultimately Link, her Second, had helped make the decision obvious for her. "Do we want to cater to the needs of seven, or to the whole team?"

The answer was obvious. The few science pukes that had been thawed could be trusted to handle their part of the mission, albeit begrudgingly. She could review their work in the second shuttle once they were in orbit over Pandora.

Up in the bridge, Captain Silva was no less busy. Or stressed. He floated in an out of the way corner of the bridge, arms folded grumpily across his chest, as he supervised his crew. A lot of things were happening simultaneously, and right now they could not afford any mistakes. He glanced over at a console; the main mission clock had been demoted to a smaller screen. In its place was a countdown that currently read, "07:13:48." Fractions of a second were also counting down in a blur, too fast to follow with the human eye.

"Here, captain, take a look," Hall said as he floated up to his commanding officer and offered him a data pad. Tyler Hall looked disheveled, having been rudely awoken in the middle of his designated sleep cycle. Dark bags were under his eyes, and his hair was mussed in a way that had nothing to do with weightlessness.

It was necessary, though. Silva did not want to recalculate their survival on his own. "Thanks," Silva said as he accepted the data pad and compared Hall's figures with what he had compiled only a couple of minutes sooner. The two matched perfectly.

"First try, eh?" Hall said tiredly, grinning in relief.

Silva nodded, but before he could say anything one of the crew reported, "The last cargo pod is nearly stowed, Captain."

Activating his throat mic, Silva relayed the information to Barnes. "Is everything in order on your end, ma'am?" he asked.

His earpiece crackled once. "I am wearing a watch, Captain," Barnes' voice reported dryly. "I am aware of the time. Yes, we are on schedule here."

Captain Silva did not bother with a response. Four and a half minutes later the last cargo pod was stowed inside the Valkyrie. "Seal her up and repressurize. Stow the autoloader and prepare the ship for departure," he ordered.

"Ahead of schedule. It's nice to catch a break for a change," Hall commented.

Silva groaned and rubbed his eyes. "Fantastic, you probably just jinxed us," he complained. "If you have any kind of strong illegal drink that you smuggled aboard, I think I could use a sip and waive any consequences."

Hall chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry, Captain," he apologized. "I don't kiss and tell."

Five minutes and 45 seconds passed. Both Valkyrie shuttle craft were sealed, and the autoloader was trundling along its track back to its resting place. Silva pushed off from the wall and caught himself on the back of one of the crew chairs, and he peered intently over a crew member's shoulder at the engine readouts. He thumped the man encouragingly on the shoulder and said, "Go ahead and begin the -"

An amber error light began to flash on the control panel to the right, accompanied by a soft beeping. Silva frowned and pulled himself over to the display; he tapped the holoscreen as he dug down through the menus to find the source of the fault. "What is it?" Hall asked. Already his voice sounded strained.

Captain Silva swore softly as he read the display. "The autoloader isn't responding. It's stuck on its track."

Hall floated closer and held himself in place on the ceiling. "Can you pull it back and try again?" he asked.

The Captain typed out the necessary commands. He was painfully aware that everyone in the room had ceased their work and was paying very close attention to the situation. If the autoloader could not be put away properly, they could not resume the deceleration burn. The ISV's robotic arm was not designed to work while under the influence of gravity, and if the spindly device was not folded properly it would bend and snap when too much force was applied and tumble down the length of the ship. Straight into the crew modules.

"Shit," Silva swore. The reset had not worked. "Tyler, get one of the maintenance bots out there. Tell me what's going on."

"On it," Hall muttered as he pulled himself down into a seat.

Several painfully long minutes later Hall had backed one of the crablike maintenance robots out of its garage and scurried up the length of the main spar, past the banks of the cargo pods. The rather grainy image of the autoloader came into focus, a scant 15 feet away from its final destination. The source of the problem became quite clear - the final section of toothed track was warped and bent all out of shape, as though the metal had turned to putty.

"Son of a bitch," Silva breathed as he stared at the screen.

"What the hell did that?" Hall asked aloud. One of the other crew members present cursed under his breath as well.

Silva snorted once. Then twice. As Hall turned and gave him an incredulous look Silva actually laughed out loud as he tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling. "That woman will be the death of us," he chuckled.

"Come again?" Hall asked plaintively.

The Captain's expression appeared rather crazed as he looked at his executive officer. "The heat from the exhaust, Tyler. We ran the autoloader too soon after turning the engines off. The track was too hot, and it pulled out of shape as the loader traveled down the span. Now it's permanently warped. We're going to have to cut off the entire arm. We'll reattach the spare once we're in orbit over Pandora."

Hall blinked rapidly as he digested this news. "We can fix it though, right?" he asked desperately, as though the concept of amputation still did not compute with him. "What about the cutting torches on the maintenance bots?"

Silva shook his head. "We'll have to try. The autoloader is damn near three feet across. Even if it is mostly hollow titanium alloy, it wasn't exactly designed to be easily removable. It might take a while."

"How long is a 'while?'" someone else quietly asked.

"Several hours, at least," Silva responded. As one, everyone present turned to gaze at the countdown clock. It read, "06:58:19," and despite everyone's wishes it never once slowed down. 24 hours was their safety cushion for the unexpected, and that time was nearly used up. How much cushion was built into the cushion? No one had even began to try to figure that out.

"Problems, people?" a voice asked. Colonel Barnes was at the doorway, glancing curiously around between the concerned faces of those on the bridge.

* * *

"No, _no!_ Goddamnit, do you want to blow us all to hell? I told you to pull those busses _after _you closed the fuse!" Even without his superb hearing Kyle could have probably heard Roger Oros cuss up a storm in the cockpit, even though he himself was lounging against a bulkhead in the cargo bay. "Well, we're all still alive, I guess," Roger fumed. "Keep going. But for pete's sake, check with me _before _you start doing shit like that!"

Kyle leaned back and rested his head against Valkyrie 61's bulkhead behind him as he heard another round of cursing, followed by several extended bursts from an air wrench. Kyle almost contemplated heading up to the cockpit to see if he could help with anything...

Almost.

Kyle looked down at the data pad and winced as the lines of code blurred and wavered before his eyes. Was it possible for Na'vi to need glasses? Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was late afternoon, and Kyle had literally been working all day, right from the crack of dawn, on programing new code for the harvesters.

And this was now the fourth day in a row that he had done such a thing.

"Fischer!" Kyle heard Roger bellow all the way from the flight deck, just like old times. "Get your tail up here!" A literal command now, for Kyle. And just like old times, Kyle was still possessed of a healthy sense of fear concerning his mentor, and he found himself jumping quickly to his feet.

"Coming!" he shouted as he set data pad down on top of his carry net. He did not have time to ponder the oddity of the human technology resting so snuggly beside his bow, which was also propped up against the wall. "Hold on!"

Kyle could smell burnt metal and burnt...something else, maybe insulation. Wisps of arid smoke could be seen wafting out of the hatchway, and Kyle's eyes began to water as he stepped into the crew cabin, his back hunched and his knees awkwardly bent within the cramped space.

"Fischer! Where the hell - oh, there you are," Roger harumphed once he caught sight of Kyle making his way up through the hatch in the electronics suite. The elderly pilot's face was red and damp with sweat, and he was still panting from exertion. The two other technicians that had been press-ganged into assisting were in similar states, and they shot Roger a glare when he was not looking.

Kyle failed to hide his smirking expression. "I think you might be facing an impending mutiny, Roger," Kyle said. One of the techs coughed suspiciously.

"Well, we were all almost blown up before anything resembling a mutiny could happen," Roger grumbled. "Suffice it so say that ejector seats are a pain in the ass to remove without actually pulling the trigger on one."

Kyle nodded slowly as his eyes widened in understanding. That would no doubt explain Roger's sailor-grade cursing that Kyle had heard earlier. "Ah, that would be a tricky one, I imagine," Kyle admitted. "Um, thank you for your guys' help with all of this," he said in an embarrassed tone. Indeed, the preparations that were going on right now in the shuttle were something beyond his capability to do on his own.

At this it was Roger's turn to look slightly embarrassed. Even the male and female technicians who had been working with him, and clearly did not appreciate his managerial style, looked a bit self-conscious as well. "Don't mention it," Roger said dismissively. "Now if you could be so kind, could you help us with...?" Roger trailed off and motioned into the cockpit actual, where the left seat had been hacked free from its sturdy mountings.

"Sure thing," Kyle chuckled as he reached in and grabbed the seat's frame. Then, with deceptive ease, he began to drag the seat's several hundred pounds of bulk across the floor to the hatchway.

It was more the constrained space that conspired to make Kyle's job difficult. Otherwise he would have simply tossed the heavy seat over his shoulder and walked it out. He did just that, in fact, once he was out of the cabin and back in the cargo bay. Though Kyle was pretty sure the rockets in the seat's base had been disarmed, he still set his load down on a convenient cart with noticeable care. The crackle and pop of arc welders could be heard elsewhere in the large hangar; one of the field research trailers had been brought inside, and two people were on the roof, cutting away into its life support systems in preparation for rearranging it to circulate Pandoran air.

Yes, there was a lot going on around him on his behalf, and Kyle was extremely grateful.

"How goes the programming?" a woman's voice asked.

The British accent was unmistakable. "Hey, Serina," Kyle said as he turned around to face the copilot. "It's going. It just takes time is all." He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. In the relatively strange environment of the hangar with all of its noises, smells, and general distractions, he had failed to sense her approach.

Serina looked down at the ground as well. "Hey, I wanted to ask... I mean, are you going up there by yourself? If you needed the help... I'd be more than willing to fly right seat with you." There was also the unspoken, _if you're okay with it, _that Kyle instantly picked up on.

Kyle's eyebrows rose slightly. "Serina, don't feel like you're obliged to do anything for me," he said softly as he averted his eyes and made a show out of examining his palms.

Serina placed her hands on her hips and glared up at him. "Oh, come off it Kyle. Trust me, I don't feel 'obliged' to you at all." Her cheeks darkened ever so slightly. "Okay, that came out wrong. Just... Just discount everything from before - I think we're both well beyond that. You and I both know that you'll do better up there with a copilot. Not to mention you need someone who knows what the hell they're doing in an EVA suit. And I would suspect Robbie hasn't spoken to you. Yet."

The awkward past memories going through Kyle's mind ground to a halt, thankfully, and he scowled. "No, I haven't even seen him," Kyle growled. "And that's fine by me."

"Figured," Serina said with a roll of her eyes as she glanced away for a moment. "Think about it. You don't have to decide right away, and please don't read into the offer too far. Either way, Roger and I are working on the preflight." She motioned towards the shuttle. "She was our ship, after all. I'm going up right now to help Roger rearrange the controls for you." Serina took a step back and gave a half-hearted wave. "Be seeing you around, Fischer," she said before she made her way up the cargo ramp.

Kyle sighed in relief once she was gone, and though he probably would not admit it, he was glad she had left him on a last-name basis. Things were...more professional that way.

"My Kyle," another woman's voice spoke, and for a second Kyle cringed and hoped that he did not look as guilty as he felt as he turned around to face his mate. Tanhi had entered the hangar and was striding purposefully towards him, her beautiful and exotic native garments clashing strangely with their modern human surroundings. Her bow was slung over her back, and there were plentiful smudges of dirt on her legs and arms. Her hair was slightly stringy with perspiration, and she did not bother to push away the braids that fell along either side of her face. She had spent all day hunting in the forest, and by all accounts her appearance agreed with that fact.

Kyle could smell her sweat and tension from her hard work. It was not undesirable to him, and even though the hunt was over, Tanhi still moved like she was stalking something. Probably him, at the moment. "How did it go?" he asked in what he hoped was a bright, welcoming voice. She did not look too happy, and Kyle had a pretty good idea why.

Tanhi smiled tightly. "I was successful. Would you care to help me prepare our meal? Or are you...busy?" It was no secret that Tanhi had grown rather displeased with the way that Kyle's programming seemed to absorb all of his waking time these last few days.

"Of course I'll help, Tanhi. I'll even cook it, though perhaps you may still want to watch over me," Kyle said quickly with a small chuckle. "You didn't have to go hunting today. We still have plenty of dried meat and fruit."

"I wanted something fresh," Tanhi stated in an almost-growl, and Kyle gulped. "I understand that what you do is important, and that it is something that I cannot help you with." She glanced down for a moment and sighed some of her weariness away. "I also needed some time alone in the forest. This was no great burden for me to do."

"I'm sorry I've been so distracted lately. You shouldn't have had to do that, though...," Kyle apologized sincerely.

Tanhi acknowledged his words with a grunt and a wave of her hand. She stared curiously at her mate for a second and asked rather directly, "Why are you wearing clothes?"

Kyle coughed into his hand once before he reflexively glanced down at himself. Earlier he had traded his loincloth for gym shorts and a sleeveless top from the avatar cabin. "Well, I guess I was just feeling self-conscious working around here wearing so little," he admitted. It was not difficult to dress as the Na'vi did when he was around the clan, but here at Hell's Gate, working with former colleagues... It was a little disconcerting. "Why, would you rather I walk around naked?" he asked jokingly.

Tanhi raked her eyes up and down Kyle's frame as if she were critically assessing a hunk of meat. "Yes," she stated bluntly.

Kyle's eyes widened as his ears pinned back, and his tail drooped until the tufted end hung around his ankles. "Right," he managed in a strangled croak. He stepped forward and gingerly placed an arm around Tanhi's shoulder as he guided her back to the airlock. "Um, let's go make dinner, shall we?"

Tanhi hummed a wordless affirmative as she turned away to hide her grin.

Both Kyle and Tanhi heaved in great, relieved breaths once they were back outside. Every time she cycled through an airlock Tanhi felt like a talioang was stepping on her chest. Once she felt like she could speak, Tanhi asked, "When will you have to leave, my Kyle?" Her tone was deceptively casual, and she could sense her mate tense slightly beside her.

They took several steps in silence towards the gardens before Kyle answered. "It won't be long now. Probably only a couple of days."

Tanhi nodded. "And how long will this task take you?"

"Perhaps a week," Kyle mumbled. Please don't ask...

"I am not looking forward being away from you for so long," Tanhi said.

"Neither am I, Tanhi," Kyle replied honestly. He was still wincing on the inside as he waited for the other shoe to drop. "I don't think there's any way around it, though. You can still speak with me over the radio. I'll never be more than a call away."

The pair slipped into the gardens and once the tall, luscious plants had closed in around them Tanhi placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder and gently pulled him to a halt so that she could look him in the eye. He appeared faintly nervous. _Good, _Tanhi thought. "You will say that I cannot be with you during this time because it is dangerous. You will say that I will be no help to you, that I have no knowledge or skills to assist you in your task."

Kyle flinched and dropped his gaze to the dirt, but Tanhi's hand under his chin brought his eyes back up to her face. While Kyle would have chosen different words, she was ultimately correct.

"I will say that you are right in all of your reasons to make me stay," Tanhi conceded, much to Kyle's surprise. Tanhi pursed her lips as she placed her hands on Kyle's waist and gave him a gentle squeeze. "I will be angry with you if you make me stay behind. Do you know this, my Kyle?"

"Yes," Kyle replied softly. She could see the pained acceptance in his eyes as he agreed with her.

"I would forgive you, Yawne. Eventually...," Tanhi informed him. She let her hands fall away from Kyle's sides and held her arms out from her body as she took a step back. "All I can ask is rutxe. _Please, _Yawne. Give me a chance to prove to you that it will not be a mistake. Please save both of us the pain of this conflict."

Kyle closed his eyes as a low growl escaped him, and he shook his head as he himself took several steps away. He turned his back to her and placed his hands behind his head as he heaved a deep, frustrated sigh. Tanhi waited for him to say something. Anything... He remained devastatingly silent and Tanhi quietly clenched her teeth, suddenly unsure if there was more she could or should say to him. _"I will learn to understand your decision, Yawne," _she managed to get out. This giving up without a fight - an external fight, anyway - was killing her. _"I will go finish dressing my kill, now."_

Tanhi made it eight steps away before Kyle spoke. "If you go, Tanhi... Yes, there will be danger. Even more so because, as you have already said, you have no skills, no training." Kyle and Tanhi both turned back to face one another at the same time. "Would you want me to administer medicine to a sick clan mate?"

Tanhi tilted her head to the side. "Not unless I was there with you," she replied.

"It will be unlike anything you have ever experienced before. There isn't anything I can say to prepare you for what you will see, what you will feel," Kyle told her in an emotionless voice.

Tanhi suppressed a smile. "You are only describing each new day that Eywa gives me, Yawne," she responded. _Especially with you._

Kyle snorted and rolled his eyes. "I haven't said, 'yes,' yet," he gritted out. "There isn't a way to change your mind once you commit to this."

"Are you saying, 'no?'" Tanhi responded quietly.

Kyle stood stiffly as he squinted at her, silently debating the decision in his mind; after a minute he blinked and shook his head as though coming out of a trance. "Come on, it's getting late. Let's go dress your kill while it's still light out," he said quietly.

* * *

"Fuck!" Hall exclaimed.

Silva floated up behind him. "Overheat again?" he asked. This would be the third time that the cutting tool on the little maintenance bot had grown critically warm and requested a five minute cool down break, as the honeycombed structure of the autoloader arm was proving to be surprisingly resilient. Unfortunately, the countdown clock never seemed to need a break.

Hall nodded and wiped away the sweat beading on his forehead, mainly to catch the moisture before it formed enough of an amount to float away on its own. "This isn't working," he complained. "If we had the second bot -"

"We don't," Silva growled. "Deal with it." The second bot with a cutter attachment had malfunctioned several months back, and fixing it was on the to-do list once they reached Pandora. No one had thought anything of it - after all, this is what spares were for, right? No one could have anticipated that this type of major surgery would be required.

Hall slammed his hands down hard on the console, and if he had not been belted into his seat he would have knocked himself away from the controls. "Captain, I've been at this for almost two hours! I haven't even been able to cut half-way through the arm! We are running out of time!"

Silva's expression hardened. "Keep your voice down," he ordered darkly. People were already on edge.

"That bitch has killed -" Hall started.

"Mr. Hall! Take a break. Now," Silva rapped out. "Preferably off of the bridge, please."

The officer slammed his mouth shut, causing his teeth to clack together. His eyes darted towards the door, and Silva could see the helpless rage in his expression. "Yes, sir," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice as he flung his seatbelt off and pushed himself hard towards the door.

When Hall maneuvered out into the passageway he came face to face with one Colonel Samantha Barnes, who was casually staring at him with a disturbingly calm and unreadable expression. Hall's features blanched of color, and he swallowed nervously before he could stop himself. "Excuse me," he mumbled, averting his eyes as he made his way past her.

Barnes slinked quietly onto the bridge; the tension was palpable, almost a physical thing within the room. Silva glanced up at her, his lips pressed into a tight, pale line. "A word, if you please?" she asked in an impressively respectful tone. She glanced meaningfully towards the private communications room.

Once the two of them were alone Silva allowed his weariness and despair to show. "It isn't good," he said quietly. "It's taking too long to cut the autoloader loose."

"Is it not just a matter of hitting the brakes a little harder once we're free?" she asked.

Silva shook his head in negation. "Yes and no. We may well be able to stop in time, but that would cut into the limited amount of antimatter that we have on board. That is something that can't be replenished here, and we need the main engines to accelerate home. This problem is snowballing out of control," he said in a near whisper as he ran his hands through his thin hair.

"May I offer a suggestion?" Barnes asked.

Silva shot her a surprised, faintly suspicious look. "I suppose it couldn't make things any worse," he said.

At least it was faint praise, and Barnes smiled thinly. "Someone goes EVA and opens up container 12. Conveniently near the front is several hundred pounds of detcord, along with the accompanying detonators. About ten feet should more than suffice to cut through the autoloader."

An incredulous snort escaped the Captain before he could stop it. "You... You actually want to use explosives on a _starship?" _He struggled to determine the seriousness of the Colonel's offer. "Do you have any idea how many sensitive controls and conduits run through the ship's spine? Let alone the risk of major structural damage that an _explosion _could cause?"

Barnes quirked up an eyebrow, completely nonplussed by Silva's words. "Hmmm, and I thought we needed to get moving again. Never mind, then. Please inform me when you have solved your problem." With that, Barnes turned and made to slide open the door.

For a split second Captain Silva saw red, he was so angry. _"My _problem?" he practically yelled. He almost said more, almost added his own voice to the objections that Tyler Hall had made only minutes ago. The Captain's mind spun in place as he weighed his options. "How difficult will it be to place the charges?"

Barnes glanced back at him. "It isn't a difficult process at all. I will provide all the help that I can."

Silva sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Alright, fine. We'll do it."

* * *

_"You have to breathe slowly. You have to be in complete control of your body, even your heartbeat. What happened this morning does not matter. What will happen tonight does not matter. Nothing else in all of Eywa's creation matters more than you and your target. Push aside all distractions - place them in a container for later." _Jake paused for several long seconds before speaking again. _"I said breathe slowly, not cease breathing entirely."_

Tsaro winced. _"I am sorry, Olo'eyktan," _he apologized.

_ "I am not angry, I am just teaching," _Jake chuckled softly from his position next to Tsaro; both of them were flat on their bellies in the grass on top of a ridge near the Unobtanium mine's entrance. _"What is the wind doing?"_

Tsaro's intense eyes flickered over to the copse of scraggly trees about a kilometer away across the mine and several hundred yards to the left of what he was aiming for. Other than the grasses on the ground, it was the closest thing to a windsock that he could come up with. _"I think it has increased, Olo'eyktan," _Tsaro reported.

_"Then you will need to compensate like I showed you. The direction is still the same, right?" _Jake asked.

Tsaro checked a second time. _"The wind is still from the east," _he confirmed. _"How much should I compensate for?"_

Jake stroked his chin thoughtfully before responding, _"I am not sure. Would you like me to walk down there and measure for you? I can signal back what I find."_

With a groan, Tsaro let his head slump over to rest against the butt of the sniper rifle. He cautioned an embarrassed glance at his teacher - Jake was staring right back, a wry smile on his face.

_"You cannot know for sure. You are an excellent hunter, Tsaro, one of the best in the clan. Use your best judgement," _Jake gently scolded. _"I can give you my opinion, but I would rather not. I will not always be able to spot for you."_

Tsaro sighed and nodded as he dialed in his best guess for additional windage compensation into the rifle's scope. _"The bullet will guide itself, will it not?" _Tsaro asked. This weapon was simply amazing to him. Jake had showed him the massive, finned, .50 caliber bullets that this particular rifle fired. Imagine that...an arrow that actively helped fly itself to its target, compensating for wind and slight mistakes in aim. It almost seemed too easy to Tsaro, but then he would remember that the target he and Jake were attempting to hit was well over a mile distant. Everything had to be taken into account: not only the wind, but even things like humidity were factors that were affecting this shot.

"Yes," Jake confirmed, switching over to English. "As long as you paint the target correctly with the laser, the bullet will do most of the work." Jake laughed softly and then added, _"But when you made your first kill, was it the arrow that brought down the yerik on its own? Or was it the hunter who turned a difficult shot into a success?"_

Tsaro's tail began to wave a little faster behind him as he flushed with pride at Jake's words. _"Oh? You have never mentioned your first kill before, Tsaro," _Sìlpey spoke from behind them where she was lounging in the shade of a young tautral, or beanstalk palm, idly cleaning beneath her fingernails with small, delicate motions from her knife.

_"That is because you never asked," _Tsaro replied in exasperation with a fleeting backwards glance.

Jake was about to intervene, to hopefully guide Tsaro back to the task at hand, but Sìlpey beat him to the punch. _"I do not know what is worse: a man who will not shut up about how great he is...," _Sìlpey deadpanned._ "Or a man who says nothing at all."_

"If you absolutely must, pick the latter for a woman like this," Jake sighed, shamelessly using English to avoid being eavesdropped on.

Tsaro snickered, but quickly grew silent when another glance back over his shoulder revealed Sìlpey scowling at him in a distinctly threatening manner.

Jake none too subtly cleared his throat and tilted his head in the direction of the target on the opposite side of the pit mine. _"Tsaro. I am starting to cramp up. Work with me here."_

"Srane, Olo'eyktan," came Tsaro's swift reply as he jammed his face back against the scope.

Sìlpey giggled behind them.

It was silent for nearly two more minutes as Tsaro diligently worked, making all of the necessary minuscule adjustments to fine tune his aim. Sure, the rifle would most likely make Tsaro shoot like a hero anyway, but damned if he would not put any effort into it.

"Firing...," Tsaro murmured at last.

Beside him Jake tensed and wedged his fingers into his ears.

The feel of the trigger was foreign to Tsaro. The Na'vi had never advanced beyond a stone-aged level of technology, and frankly they did not need to. But even Tsaro was able to appreciate the fine craftsmanship that he held in his hands, and in the interest of full disclosure Tsaro would readily admit that the sniper rifle was an infinitely more complex thing than his bow and arrow. Each certainly had its place, though.

He could feel through his finger the various intricate mechanical parts inside the gun working as he slowly squeezed the trigger, and he thought he would never cease to marvel at it. The faint grind as the trigger pushed up on the transfer bar, lifting it out of the way for the firing pin extension. That last slight catch, or hitch, an infinitesimal hesitation in the trigger, that told him that the firing pin was about to let go and snap forward -

_CRACK!_

The weapon was not a subtle device. It was as loud as an avalanche in Tsaro's sensitive ears and the stock whacked back into his shoulder with the all the enthusiasm of an angry pa'li kick.

Sìlpey yelped in surprise behind them and clapped her hands over her ears, unfortunately a day late and a dollar short to offer herself any protection. "Wiya!" she swore.

Jake and Tsaro both quickly sighted downrange through monocular rangefinders, each waiting with bated breath for Tsaro's bullet to strike home. Almost five seconds later, the old cinder block that Tsaro had been aiming for exploded as though it had been sitting on a grenade.

"Yes!" Jake shouted, smacking his fist on the ground in celebration. As for Tsaro a small, triumphant smile turned up the corners of his mouth.

_"Again?" _Tsaro inquired hopefully.

Jake heaved himself up off the ground with a grunt and shook his head. _"No, brother, once is enough today."_

To both Jake and Tsaro's surprise, it was Sìlpey who objected most to this. _"We went through all of that effort...for one shot?" _she asked as she gave the two men a cross look. If anything, she at least wanted to see a little more action to make up for nearly going deaf.

Jake chuckled and nodded. _"Yes, Sìlpey. _Sniping _is not that much different from hunting. Battles are not always fast-paced, and you may spend several days building up to one single shot. But that one shot can change the course of a war. That is also part of the lesson today - sometimes only shooting once can take the greatest effort of all." _Jake clapped Tsaro affectionally on the shoulder. _"You did well, and are learning fast. I no longer have any doubts about teaching this skill to you, Tsaro. We should be getting back to Hell's Gate, now."_

True to character, Tsaro merely nodded as he accepted Jake's high praise. He did stand up a little straighter, though, which Sìlpey noticed. And truthfully, she was just as proud as Tsaro was that Toruk Makto would say these things to him.

* * *

Kyle found Tanhi in the avatar prep room, working with Dr. Janelle Huxley. "Crap, sorry, I didn't know you two were busy," he said when he rounded the corner and caught sight of his mate intently studying something on a holoscreen while Dr. Huxley pointed out items of interest.

Tanhi looked up and smiled warmly at him as Dr. Huxley laughed and shook her head. "No, we're nearly done," the woman excused. She rubbed at the seal of her exopack and admitted, "I think I've had about as much as I can stand of this damn thing," she admitted. "Do you have any more question, Tanhi?" Dr. Huxley asked.

Tanhi shook her head in the negative. "I understand now," she replied.

"Well, if you're guys sure...," Kyle hedged.

"I'm sure! Now scat, you two," Dr. Huxley said with another laugh as she shooed them away with her hands.

Kyle and Tanhi left the ambient room and strolled out into the sunlight together. _"You are wearing Tawtute clothing again," _Tanhi commented in regards to Kyle's shorts and t-shirt once they were relatively alone.

Kyle sighed wearily. Was this not sufficiently dealt with last night? _"Tanhi, I do this more out of respect for my friends here. I am not ashamed of our culture. You know this," _he replied. _"I have the answer to your question, but perhaps you would like to argue about this again first?"_

Tanhi gasped and whipped her head around to stare at Kyle with wide eyes.

Kyle smiled despite himself at the overblown expectant look on Tanhi's face. _"Yes," _he said at last, causing Tanhi to shriek happily and throw her ams around his neck in a near-strangling hug. _"But on one condition!" _Kyle gasped out as he hugged Tanhi back.

_"What is it?" _Tanhi quickly asked as she leaned back.

Kyle chuckled and shook his head. _"I will not tell you until just before we leave. This is how it must be," _Kyle said firmly when Tanhi opened her mouth to object. I don't want more to argue about, he thought morosely to himself. It would be a bitch to keep this particular aspect hidden when they bonded in tsaheylu tonight, but it would be a necessary evil. _"If you are going, I should introduce you to the person who will also be helping."_

Tanhi agreed, and she and Kyle headed over to the hangar. "Irayo, Yawne," she murmured as they walked together.

Kyle rolled his eyes and smiled before kissing Tanhi on the cheek. _"You were right. I would have missed you too much," _he admitted. All true, but please, don't let this be a mistake, he silently begged.

One uncomfortable airlock interface later and they were inside Hell's Gate's massive hangar, walking across the cool concrete towards the Valkyrie. The mobile lab trailer was positioned at its open ramp; they would be hauling it inside using AMP suits later today, but for now the trailer was still a work in progress. Some of the fittings in the environmental system were corroding unexpectedly due to the Pandoran atmosphere they were now circulating, and new ones needed to be fabricated.

Serina Rowley was standing beside Roger Oros, discussing something on a data pad. "Hey Rowley!" Kyle called, waving in greeting when she looked up.

Roger politely excused himself as Tanhi and Kyle stepped up. "Tanhi, this is Serina Rowley, one of the copilots from my ship. She has offered to fly with us and help out with the mission," Kyle said. "Serina, this is Tanhi, my mate," he introduced.

"So you are going with us," Serina said with a chuckle. "I knew it." She paused and frowned thoughtfully for a moment before saying in passable Na'vi, "Kaltxì, Tanhi. _It is an honor to meet you."_

Tanhi nodded as she crouched down on her heels and offered her hand in greeting, which Serina took without hesitation. "The honor is mine," Tanhi said with sincerity. "Thank you for helping us. The People have more friends among the Tawtute than they realize, I think."

Serina blushed and cast a cautionary glance at Kyle before quickly looking down. Unnoticed by Tanhi, Kyle lightly bit his lip and looked away as well. "After what happened when we got here, I think it is much easier for many of us to understand your position," Serina explained. She chuckled and added, "And besides, someone needs to still fit into a spacesuit."

"Yeah, there is that minor detail," Kyle admitted with a roll of his eyes. Someone would need to board each harvester and plug in the necessary pieces of equipment, which was something that no Na'vi could ever do. Not without an up-sized spacesuit, that is.

Tanhi tilted her head curiously and asked, "Your 'Ìnglìsi... It sounds strange to me. Why is that?"

Serina muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Bloody Americans" under her breath before she explained with a dazzling smile, "That's because I'm from England, Tanhi. It's a different country than where Kyle is from." Swiftly changing the subject, Serina turned and looked up at Kyle to say, "I need to get back to work. Robbie is around here somewhere, Fischer. Believe it or not, he did say that he wanted to talk to you."

Kyle growled, and Tanhi gave him a curious look as she stood back up. "Fine," Kyle muttered. "I'll find him next, then."

"He should be working on the trailer," Serina provided. "Oh, and boss? Don't kill him before he has a chance to speak his mind," Serina advised before she jogged back up the shuttle's ramp.

Tanhi was quite surprised by Kyle's sudden anger. His ears were back and his tail thrashed tellingly behind him. _"Is this someone you really want to...to kill?" _she asked. Kyle hissed lowly through clenched teeth.

Kyle actually had to think about that. "Maybe," he hedged. "Robbie Jonas was _my _copilot. Serina worked with Roger. When we were crashing Robbie chose to eject, rather than stay and help me." Tanhi's expression was still puzzled, and Kyle clarified, "He was a coward who cut and ran to save his own skin."

Tanhi nodded slowly at this, and with an annoyed huff Kyle turned away and began to tromp over towards the trailer.

Just as Serina said, Robbie was on a creeper working on something underneath the trailer. Without preamble or warning, Kyle wrapped his large blue hand around Robbie's ankle and yanked him unceremoniously out from underneath the field module. "What do you want?" he snarled down at the man.

"Yikes, damnit!" Robbie yipped as he reflexively covered his head with his arms when he suddenly found himself staring up at a very angry looking Kyle Fischer. Whatever tool he had been using clattered loudly to the concrete, forgotten behind him.

"What. Do. You. Want?" Kyle repeated with a growl. Tanhi stood slightly behind him, gazing worriedly at her mate. She had never seen Kyle this angry before or treat someone with such animosity.

Robbie looked down his body and asked, "Could you let me stand up, at least?" Kyle still had a painfully tight grip on his leg.

Kyle swiftly relinquished his hold on Robbie's ankle and stood back up himself, content to stare down at the human from his full ten feet of height. Robbie cautiously regained his own feet and backed up a step, remembering with vivid clarity how Kyle had quite literally nearly impaled him on a spike the last time that they had met. "I, uh...," he began.

"Out with it!" Kyle snapped.

"Yawne...," Tanhi cautioned as she stepped closer and placed a hand on her mate's shoulder. His muscles were rigid with tension beneath his skin. The other people working around them noticed the tense conversation and gave Kyle a wide berth.

Robbie cringed and took another step backwards. "Kyle, I'm sorry," he blurted. Kyle's only response was a single raised eyebrow. He did not look convinced. "Look, before... I panicked. I know I shouldn't have, and I'm sorry." A fleeting glance at Kyle revealed still no change in expression - at least he hasn't broken my neck yet, Robbie thought. "I just wanted to ask if I could help -"

Kyle cut him off before he could even finish his sentence. "Serina's already going. No."

Robbie managed to pull himself together enough to deliver his comeback. "So you're going to make Serina do all three spacewalks? With no backup. What are you gonna do if something goes wrong? Leave her up there for eternity?"

Now both of Kyle's eyebrows rose. "Since when did you decide to grow a pair, Jonas?" he scoffed.

"Oh, come on," Robbie retorted. "Fine. I'll go first. If something goes wrong, leave my ass up there. Will you be happy with that Fischer? Or are you only interested in risking Serina's life?" Kyle's eyes flashed as his fists clenched and Robbie tensed, fully prepared to dive underneath the trailer if that is what it took to evade a certain furious Na'vi.

Tanhi tightened her hold on her mate's shoulder, rightly sensing that he was about to spring forward.

Kyle narrowed his eyes down at his former partner. "What's with you?" he finally asked, having run the gamut of possible explanations in his own mind. None worked to his satisfaction.

Robbie appeared appropriately shamed. "I said I was sorry," he whispered pitifully as he looked away for a second. "I don't blame you for not believing me," he admitted with a defeated shrug. "Can I at least have the chance to prove it to you?"

Tanhi glanced back and forth between the shorter human and her mate. Whatever transgression that had happened between them was severe enough to embitter Kyle in a way that she had not known was possible. _"Is there not a way for you to give this man a chance to redeem himself?" _Tanhi whispered into Kyle's ear.

_"Why should I?" _Kyle growled, his baleful stare never wavering from the copilot's face.

Robbie swallowed nervously and glanced between the two Na'vi before him, fully aware that they were debating him. At least Kyle's wife seemed to have a sane head on her shoulders.

_"Because, at the very least, I do not want to ever see you as bitter as this again. It is not charity for him, but love for you that I ask this," _Tanhi responded honestly.

Several painfully long seconds passed as Kyle pondered Tanhi's words. "Fine," he spat. "You can go, if only so that you and Serina can back each other up." Kyle sneered his next words. "You're right, it would be safer. But cross me again, and I'll blow you out the airlock myself."

Then Kyle spun on his heel and stalked off. Tanhi cast one last sympathetic glance at Robbie before she turned and trotted away to catch back up to her mate.

Robbie, for his part, slumped back against the trailer and breathed out a huge sigh of relief. He slid down to the ground and hung his head between his knees. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, after all...

* * *

Jake, Tsaro, and Sìlpey arrived at Hell's Gate late that afternoon. Kyle had not fully realized how much he had missed his clan mates until he saw Tsaro again. His hunt brother gave him an odd look indeed as he took in Kyle's human clothing. "Oh, come off it," Kyle groused. "Tanhi's already giving me hell for this. I don't need any more crap from you."

Tsaro laughed quietly at this. "You forget, I grew up with Tanhi. I know how...what is the word?" he trailed off and frowned as he struggled to come up with an English equivalent for what he was thinking.

"Nagging," Kyle quickly provided, and then looked around to make sure that Tanhi had not heard him. Thank Eywa, she was involved in a conversation with Sìlpey.

"Jakesully says that you are nearly ready to fly your tawsìp again," Tsaro stated softly.

Kyle nodded in confirmation. "Tomorrow morning, actually. Assuming everything goes according to plan. I finished my own tasks earlier today." Kyle sighed wistfully as he looked back in the direction of the hangar.

_"Are you afraid?" _Tsaro asked, speaking as such so that no one else would overhear.

Kyle took no offense. "Kehe," he murmured as he shook his head. _"Only homesick," _he added with a small smile.

_"At least you are not alone," _Tsaro reminded him as he looked over in Tanhi's direction.

_"And it would seem that you are never alone, either," _Kyle said. He smirked when Tsaro glared at him.

Jake was approaching, and both Kyle and Tsaro straightened subconsciously at the Olo'eyktan's appearance. Jake noticed, and he rolled his eyes. "Knock it off, already," he chuckled with a wave of his hand. To Kyle, he said, "Norm called me earlier today to inform me of your progress. He said you were nearly done."

"Totally done," Kyle corrected, and he pulled three flash drives out of his pocket and presented them to Jake.

The chieftain's eyes widened slightly as he picked up one of the memory sticks. "That's it?" he wondered. So much potential in such a small package...

Kyle nodded in confirmation. "That's it, Jake. Plug and play. The Valkyries' radios will be the receivers for any remote commands that we need to enter."

"What prevents someone else from calling in an order?" Jake asked.

Kyle sighed, his shoulders slumping as though he were just now experiencing the mental load that he had been carrying for the last several days. He explained, "That was the hardest part for me. Each Valkyrie will ask for a unique confirmation code. If you don't enter it, it won't respond. Simple as that."

"Right," Jake nodded. "And dare I ask where those codes are?"

Kyle tapped his temple in response.

"Right," Jake said again. "I suppose I don't have to encourage you not to forget, so I won't bother saying it."

Kyle smiled wanly and shook his head. "No, sir," he responded.

"Well done, Kyle," Jake encouraged as he thumped Kyle once on the back. Jake glanced between Kyle and Tsaro and asked, "Did I hear right earlier? Tomorrow morning?" When both Kyle and Tsaro nodded in confirmation, Jake chuckled. "So that's why Norm and Amber are going to all that trouble to make dinner for us."

"Ah, so that would explain where those two have been hiding all day," Kyle said. "I was wondering where my cousin was at." Kyle's eyes unfocused for a brief second. "This really is it," he said softly. "Tanhi and I only have to pack a few more things. The weather should be alright tomorrow. It'll probably rain, but nothing major. We're leaving at dawn."

Jake placed his arm around Kyle's shoulders and gently steered him in the direction of avatar ambient room. "Then you and Tanhi need to enjoy this evening with friends and family. Come on inside, I'm sure dinner is almost ready."

* * *

Gravity began to gently tug on Silva's body, like a small child pulling on his pants leg with growing insistence, until at last his full 150 pounds settled to the deck. The five extra pounds that he had "gained" owing to the additional thrust needed for the braking maneuver went unnoticed. His mind was elsewhere, unfortunately, thinking that the screams of someone dying an agonizing death would stay with him for the rest of his life.

He felt a touch on his shoulder and his eyes drifted shut as he drew momentary comfort from the consolatory presence of another person. That is, until the person opened her mouth. "I'm sorry, Captain," Barnes said. "No one could have known the arm would swing that way. It wasn't your fault."

The limited amount of cutting that the small maintenance bot had already done made it difficult to gauge how the arm would behave when the detcord looped around it ignited. Unfortunately, they had guessed wrong, and the jagged, red-hot end of the newly severed autoloader had drifted right towards the unfortunate man who had placed the charges.

If only he had jumped, Silva thought. Why hadn't he listened? The tether would have saved him, but perhaps the thought of shoving away from the firm anchor of the ISV was too much. Instead, the end of the autoloader had ended up brushing his shoulder. It hit hard enough to knock him free from his handhold anyway, and it maintained contact with his spacesuit long enough to burn a decent size hole completely through the multiple layers of fabric.

The crablike maintenance bot was not designed for speed, and it took another 15 agonizingly long minutes for it to scuttle down the hull and back towards the airlock at the end of the hab modules, the unfortunate crewman in tow. Even worse than the initial screaming was the desperate pants for breath as the spacesuit bled out all of its oxygen.

Death via vacuum was not a pleasant way to go.

"Don't touch me," Silva hissed, shrugging away from the hand on his shoulder. He was quite aware that he sounded like a child, but at this point he really did not give a damn. "Just...just..." He could not finish the sentence as he held up his hands as though he were defending himself.

To her credit Barnes stepped back as well, and she did not speak again.

Captain Silva left the bridge, his mind already focusing on the gruesome task ahead. It would be much more difficult to wrestle Tyler Hall's body into a vacant cryogenic capsule while the ship was decelerating, but they simply had no more time. There was never enough time.

The countdown had stopped with two minutes, 45 seconds to spare.

* * *

Kyle was already up and gone when Tanhi got up the next morning, having risen well before the sun, even earlier than he would when he went out hunting. Their tent truly was empty, for everything that they would need for the near future had been packed aboard the shuttle. Tanhi smiled - her lovable skxawng of a mate had nearly forgotten to pack food for them, and had only remembered at the last minute. He looked appropriately sheepish, and grateful, when he finally connected this necessity with Tanhi's recent burst of hunting and gathering.

Tanhi's ears told her that the creatures of the night were beginning to bed down; it was that time at dawn when it was unusually quiescent as the night shift traded places with the day shift. It truly was the stillest time of day on Pandora.

Tanhi sucked in a surprised breath as she emerged from the cover of the gardens. Valkyrie 61 had been towed out of the hangar and was brooding silently in the few rays of the early morning sunlight that had managed to peek through the clouds. The size of the vessel screwed with her senses for a moment; it was like discovering that a small mountain had sprouted out of a formerly level field.

A deep inhalation brought the fresh scent of oncoming precipitation to Tanhi's nose. Tanhi spun in place; it was difficult to gauge the clouds from her position, but they did not appear too threatening - it would probably only rain, rather than storm.

She could see people scurrying about with great urgency as she padded across the tarmac. "Have you seen -" The first person she tried addressing did not seem to hear her. Or see her, for that matter. His nose was buried in a data pad, and Tanhi hastily stepped aside to avoid an embarrassing collision. She recognized Kyle's friend up ahead, the other tawsìp pilot, and she called out to him.

Thank Eywa Roger heard her, and he waved in recognition and jogged over. "'Morning, ma'am," he greeted respectfully.

Tanhi nodded in return and asked, "Do you know where my Kyle is?"

Roger smirked faintly at the possessive reference. Just as he opened his mouth to respond a, "Hey, Tanhi!" sounded out from the direction of the hangar.

"Found him," Roger quipped with a chuckle as Kyle jogged up to them. He glanced up at Kyle and reported, "The preflights are green, Fischer. She's all yours."

Kyle nodded quickly; Tanhi could tell he was excited, even though he was trying to maintain a dignified appearance. His tail was what gave it all away. "Thank you, sir. I mean, Roger," he hastily corrected.

"You're welcome, pilot," Roger replied warmly. He sighed and swatted at his pants to remove imaginary dust. "Everything should be all set. Serina and Robbie are aboard making themselves at home. I'll be watching over you guys from the control room. I'm heading up there now, in fact - I'll be ready as soon as I grab some more coffee."

Kyle chuckled. "Thanks again, Roger. I... I can't tell you how much this means to me."

"Whatever," Roger said with a faint grin. "Now go get dressed and get your ass in the air. You've got work to do."

"Yes, sir," Kyle said with a grin as he laced his fingers with Tanhi's. He tugged on her arm and whispered, "Come on, there's one last thing we need to do."

Her mate's excitement was infectious, and Tanhi found herself laughing with Kyle as they ran towards the avatar cabin. "What is it, my Kyle?" Tanhi asked as they pushed open the door.

She could sense some of Kyle's excitement fall off as he turned to face her; he kept a gentle grip on both of her hands as he walked backwards, leading her further into the cabin. "I _am _excited that you're coming with me, Tanhi, but this is my one condition." Tanhi tilted her head quizzically to the side, and she nibbled her bottom lip expectantly. She had been hoping that Kyle would forget about his 'one condition.' "Tanhi, you're going to have to wear human clothing."

Everything about Tanhi froze. _"What?" _she said in Na'vi.

Kyle swallowed nervously; his expression was pleading as he said, "Tanhi, you and I can't wear our native garments. You have to trust -"

_"Why?" _Tanhi jabbed a finger at her gym short-wearing mate. At least he had the common sense to dispense with the top covering this morning, Tanhi thought to herself. _"Are you suddenly ashamed to be seen dressed as one of the People?" _All of the frustration that she felt at his apparent readoption of his old habits bubbled over like a pot left for too long on the fire.

"What? Tanhi - no!" Kyle let go of Tanhi's hands and held his own up in defense. "Tanhi, it's going to be much colder in space, colder than you've ever experienced." Suddenly the tanhi on Kyle's face and neck brightened tellingly, and his eyes flickered down away from Tanhi's face for a moment. "And Tanhi, there isn't going to be any gravity. Your necklace...won't suffice."

Tanhi gave Kyle one of those incredulous looks that indicated he had missed something that was plainly obvious to her - only this time it was the other way around, and only Kyle knew it. And he was going to have a hell of a time convincing her otherwise. _"What is this... _Gra-vi-ty?" Tanhi hissed.

This time it was Kyle's turn to stare incredulously for a long moment. "Aw, shit...," he muttered as he slapped his face with his palm. Kyle laughed softly at himself, which only caused Tanhi to lower her ears and hiss again in irritation. How, oh how, could this have been missed until now, Kyle silently groaned. "Listen, ah... Gravity is what, ah, it's what keeps things from floating away from..."

Tanhi reached forward and tapped his forehead with two of her fingers. "Kyle, are you feeling well?" she asked. Maybe his excitement was getting to him.

Kyle squinted at her. "What? Tanhi, I'm fine. Just -" He turned and scooped up a pile of clothing from a bed. "Just please, trust me Tanhi." He gingerly offered his mate the clothes that he had picked out earlier. Any amusement that he even thought about feeling from the concept of dressing his wife evaporated like a puff of smoke. His estimation of the difficulty of this task had not even been close.

With a snarl and a faintly murderous glare Tanhi snatched the clothing from Kyle's hands.

"Do you need any help -" Kyle began.

Tanhi lapsed back into Na'vi. _"I am not some little 'evenge that needs her sempul to dress her!" _she spat. Kyle held up his own hands again and retreated back a step. _"Now turn around!" _Tanhi snapped.

Kyle's ears instantly flattened, and Tanhi quickly began to regret her tone when she saw the hurt flicker across his face. Kyle had been extremely patient with her thus far, and she was not being very gracious at all in return. Before she could even think about apologizing Kyle obliged her order and turned away without speaking another word.

They changed clothes in silence...until Tanhi growled aloud when she caught herself admiring the toned form of her mate's admittedly very attractive backside as Kyle stripped off his shorts. She was doing exactly what she had _not_ wanted him to do to her.

Kyle definitely heard said growl, and he took it as concrete reinforcement to damn well keep facing forward. I won't look at her 'till she says so, he purposed to himself as he finished buckling his belt and reached for a dark t-shirt. He sighed once the shirt was on and he had pulled his braided queue out to rest properly down his back. Contrary to what Tanhi thought, he really did not enjoy wearing human clothing again.

He had just finished lacing his boots when a pitiful sound reached his ears. "Kyle...?" he heard Tanhi whine in the most plaintive tone that he had ever heard her use.

Kyle's breath caught in his throat when he turned back to face his mate, who was slumped down on one of the cots. The sight of Tanhi dressed in khaki cargo pants and a very flattering tank top with "Columbia" emblazoned on the chest completely caught him off guard. Her expression was an odd combination of pissed, embarrassed, and proud, seeing as how she had donned everything appropriately the first time. Even in human clothing that yes, covered way too much, she still managed to easily take his breath away.

"Yawne?" Tanhi whimpered again. She motioned towards the ground.

Kyle focused on Tanhi's feet. Impressively, she had managed to even put the right and left boots on correctly. The laces were a tangled knot, though, and Tanhi sighed in frustration.

Even though Kyle hid his smile behind his hand, Tanhi still noticed it. She mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "I surrender" in Na'vi and rolled her eyes as she listlessly kicked her feet. Kyle allowed himself to snort once as he knelt down on one knee before his mate and began to tie her shoelaces.

* * *

The airfield was devoid of humans when Tanhi and Kyle emerged from the longhouse; the cloud cover was complete and it was just now beginning to mist a faint rain. Once Kyle was at the base of the stairs he turned back and offered Tanhi a hand, which she begrudgingly accepted as she eased herself down the steps, her tail working frantically behind her to help maintain her balance in the unfamiliar footwear. "I do not like these...these _shoes," _she grumbled as she plucked at the jungle shirt that had gone on over the tank top. She felt disgustingly constricted by the Tawtute clothing. And hot. There was no way this could ever be a sensible way to dress.

"I know, Tanhi, I know," Kyle soothed. "Trust me, you'll appreciate them a little more if you stub your foot on something metal." And that's bound to happen sooner or later, Kyle silently added.

No humans remained outside, but Kyle and Tanhi were not alone. Jake was there, along with Tsaro and Sìlpey who were all waiting at the base of the Valkyrie's open ramp. There was also one more person that neither Kyle nor Tanhi had expected: Mal'ek, who must have flown in early this morning. With the exception of Jake, everyone gaped at the pair with wide eyes and slack mouths. The Olo'eyktan simply smirked silently, his arms folded over his chest.

Tanhi's ears folded back at the sight of her father, and without conscious thought she moved slightly to hide behind Kyle's bulk. Kyle gave Tanhi's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"It'll be cold," Kyle mumbled by way of explanation as they halted before their farewell committee. "And...weightless," he added.

"Ah," Jake acknowledged with a single sage nod. He was still smirking.

Mal'ek crept forward and placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders; he carefully kneaded the unfamiliar material of Tanhi's shirts, marveling at their strange texture. His normally stoic expression wavered slightly, almost giving way to a smile.

_"Do not laugh at me, Sempul," _Tanhi pouted.

Mal'ek did not laugh, but he did appear slightly amused. _"I would never laugh at you, 'Ite,"_ he pulled her forward into an embrace and tenderly kissed her forehead. _"I love you, Tanhi. Eywa ngahu. You are never far from her. Or me. Do not forget this."_

Tanhi's reply was a brief, but very tight hug in return.

Turning to the man he counted as son, Mal'ek placed both of his hands on Kyle's shoulders as well and said, _"Please, 'Itan, keep Tanhi safe."_

Kyle gripped Mal'ek's own shoulders in return. _"You will have to remind me of many things, I am sure. But that will never be one of them." _Kyle gripped his teacher's, his father's, shoulders a little tighter for a brief moment. _"My life before hers," _he promised.

Mal'ek nodded gravely, and moved one hand to cradle the back of Kyle's skull, pulling him forward until their foreheads nearly touched. _"Eywa willing, it will never be so," _he leaned forward and closed the last little distance between them; their foreheads barely brushed before he pulled back.

Tsaro stepped forward and regarded his friend with new eyes. Despite his outward clothing, Kylefischer was no longer Tawtute. Tsaro could sense this intuitively; everything about him practically shouted that he was Na'vi. "Oel ngati kameie," he said. "Tswayon nìltsan, Tsmukan." _Fly well, brother. _

Kyle bowed his head as a small but confident smile formed on his face. "Frakrr," he replied. _Always._

Next Sìlpey came up to him, much to Kyle's surprise. The young woman gazed shyly at the former human as she offered him a small, woven basket. _"This is for you and your mate," _she said.

Kyle gasped once he peeked inside the basket, and he blinked in amazement at Sìlpey.

_"Eywa protects her children, Kylefischer," _Sìlpey reminded him with a small smile. _"Always she is with you."_ Inside the basket, hovering contentedly, was a single atokirina'.

"Thank you," Kyle breathed. He shook his head and amended, _"Irayo, Sìlpey. You must be truly able to See our hearts in order to offer a gift such as this. I know this will remind us of the home that we fight for."_

When it was his turn to say goodbye Jake led Kyle a few steps away as Tanhi finished saying goodbye to the others. "I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing for the People, brother," he said quietly.

Kyle grinned faintly. "You don't have to thank me, Jake," he said with a small chuckle.

Jake laughed softly too as he nodded. "Alright, then. Be safe, Kyle. See you guys in a week or so." Jake extended his arm, and Kyle gripped firmly as they shook hands once.

Tanhi's trepidation was beginning to show as she made her way up the ramp with Kyle beside her. Kyle slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek as he whispered, "You don't have to be afraid. I'm right here, Tanhi. I'm right here."

She nodded in acknowledgement as they entered the cargo bay, and it finally began to rain in earnest as Kyle stepped over to the wall and tapped the controls to raise the ramp. Kyle and Tanhi watched quietly as the drops outside began to grow in size, plopping against the tarmac like so many wet meteorites. Jake and Mal'ek stood by, oblivious to the weather, as Tsaro placed his arm around Sìlpey's shoulders to offer what meager protection he could. No one left, though, until the cargo door sealed with a final sounding _thunk._

Tanhi gasped in a shaky breath, suddenly painfully aware of being cut off from the natural world that she had spent all her life in. All of a sudden her clothes seemed much too tight, and despite Kyle's presence beside her she doubted the wisdom of her insistence to come along with him on his journey.

"Shhh, it's alright," Kyle whispered. He offered her the basket he had been holding and asked, "Can you keep this for me? I'm going to go up to the flight deck. Make sure this is very safe with the rest of our things in the trailer, okay?"

His golden eyes radiated a comforting warmth that somehow managed to calm Tanhi despite her anxiety, and she found herself actually meaning it when she nodded.

"Do you remember how to work the airlock?" Kyle asked. Already the atmosphere in the cavernous cargo bay was beginning to switch over to an Earth mix. Tanhi nodded again as she peeked inside the basket, then gasped once she saw what was inside. "Sìlpey gave it to us," Kyle explained.

_"Do you know how precious this is?" _Tanhi breathed, her eyes huge.

Kyle nodded, then coughed and cleared his throat as the changing air began to tickle his lungs. "Best get it inside," he urged.

* * *

Kyle pulled himself easily up the ladder into the small antechamber at the rear of the electronics suite. Serina Rowley was already belted into a station, and she looked up and smiled in greeting as Kyle shuffled by. "G'morning, boss," she said in an easy tone.

"'Morning, Serina," he answered. "Everything running smoothly?"

"Like a top, no worries," she answered. "Jonas is mostly done up in the cockpit. Just waiting for your final okay. Tanhi'll be up in a minute, right?"

Kyle nodded and sighed before he could stop himself. "Right," he said, glancing with clear annoyance up to the cockpit. "Thank you."

It took some awkward maneuvering for Kyle to get seated at the controls. Even more awkward was the silence that stretched between pilot and copilot as Kyle examined his personal data pad, confirming to himself that all of the checklists were completed, and in the necessary order.

When Kyle moved it was with a quickness that completely caught Robbie by surprise. "'The hell?" he squawked when Kyle suddenly reached over the center console and yanked on a certain t-handle between the copilot's legs. Nothing happened, but Robbie's blood still ran cold for a split second as every muscle in his body clenched tight. He turned and shot Kyle a nasty glare.

Kyle smirked right back, showing his fangs. "Just checking," he commented. The wiring harnesses for both ejector seats had been removed to make the modifications for Kyle's larger frame. "Hmm, hope you won't be needing that again, Jonas," he said, his voice dripping sarcasm.

Robbie struggled to restart his heart and lungs. "Bastard," he muttered.

Kyle's ears flicked as he heard Tanhi speaking with Serina, and he turned in his seat to peer back through the hatchway.

"Does she know?" Robbie quietly asked; he never looked up from his own data pad.

Kyle ground down on his teeth. "Shut up, Robbie," he growled. Tanhi appeared in the hatchway, peering around her with wide, curious eyes that missed no detail. "Kaltxì," Kyle said, beaming proudly at her. "You can sit here, Tanhi," he said as he twisted in his chair and helped Tanhi buckle into the crude jump seat behind the copilot's station. "You alright?" he asked.

Tanhi blinked as she tore her gaze away from the fascinating patterns that the rivulets of water were making as they slid in miniature rivers down the armored windscreen. "I am fine, Yawne," she said - though in Kyle's opinion, she did not necessarily look like it.

Still, Kyle nodded as he resumed tabbing through various pages of information on his data pad. A sudden thought occurred to him, and he glanced up and asked, _"Tanhi, is it...permissible...to form tsaheylu in front of others?"_

Tanhi looked sharply at him as she weighed his question. _"It is...not common. But it is not unheard of," _she responded.

Kyle leaned forward so that he could pull his queue out from behind his back, and he offered the end to his mate across the narrow aisle, a sheepish grin adorning his face. _"If it will make you feel better...?"_

With a delicate, beautiful laugh Tanhi nodded and joined the end of her neural braid with her mate's, and both of them had to pause and take in a deep, calming breath. Tanhi's eyes grew large and her pupils dilated wide open as she intimately sensed everything that was going on in Kyle's mind. Whatever it was that he was doing now was _not _simple. Tanhi never doubted her mate's intelligence, but she was quite unprepared for all of the mental work that he was doing at the current moment.

Kyle chuckled, and he swelled a bit with pride despite himself as he basked in Tanhi's admiration. His levity was cut short when Robbie picked that moment to glance backwards. "Gross," he let slip before he could stop himself when he noticed Kyle and Tanhi's linked braids.

Tanhi felt a huge surge of irritation from her mate as Kyle growled, "Face forward, Jonas. Keep on task."

The copilot shook his head in annoyance. "Sure thing, boss," he mumbled.

"How's the reactor looking, Serina?" Kyle asked over his shoulder.

"Are your readouts not coming through up there?" Serina said, answering Kyle's question with a question.

The pilot chuckled. "Oh, I see things just fine. I'm just double checking what's up here with what you can see back there. I'm fine to spool up if there are no objections."

"No objections, boss," Serina confirmed.

"Alright, then," Kyle said, mostly to himself as he affixed an avatar throat radio around his neck and attached the accompanying earpiece. "Hell's Gate tower, Valkyrie 61, how do you read?" he transmitted once he had slaved his throat mic with the shuttle's main radio.

"Valkyrie 61, Hell's Gate tower. Reading you loud and clear," Roger's strong voice replied.

After a short conversation it was determined that the runway was indeed clear, and Kyle gained permission for takeoff. Tanhi could feel Kyle begin to tingle with anticipation, and she herself began to fidget a little in her seat to burn off some of the nervous energy that she was experiencing through their bond. She watched in amazement as countless calculations and sensations flashed through Kyle's mind. His hands worked the controls, and Tanhi could feel some kind of immense power build from somewhere behind her; it set her bones to tingling.

A faint smile curled up the corners of Kyle's lips.

For a moment Tanhi felt almost neglected as Kyle conversed with Robbie and Serina. Their tones were clipped and official, and though Tanhi could detect some strange undercurrents in Kyle's mind regarding the two humans a generally calm and professional atmosphere prevailed.

Tanhi sighed and wriggled in her seat in an attempt to make herself more comfortable, content to simply sit back and watch quietly. _I'm right here, _came a small but encouraging reassurance from Kyle. _Hold on._

Kyle did something, Tanhi had no idea what, and the low thrum from behind them was joined by a dull roar from outside that began to shake the entire frame of the shuttle. Then, much to Tanhi's amazement, she felt her stomach lurch in way that she had not felt since that fateful day that she rode her father's ikran. They were flying!

It seemed that the last time Kyle had touched these controls was only yesterday. He directed the shuttle with a natural ease, bidding the four poster-lift engines to dance, working with the shuttle as if she were a partner he had spent his entire life with. Tanhi found herself leaning forward as far as she could as she witnessed the landscape of Hell's Gate fall away around them; the streams of water on the windshield began to swirl and change direction until they flowed not down, but back.

Kyle continued speaking into his mic as he kept tabs on the two Scorpion escorts that had lifted off beside them.

"130 knots, Fischer. Ready when you are," Robbie informed him. They had already reached the point where they needed to transition to the scramjet-powered horizontal flight. Several disconcerting thumps and bumps later and the force that had been steadily shoving Tanhi back in her seat increased dramatically; the roar from outside metamorphosed into a yowling scream. Tanhi caught a fleeting glimpse of mountains and jungle below them before the view outside transitioned to a soupy, uniform gray.

The Scorpion helicopters were no longer needed and peeled away to clatter back to Hell's Gate. Just before they soared into the clouds Kyle saw one of them, no doubt piloted by Collins, give the standard wing-waggle, an airplane version of "farewell."

"Kyle...?" she asked, her own curious thoughts completing her question. _What was outside?_

"We're in the clouds now, Tanhi," Kyle explained. She felt a distinct tingle of anticipation transfer through their bond. _This is my favorite part, _he told her.

Brilliant sunlight exploded in through the windscreen, filling the cockpit with light. Tanhi inhaled sharply in amazement as she squinted and shaded her face with her hand. For a second her brain could not process what she was seeing, until at last the thought finally coalesced in her mind that she was looking at the _tops _of the clouds. Suspended in the morning sky overhead, looking close enough to touch, was another rocky moon of Polyphemus. _It is beautiful! _Tanhi thought; Kyle agreed wholeheartedly.

* * *

The Valkyrie was swallowed up by the clouds much too quickly in Mal'ek's opinion. A frustrated growl rumbled in his chest as he stared after the departed spacecraft; he kept vigil out in the rain long after the sonic booms had sounded out and ceased echoing around between the mountains surrounding Hell's Gate.

The warrior jumped when he felt a hand brush his shoulder. _"They will be safe," _Jake said, and to Mal'ek's relief the Olo'eyktan did not comment on his Second's lack of awareness concerning his surroundings.

_"What gives you such certainty?" _Mal'ek asked.

_"What causes you such doubt?" _Jake countered.

Mal'ek had no answer to this. Come to think of it, Kyle had done absolutely nothing to betray Mal'ek's confidence in him. In any area of life.

Jake tugged on Mal'ek's shoulder, encouraging him to step back into the avatar prep room. _"Get out of the rain, Mal'ek. You are going to shrink if you get too wet."_

The notion was incredulous enough to make the fierce warrior snort twice with laughter. _"Fine, Jakesully. As you say."_


	31. Chapter 31

**Okay, I feel obliged to apologize, because my inner nerd personified itself, knocked me unconscious, and actually wrote a great deal of this chapter completely on its own. 8-) So please, bear with me, and I hope I don't put anyone to sleep. Space shuttles and orbital dynamics were both fascinating and tiring to research, let me tell you! Coincidentally, the shuttle _Atlantis _flew for the last time while I was writing this, making the final flight of the US Space Shuttle program. Such a shame, really. Those ships truly are beautiful masterpieces, works of art I dare say, and it saddens me to think that their service to mankind is now finished.**

**Proceed with caution, dear Reader. And buckle up. ;-)**

Chapter 31

"Here, Yawne, take another sip if you can," Tanhi murmured as she lovingly rubbed her fingertips against her mate's back.

Kyle managed a nod as he brought the drinking bulb to his lips and sucked, drawing out a small amount of the medicine-infused water that Tanhi had given him. "Thank you," he gasped. "I think -" he stopped and his eyes widened as he clapped his hand over his mouth, and another gurgling noise made its way out from somewhere deep in his throat.

"There she blows," Robbie muttered from up in the copilot's seat. Apparently the work of establishing orbit on his own had not impeded his sarcasm.

"Shut your mouth, Jonas," Serina scolded. "You know he'll get you back later." To Kyle she gently offered, "Do you need a bag?" Serina did not press him on the matter, though. As humorous as it was that it was Kyle, and not Tanhi, who seemed to disagree the most with zero gravity, Kyle was fully aware of the dangers of nausea in a weightless environment. He knew to be careful.

Kyle screwed his eyes closed and shook his head, his braids flailing about in the air from the motion; he held up his hand in a "wait" gesture as he massaged his own neck with his other hand. Just keep breathing, just keep breathing, just keep breathing, he intoned as he fought to keep his stomach in its proper place. In all his life, he had never felt so queasy before. At last he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand and whispered, "I think I'm okay, now."

Serina nodded, but she still had a garbage bag handy, just in case. "You've never been one to get space sick," she murmured with concern.

"Are you ill?" Tanhi asked worriedly as she stroked her mate's forehead.

Kyle shook his head and swallowed again. He still looked rather pale; his skin was slicked with perspiration, and his tanhi were not illuminating very brightly at all. Instead of answering he reached for the drinking bulb again, plucking it out of the air from where he had left it suspended by the ceiling, and took another, noticeably stronger, sip.

"It's just space sickness from the microgravity," Serina explained. "The worst of it should go away in a couple of hours; in a day he'll be back to normal." She frowned and added, "At least that's the way it works for humans. What happened, Fischer, lose your touch?"

"Different body," Kyle breathed. "Ugh, I feel like crap." He had _not _expected this, at least for himself.

Tanhi, on the other hand, was completely at ease in zero gravity. She moved with even more grace than normal, something that Kyle did not think was possible. She seemed to instantly grasp the concepts of moving about without the reference of gravity, and she made excellent use of her tail to help her stay where she wanted to. She twirled in place while keeping her eyes on her mate's face, and she laughed when Kyle paled again and clenched his eyes tightly shut.

Serina chuckled, too. "You hungry yet? We've got ice cream, pureed fruit, meatloaf-in-a-tube..."

"Shut _up," _Kyle moaned as he rubbed his face with both hands.

* * *

_"This one was from when one of my friends yanked a knife out of my hand. We were both only younglings - I was grasping the knife by its blade, and I stupidly insisted on holding on when Sori stupidly insisted on taking the blade from me." _The scar that Sìlpey indicated paralleled her thumb and neatly bisected her palm. _"It was nearly a full season before my hand stopped hurting, and I was unable to even play practice with my bow and arrow."_

Tsaro nodded in agreement as he winced. _"That is a long time... I would go crazy if I was limited like that." _He inhaled deeply, enjoying all of the pleasant smells around him, along with the warmth of the sun on his face as he leaned back on his elbows; this small island in the river was one of his favorite places to go to spend time in solitude, and he was glad that the early morning showers had given way to much more pleasant sunshine. He did not mind sharing this place with Sìlpey, though.

_ "The worst thing was all the attention I received," _Sìlpey growled in irritation. _"It was only because I am the Olo'eyktan's daughter. After that, my friends began to play with me less and less, for they all feared what would happen if they hurt me by accident."_

Before Tsaro could respond a new bout of splashing and chortling drew both his and Sìlpey's attention to the edge of the water where Tirea'ong continued to splash and cavort around. It was an unusually immature moment for Tsaro's normally regal and fierce ikran. Tirea'ong was crouched over a small pool; when the water became still enough for her own reflection to become visible again she would pounce, splashing water and wet sand everywhere as she played.

Tsaro smiled fondly as he watched her. Sìlpey said something, but in his distraction he failed to hear it. _"I am sorry, what did you say?" _he asked as he looked back at Sìlpey, giving her a quick, embarrassed smile.

Sìlpey grinned as well and sighed as she silently wondered, _why do you not smile more? _Aloud, she replied, _"I said, 'your ikran seems very content.'"_

_ "She is," _Tsaro agreed. _"She and I have always liked visiting this island. It is always very peaceful. Where is...?" _he trailed off, for just as he was about to inquire as to the location of Sìlpey's ikran, the beast in question flew low overhead, coming over the scraggly trees from behind them. Seykxel dropped something from his jaws; a fresh fish that was still squirming, Tsaro realized, which struck Tirea'ong right between her forward set of wings.

Tirea'ong was intently studying her own reforming reflection when she was soundly smacked by the fishy projectile, and she let out an undignified squawk in surprise and stretched up to snap her jaws at Seykxel's tail as he passed by. Seykxel cackled and landed on the beach a safe distance away, no doubt immensely pleased with himself.

Any anger that Tirea'ong may have felt towards Sìlpey's ikran evaporated when she realized that she had just had a food item thrown at her, and the bright blue ikran squealed happily and promptly ate the fish, which had still been weakly flopping on the ground.

Sìlpey and Tsaro both laughed uproariously at their ikrans' antics, and they sat in silence for a while longer as they continued to watch the two creatures interact. _"They are very happy together," _Tsaro observed.

He felt his face heat up when Sìlpey's hand settled over his own. Then, _"Hey!" _as Sìlpey dug her foot into the sand and kicked some of the hot granules onto his own legs. Sìlpey giggled as Tsaro grumbled under his breath and leaned forward to brush his legs clean.

Sìlpey suddenly frowned when Tsaro's shifted position caused the light to hit him at a different angle. _"What did this?" _she asked softly as she reached over and traced the sharp scar on the front of his left thigh. She quickly snatched her hand away as she suddenly realized how intimate her touch was.

_"Palulukan," _Tsaro responded absently as he looked down at his leg as well. The long scar was well camouflaged against the darker blue stripes of his skin. Sìlpey's expression clearly conveyed that she wanted to hear the story, and with a sigh Tsaro recalled what had happened that day that a rogue palulukan had attacked the Omaticaya.

_"I did not know any of this," _she breathed as she gazed at Tsaro with renewed respect. Tsaro had described drawing the palulukan away, making it _chase _him, as though it was the most natural thing in the world, as if he had done such a thing a hundred times before.

_"It was nothing...," _Tsaro murmured as he flushed and looked away, out over the meandering river. His eyes just happened to settle on the perfect spot to watch a fish jump and snatch a small insect out of the air.

Sìlpey huffed and slapped the sand between them in irritation. _"That is not 'nothing!' It is never 'nothing' to risk your life for others. What you did that day takes great bravery. That is the kind of thing that the People sing songs of for generations! Not just songs of celebration, but teaching songs so that the younglings may know what true bravery and selflessness is." _

Tsaro did not say anything in return; he continued to stare out over the water, and Sìlpey watched his countenance turn rigid.

He flinched imperceptibly when Sìlpey placed her hand on his shoulder, her thumb rubbing soft circles against the front of his neck and her fingers gently stroking the bumps of his spine. _"Relax," _she said in a soft voice. _"All of your life you have been a protector of others," _Sìlpey stated gently.

Tsaro finally met her eyes, his expression one of incredulous amazement at her words. His eyes widened when Sìlpey caressed the right side of his head with her other hand, gently feeling the ugly skin over his ear. No one but the healers had _ever _touched him there.

_"You realize you are so much more than that, Tsaro, do you not?" _Sìlpey swallowed and closed her eyes as she whispered a silent prayer to Eywa that her next words would not be too much. Marali had warned her that this would be an extremely painful thing for her son to recall. _"One failure to save someone does not mean that you need to spend the rest of your life trying to redeem yourself."_

Tsaro gasped and scrambled backwards away from her with the same sense of urgency as if Sìlpey had threatened him with a knife. He tried to stand, but he ended up slipping in the loose sand and fell flat on his back with an uncharacteristic lack of grace. His expression was one of absolute horror as he finally got his feet under himself and made to stand up a second time.

Sìlpey would have none of that, though. She lunged at him, tackling Tsaro back down to the beach as she grasped his shoulders with her hands and pinned his legs with her own. _"No!" _she told him with surprising firmness.

_"Get off!" _Tsaro snarled as he struggled to sit back up, and he grasped Sìlpey's upper arms with near bruising strength.

_"No, Tsaro," _Sìlpey said again, a little softer this time. She pressed her forehead against Tsaro's, who froze in shock at the unexpected move. Sìlpey kept applying relentless pressure until Tsaro found himself flat on his back again with Sìlpey's beautiful face hovering right before his own. _"You will not run from this any longer."_

Tsaro went limp beneath Sìlpey, and he traded not struggling for biting his lower lip and clenching his eyes closed.

_"Who was she?" _Sìlpey whispered.

A single harsh, ugly laugh burst out from Tsaro, and he shook his head firmly. His eyes were still closed tight. _"I did not even know her name," _he admitted. _"She was a little girl, separated from her parents."_

Even after almost two years, the memory was still as vivid as reality itself. The roar, the _yowl, _of the raging conflagration as it ate Hometree like a living animal feasting on flesh. Oh, Eywa, the _heat. _It was unbearable. And the _smell. _If there was only one thing in all the world that Tsaro could forget, it would be the stench from that day.

The girl had been tucked tightly into a shallow alcove, utterly frozen in fear, no doubt separated from her family. Tsaro could not even recognize her through her sooty covering; it had been completely natural and instinctive to scoop her up in his arms, tuck her tight to his chest. She had almost choked him, her little arms were wrapped so tight around his neck.

_"Tsaro!" _his brother's warning from behind him rang out loudly in his ears, and below Sìlpey Tsaro hissed and clenched his teeth at the memory.

Something struck him on the head, and Tsaro saw stars as he fell. He tried holding on to the girl. Oh, he had tried so hard, but the thing he was aware of most was his own flagging strength as he wavered on the edge of unconsciousness as his brain finally processed the fact that a massive, flaming branch had just slugged him over the head. He was on his hands and knees when he heard the youngling's shrill scream; then she slipped away as Tsaro's vision faded to black.

He must have only been out for a split second, because suddenly he felt someone yanking him bodily to his feet and propelling him forward along the branch towards a spiral. He could not see out of his right eye, a blindness that had nothing to do with the acrid smoke that was thick around him, and the side of his head felt wrong somehow. His whole body hurt, but the right side of his head was only numb, and that scared him. _"Where...?"_ he tried to slur.

_ "Gone. She is gone," _his brother gasped in his ear as he shoved Tsaro down the stairs.

_"I am sorry, Tsaro. I am so sorry." _His brother's voice transformed into Sìlpey's, and Tsaro's eyes flew back open as he suddenly remembered where he was. One of Sìlpey's hands moved to support the side of his face, her thumb gently stroking over his skin, brushing away a few stray grains of sand that had stuck to his face.

Tsaro emitted a single choked growl, more like a groan, and Sìlpey eased off of him as he rolled away onto his side. He remained that way for a good while, facing away from her as he allowed the emotion to bleed off. Sìlpey said no more; she stayed beside him, though, rubbing his arm as she gave him her silent support.

_"That does not define you," _Sìlpey murmured at last as she squeezed Tsaro's arm for emphasis.

_"Why does this matter to you so much? It is my burden, not yours," _Tsaro gruffly stated. He had regained his more characteristic self-confident, guarded tone of voice. Almost hostile. Though the facade of fierce warrior was slowly coming back up again, Sìlpey was grateful to see that there was so much more beyond it. And now she understood why Tsaro kept it so hidden.

A smile spread over Sìlpey's face and she was glad that Tsaro did not see it, lest he think that she was laughing at him. _"Because I like you, you silent, brooding, mysterious skxawng," _she declared.

Tsaro rolled onto his back again and stared at her incredulously.

_"Sit up," _Sìlpey ordered with a smile as she turned herself so that she was resting on her knees with her hands folded primly in her lap.

One corner of Tsaro's mouth turned up in the tiniest of grins for a second as he obeyed.

Sìlpey reached forward and placed her hand at the back of Tsaro's head, just below his queue, and gently pulled him forward. Sìlpey knew that Tsaro was quite strong; she knew that he was allowing her to do this, even as his brow furrowed in slight confusion. Surprising even herself, Sìlpey pressed her lips against Tsaro's. Truthfully she had never done this kind of thing before, but she figured that she must have been doing something right when she felt Tsaro kiss her back as he cradled the back of her own head with his hands.

A short giggle escaped Sìlpey when she pulled away and observed the astonished, dazed, and flushed expression on Tsaro's face. He blinked rapidly as his eyes refocused, and then he did something that Sìlpey thought was exceedingly odd.

He pinched himself on his own forearm. Hard.

_"Why did you do that, Tsaro?" _Sìlpey wondered.

* * *

Kyle recovered from his initial space sickness relatively quickly, much to everyone's relief. He immersed himself quickly in his duties, along with Serina and Robbie. Tanhi, for her part, simply stayed in her own little corner of the cockpit, gazing in absolute wonder at the world overhead. Her golden eyes were wide, her pupils dilated as she absorbed sights that she never could have imagined existed, not even in her wildest dreams.

The brilliant tapestry of Pandora, of Eywa'eveng, was suspended overhead, and Tanhi simply gaped in amazement at the world of her birth. She reached out to touch it, only to have her hand press up against the cold cockpit glass. Jungles, oceans, mountains, plains, icecaps...she could see it _all _from her position 250 miles up. A huge storm was forming over a southern ocean, and she watched in complete fascination as the tempest whirled in slow motion, ever powerful and impressive, even from this far away. She could feel her eyes begin to moisten, and she smiled at the strange feeling of becoming teary-eyed in zero gravity.

Tanhi jumped when Kyle softly pressed his lips against her jaw, and she blinked owlishly as she looked at him, her eyes refocusing on a sight that was much closer than that which she had been staring at for the past 15 minutes. The color had fully returned to Kyle's face; he looked much healthier now, and he gazed steadily at her, his eyes radiating warmth and love. "Enjoying the view?" he murmured softly.

Before she could respond darkness descended around them, and Tanhi looked back up and gasped. They were on the night side of Pandora, Tanhi realized. The Pandoran surface was indistinguishable...except for faint flares of illumination from a thunderstorm on the surface. _"I do not have the words...," _Tanhi breathed as she looked back at her mate. Kyle's bioluminescent tanhi glowed steadily, his own personal constellation of stars.

Kyle chuckled softly. "It's always overwhelming, even after the first time. Your world is beautiful, Tanhi," he said.

_"Our world," _Tanhi corrected as she ran her fingers wonderingly through Kyle's free-floating braids.

Robbie cleared his throat and said, "The calculations for the injection burn are locked in, Fischer. We're coming into position shortly, if you want to nail it this time around."

Kyle nodded and kissed Tanhi quickly on her forehead. "You need to buckle in again," he said as he pushed off of the ceiling and placed himself back down in his own chair.

"What are we doing?" she asked as she strapped herself down again.

"Preparing to break orbit," Kyle explained. He pointed out through the windscreen to where the enormous azure marble of Polyphemus was descending from the horizon; or at least, that is how it appeared to Tanhi. The Valkyrie was currently orbiting Pandora with its nose facing their direction of travel and its roof facing the moon's surface. "We're going there. You ready?" he asked as he glanced over to make sure that she was belted in. "Serina?"

"All set back here," Serina's voice confirmed. "Fischer, check your angles. You may need to yaw right three or four more degrees."

"Got it," Kyle acknowledged as he grasped the Valkyrie's control yoke. He gave it a couple of deft taps, and Tanhi heard several muffled clunks that seemed to come from outside. Her stomach seemed to jiggle disconcertingly as the view out of the windows shifted slightly. "All set. Brace for the main burn on my mark. Three, two, one, mark."

Tanhi heard what sounded like a drawn-out thunderclap from behind them as the shuttle's fusion engines lit off, and she squeaked in surprise as she felt herself being shoved back into her seat. It appeared that Pandora was rising up and away from them; the strange perspective shift along with the sudden influence of gravity made her queasy, much to her chagrin, and she closed her eyes against the sensation.

The roar from behind them eventually faded away, and Tanhi's stomach lurched again; Kyle swallowed and cleared his throat as he experienced similar feelings. "Nice job, Fischer," Serina said from behind them. "Transfer route looks good."

Tanhi started to reach for her seatbelt, but Kyle stopped her. "Hold on, Tanhi. One more thing, and then we can get up again," he gently corrected.

_"What now? All of this moving around is beginning to make _me _not feel well!" _she huffed, speaking in Na'vi so that Serina and Robbie would not understand. She felt unusually satisfied with the way that she adapted so easily to weightlessness, and she hated to detract from her success thus far.

Kyle shot her a quick grin. _"I would feel bad for you... But I do remember you twirling around a while back, just to make me feel more sick on purpose."_

Tanhi rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, fully aware that she was pouting like a child. Kyle gave the control stick a few more taps, bidding the shuttle to roll left along its longitudinal axis as the Valkyrie's RCS thrusters activated again with a soft chuffing noise. As she stared out through the windows Tanhi could not tell if they were spinning in place or if everything outside was spinning around them. The rotating pinpoints of starlight did not bother her too much, but the ever changing perspective of Polyphemus dominating the scene outside did. "Why can we not remain still?" she asked.

Kyle laughed gently as he unbuckled his harness and stretched in his seat. "For the same reason you rotate our yerik cuts on the fire, Tanhi," he answered. "You wouldn't want to burn them, would you?"

A faint flicker of alarm passed through Tanhi. "Are we cooking?" she asked.

"Kind of," Robbie muttered, and Tanhi glanced forward at the copilot with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, Tanhi," Kyle reassured her as he reached over and tucked some stray strands of hair back behind Tanhi's ear. He smiled when her braids drifted out of place again as soon as she turned to look back at him. "We need to keep the ship rotating so that the sun doesn't burn one side and the shadow doesn't freeze the other. We'll be fine, though, I promise."

Tanhi nodded as her mind processed the new dangers that something as simple as sunlight now caused them. Her morbid musings were interrupted by a telling rumble from Kyle's stomach. "Damn, Fischer, hungry already?" Robbie asked.

"Well, I've been up for almost eight hours so far," Kyle grumbled.

Tanhi chuckled as she asked, "Are you sure you are ready to eat anything?"

Kyle looked rather sheepish as he nodded. "Yeah, I feel fine now," he replied. His mind had already known what to expect concerning zero gravity, and thankfully it did not take long at all for his new body to fall back in line. "Who's taking first watch?" Now that all of the required maneuvering burns had been completed there was not much to do but wait, and hopefully their interim time would prove to be uneventful. It would take at least two days to reach Polyphemus.

"I'll do it," Serina volunteered. "Everyone else has had their windshield time but me. Go on and relax, the lot of you."

Even though she still wanted to be able to look outside, Tanhi gave in to Kyle's encouragement to take a break in their cabin. Kyle watched in admiration as Tanhi skillfully twisted her lithe body through the hatchway and disappeared down into the mid-deck. His concerns about her ability to handle microgravity proved unfounded - she was doing amazingly well, especially when one considered that it was he who had been the most sick initially. "Hold on, it's not a race!" he laughed as he pulled himself down through the hatch.

Tanhi was poised at the hatchway to the cargo bay; she looked back over her shoulder and giggled sweetly before launching herself away, and Kyle barely caught a glimpse of his mate's cute tail before she disappeared. A different, though supremely amusing, picture greeted Kyle when he himself got to the cargo bay. Tanhi had goofed up her launch, and she was floundering about in the air like a fish out of water as she worked her arms, legs, and tail in a frantic effort to guide herself back to a firm anchor.

Kyle's eyes narrowed in concentration as he judged timing and distances, and when the moment was right he shoved himself away from the hatchway. "Gotcha!" he declared when he tackled his mate in midair, and he laughed and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

Tanhi yipped in surprise and held onto Kyle tightly as they tumbled through the air. A few kicks with his legs and a purposeful flick of his tail was enough for Kyle to spin them the way he wanted, and he absorbed the brunt of their inevitable collision against a bulkhead with his own back. _"Are you alright?" _Tanhi quickly asked in Na'vi when they jolted to a stop. Kyle held onto a conduit with one hand to keep them from bouncing away; his other arm remained wrapped firmly around Tanhi's waist, holding her tight to himself.

A broad smile was on Kyle's face - no harm done. "I think you could use a little more practice," he said before he kissed her on the lips.

The freckles on Tanhi's face were blazing brightly with embarrassment when they pulled apart. "I did not think the open space would be so challenging," she admitted.

"It takes some getting used to," Kyle acknowledged with eyes that still twinkled with laughter. "You're managing a lot better than I thought you would. You must be a natural." Kyle's eyebrows climbed as an idea struck him. "Maybe it's the name," he murmured before he kissed her a second time.

Tanhi purred as Kyle nibbled on her lower lip and tasted her mouth with his tongue. "Star?" she managed to gasp before she turned her attention to fighting back Kyle's advances with her own.

"Mmm-hmm," Kyle thrummed in response.

Tanhi gathered up two fistfuls of Kyle's shirt as she finally said between breaths, "I thought you were hungry."

"I cannot live on bread alone, Tanhi," Kyle replied with a smirk as he pulled back; both of his hands now cupped Tanhi's face, and he lovingly stroked his thumbs over her cheeks.

Tanhi rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "You only think about food and mating," she grumbled.

She smiled when Kyle tossed his head back and laughed, and noted with an internal chuckle that Kyle offered no disagreement. "Come on, let's get inside. I wouldn't mind some good air, anyway," he said as he gently propelled them towards the field module's airlock. So far neither Tanhi or he had experienced any ill effects from the Earth atmosphere inside the Valkyrie, but it would never be Kyle's choice to breathe it long-term.

The two of them squeezed into the airlock together in order to forgo two interchanges. Of course the airlock was originally designed for humans, not Na'vi; it was a very tight fit, and Tanhi grinned and thankfully held in a gasp as Kyle molded his body intimately with hers as he reached behind her to activate the airlock. _"Are you satisfied with yourself?" _Tanhi asked in a meaningful tone of voice.

Kyle merely smirked and nodded in response.

Once they were inside Kyle sighed as he took in deep breaths of fresh air. Well...as fresh as any kind of recirculated atmosphere could be considered. The interior of the field research module had been totally stripped out in order to make room for Kyle and Tanhi's considerably larger frames. Not to mention there would be no need for furniture in microgravity anyway; their bed was a hammock from Kelutral, and all of their supplies were secured in lockers.

"You hungry?" Kyle asked as he floated over to a cabinet and began to root around for something to eat. Their menu would be limited this week, but they would by no means starve. Smoked meat and fish, fruit that had been thoughtfully dehydrated in the Hell's Gate kitchen, nuts and berries, food wraps...there was plenty of food to choose from that would be acceptable in a weightless environment.

Tanhi smiled. "No, Yawne...though I am a little thirsty," she admitted.

Kyle retrieved a water skin. "It'll be important to stay hydrated," he said seriously as he turned to face his mate. Then he smiled slyly as he uncapped the water skin and gave it a gentle squeeze - Tanhi's eyes widened in amazement as several large, perfectly spherical globules of water floated out and hung suspended in space between them.

Unable to help herself, Tanhi reached out and batted one of the massive drops, just to see what would happen. Some of the moisture stuck to her hand, but most of the sphere broke apart into countless smaller droplets that zoomed away in perfectly straight lines from the point of impact; Kyle, being the closest thing to her, received the brunt of the spray.

Tanhi giggled as Kyle blurted, "Hey!" as he was splattered. He was laughing and sputtering as he wiped at his face. "You're supposed to drink, not play with it!"

Tanhi leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. She discovered quite rapidly that she needed to brace herself against the wall, as her original motion almost made her do an unintended backflip. "And how do I do that, Yawne?" she smirked. "I do not think a drinking bowl will be any help to us here."

"Like this, silly," Kyle replied with another laugh as he gently moved one of the floating drops in front of his mouth. The drop seemed to vanish right before Tanhi's eyes as Kyle slurped it out of midair, and she gasped in surprise. "Now you try."

Much to Tanhi's amazement, it was actually quite easy to drink liquid out of midair. For his part, Kyle derived great enjoyment from watching Tanhi's childlike wonder as she chased droplets of water about the cabin. He shook his head and chuckled as he turned back to the locker and pulled out a food wrap. It was a good choice for space-faring food since the entire wrap could be eaten, and like a soft-shelled taco the leafy wrap kept everything contained. Instead of dry seasonings, which could actually be dangerous in a weightless environment, the nikt'chey had been flavored with spices that had been mixed into a sticky paste.

Kyle sighed in contentment as he ate, and Tanhi watched him curiously. "Is it good?" she asked, her tone doubtful. The wrap had been over-seasoned, in Tanhi's humble opinion, but that was how Kyle had instructed her to make them.

"Yeah, want to try a bite?" he asked as he offered her the wrap.

Tanhi accepted the food with a dubious expression, and she took an experimental nibble. Her ears flared forward in surprise as she exclaimed, "It _is_ very good!"

Kyle chuckled as he explained, "It is more difficult to taste things in zero-g. That's why we needed to season it so much."

Tanhi merely nodded carefully as she absorbed yet another new fact. Kyle had tried to warn her how different, how strange things would be here. Tanhi was rather embarrassed to admit that she had vastly underestimated the seriousness of his words. The starkness of their cold, metal surroundings struck her with renewed intensity, and she took in a deep, steadying breath.

Kyle must have noticed her subtle change in mood, for he quickly set aside his half-finished food wrap and gently gripped her upper arms. _"Are you alright?" _he asked, switching to Na'vi.

Tanhi did not expect the sudden use of her native language to affect her so much, even with Kyle's accent, and she could feel her eyes start to water even as she nodded a hesitant affirmative to his question. Even though she knew it was silly to not want to act upset in front of her mate, she wiped at her eyes as she looked away, and Tanhi had the unreasonable hope that he would not notice.

He did notice, though, and without another word Kyle pulled her to his chest and simply held her as he gently rubbed her back. Tanhi wrapped her arms tightly around Kyle's shoulders and pressed her face to his neck; she breathed in deeply, drawing comfort from his scent. _"I miss home already, Yawne," _she admitted with a deep, shuddering sigh.

_"I miss it too, Tanhi," _Kyle murmured before placing a kiss against her hair. _"I am glad you are with me, though."_

* * *

Norm expected some noticeable discomfort when he linked up with his avatar after the relatively long absence from Hometree. Though he had to spend more time than he liked attending to business at Hell's Gate, he did have to feed and exercise his other half, after all. What Norm did not expect was the blooming, sharp pinpoints of pain in his left side. He clenched his eyes shut and groaned as he rubbed his flank. How the heck had _that _spot managed to get so sore?

_"Good, you are awake," _a female voice declared. Then Norm felt another sharp jab, artfully placed right between his ribs with a skill that had been honed through extensive practice on another before him.

"Ouch! Knock it off!" Norm complained as he took a blind swipe at his assailant. The pleasant morning sunlight and bright, cheery noises from the clan below contrasted greatly with Norm's current sorry state of being.

The woman laughed at this, and when Norm hazarded a glance at the attacker through one half-open eye he was surprised to see Neytiri crouched on the branch by his nivi. Her head was cocked to the side as she watched him with wide-eyed innocence. Norm was quite sure the look was feigned, for when he glanced down at the stick in Neytiri's hand she swiftly hid the weapon behind her back and only smiled wider at him. _"How are you feeling this morning, Norm?" _she asked brightly.

Norm simply glared at her, and Neytiri laughed again. _"Do you enjoy torturing uniltìranyu?" _he asked with a huff.

Neytiri nodded vigorously, the beads in her hair tinkling like wind chimes. _"Yes. My Jake used to provide me hours of entertainment in this way." _Her expression fell as she admitted, _"But now that he is one of the People in body and in spirit, he wakes after only one poke, and then he will chase after me, and when he catches me he usually -"_

"Whoa, hold on! This is getting graphic," Norm blurted in English as he held up one hand to stop Neytiri before she said anything else that might be too incriminating; the other hand was clapped over his eyes in an effort to stop his brain from completing the thought. When he finally looked back at Neytiri he found her grinning impishly at him again. "You're a sick woman, you know that?"

Neytiri tilted her head again and frowned curiously. "How so?" she asked in her accented English. "I feel fine, Norm."

Norm sighed in exasperation before he curled awkwardly in his nivi and hoisted his extremely stiff avatar up onto a branch. Neytiri charitably grasped his elbow in an effort to help him maintain his balance - it just would not do to have one of the Omaticaya's singers fall to their death, now would it? "Did you only want to poke me this morning, or was there anything else that you needed?" Norm asked, his tone accusatory even though he was now smiling.

Neytiri's expression grew more serious as she admitted, "There is something I wished to speak with you of this morning," she replied. "It is about my Jake."

"What is it?" Norm asked quickly as he affectionally gripped Neytiri's upper arms. "Is the baby doing alright?" he asked as he glanced down with a worried expression at Neytiri's swollen abdomen.

Neytiri smiled and rolled her eyes. It seemed that no one else was permitted to have issues or problems before her and her child, and once again she was touched by Norm's care and concern for both of their wellbeings. "No, silly, I said 'Jake,' not 'Jake'itan,'" she laughed softly. Neytiri frowned thoughtfully before she asked, "You were friends with Jake's brother Tom, were you not?"

That familiar pang of loss curled through Norm's chest, and he allowed himself to sigh sadly even as he nodded. "Yeah, I was. Tommy was my best friend." Norm let his hands fall away from Neytiri's arms as he took a step back. "It was like losing my own brother, in fact," he said softly. Norm had never phrased it as such to Jake, for he never wanted his friend to think that he was diminishing the loss that one blood sibling felt at the passing of another. A part of him said that Jake would never resent such a statement, but sometimes that part in Norm could never quite speak loudly enough.

Neytiri stepped forward to lessen the distance between them as she reached out to tenderly stroke Norm's jaw. "This is not a bad thing, Norm," she whispered. "It may well help you answer my question." She sighed and glanced downwards when Norm's expression turned curious. Neytiri held both of her hands against her stomach and murmured, "My Jake and I will name our son 'Tom' when he is born. But I... I do not think that my Jake has ever had a chance to truly let go of his brother, or to grieve for him. It is a very different thing when someone ceases living on 'Rrta."

She looked back up at Norm for confirmation, and he nodded sadly. "It is very different," he softly agreed.

"There is something that I wish to do for my Jake...," Neytiri began slowly. She winced in frustration as she admitted, "But I do not want to cause my mate pain, and I cannot ask this question of him without risking this. Can I bring my concern to you, Norm?"

"Of course you can, Neytiri," Norm quickly affirmed. "I said I'd do anything for you two. I meant it."

* * *

When Tanhi awoke it was... Actually, she had absolutely no idea what time of day it was. The last two "days" all ran together in her head, with no discernible beginning or end. It was yet _another _thing she had not counted on that would be so difficult. Tanhi blinked myopically as her mind tried to determine whether it was morning, noon, evening, or midnight. Without the sun, or the rhythms of the forest, Tanhi was completely lost and she found the experience to be alarmingly disconcerting. Their cabin lights were dimmed; Kyle had set them according to the Pandoran day/night cycle, though they were a poor substitute indeed for the real sun. The only sounds that reached her ears was the ever constant thrumming of machinery.

Despite the fact that it seemed to be "night," Kyle was not present. Even though it was relatively warm in their cabin, it was still much cooler than Tanhi was used to. She had not noticed the temperature difference when Kyle had been sleeping beside her, but now that he was gone it was much more apparent.

Once Tanhi had cycled through the airlock and entered the cargo bay she found that she could hear faint voices coming from the Valkyrie's crew cabin. Though the voices did sound tense, Tanhi could not detect any anger in the exchanged words.

When she arrived at the flight deck she discovered that Robbie was seated back in the electronics suite, and that Serina was up front with Kyle. Both of them were concentrating intensely on their work, and she nodded in agreement when Robbie turned and placed his finger over his lips.

"What is happening?" Tanhi whispered to him.

"We're closing in on the first harvester," Robbie explained in a muted voice. "A flare-up of solar radiation is screwing with the radar, though. It's making actually finding the damn thing a little tricky."

The specifics were lost on Tanhi, but she could understand the frustration of not being able to find what one was looking for. Though Robbie did not expressly indicate any danger, Tanhi would not have been surprised if someone told her that this development did not bode well for their safety.

Tanhi gasped once she caught sight of what was outside. For a second she almost thought they were back home, but what appeared to be blue sky was in fact Polyphemus. To say it was bizarre to see this heavenly body up close would be an understatement.

"Kyle -"

Tanhi did not get very far before she was interrupted. "Hold on please, Tanhi," Kyle said. He did not look at her; his serious eyes never ceased peering about outside. "I'm sorry, this is just a little bit tense right now." To Serina he asked, "Do you see anything yet?"

Serina huffed and shook her head. "Your vision is supposed to be better than mine, Kyle. I doubt I'd spot it first." Over her shoulder: "Robbie, any progress clearing things up? Radar would be really nice to have right now."

"Working on it!" came the harried response.

Tanhi asked, "Can I help you look for...?" She trailed off. What did a harvester look like, anyway?

"Sure," Kyle replied in a distracted voice. "You'll know it if you see it, trust me. It's the only manmade thing within several hundred thousand miles. Can't miss it."

Suddenly from behind them Robbie said, "Try it now!"

Serina's fingers seemed to blur as she typed furiously on the console before them. She slid her holoscreen around so that it was positioned right in front of her as a blessedly clear radar image finally populated on the screen. "Damnit, the harvester's only 5,000 yards away. It was below our line of sight. I think we can still make it if you - shit!"

The copilot muttered unflatteringly under her breath when the flight harness bit into her chest as Kyle none too gently jammed on the RCS rockets, already making adjustments to their orbit even before Serina had finished her sentence. Tanhi braced herself with her hands on Kyle's seat and her feet on the hatchway as she felt herself drift forward against her will. "Hold onto something," Kyle muttered under his breath.

_"I guessed that would be necessary," _Tanhi shot back.

"It is not the end of the world if we overshoot," Serina griped as she gripped her armrests.

"I don't want to wait," Kyle gritted back, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he shifted his focus between his instruments and the view outside. "I think I see it..."

The robotic harvester finally came up into view. It was difficult to judge how large it was, as there was absolutely nothing to reference it with. It only seemed to grow bigger as their own shuttle drew up to it, and Tanhi finally recognized the wedge shape at the end of the harvester as another tawsìp. At last she could appreciate how enormous it was.

It looked like a Valkyrie shuttle that had rear-ended the illegitimate child of a grain combine and an oil tanker. The sleek shuttle had been nosed into a cradle within the separate gas harvesting gear, which was a utilitarian tangle of pipes, conduits, scoops, and spherical processing chambers. The bow of the harvester was disproportionately wide and flat, like its combine parent, and lined with dozens of vapor intakes. Raw hydrogen and deuterium from Polyphemus' upper atmosphere was inhaled here before being shunted rearward for refinement. The aged Valkyrie at the back provided propulsion and power. Space dust, like so much cosmic road spray, had dulled its formerly pristine white hull to a more muted grey.

The first ISVs to Pandora had to haul with them enough fuel for a round trip, and this necessity did not leave much room for anything else of importance. The harvesters were one of the first large, manmade components that had been brought out to Pandora besides the raw materials for Hell's Gate itself. The ship before them looked aged, but it had been built quite sturdily. It would operate quite well for many more years to come.

Kyle turned in his seat and nodded tersely to his mate in greeting before he said back to Robbie, "Time to get suited up. Are you sure you want to go first?"

Robbie was glad that he was out of the line-of-sight from the cockpit, for he did not want Kyle or Serina to see how nervous he was. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against the console in front of him and held a deep breath before releasing it slowly. He flinched slightly when he looked forward to answer the boss's question; he had forgotten that Tanhi was at the back of the cockpit. She had been silently watching him the entire time. "Yeah, Fischer, I'm cool," he said. "Give me about five minutes, Serina, then you can come back and double check my suit."

"Okay," Serina answered softly.

"Hey, Jonas!" Kyle called out as Robbie was unbuckling. Kyle leaned out into the cockpit's narrow aisle and lobbed a small flash drive backwards. It tumbled effortlessly through the air and landed perfectly in Robbie's outstretched palm. "I'll be watching. I'll know when it's been done correctly," he stated in a flat tone of voice.

Robbie nodded stiffly before he turned and made for the flight deck exit.

Tanhi had quietly watched the whole interaction. When Kyle turned back to face forward she placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered into his ear, _"I wish you would not act so unkindly towards him."_

She could actually watch her mate tense and stiffen at her words. _"You do not understand," _he gritted out in an unusually harsh voice.

_"Hmmm, maybe you should explain it to me, then," _Tanhi responded softly as she tenderly stroked Kyle's head and allowed her fingers to caress the base of his queue; the rest of her unsaid message was communicated quite clearly to her mate.

Serina coughed discreetly into her hand before she asked, "Do you want any help maneuvering, boss? Or should I go back and help Jonas?"

Kyle deflated and sighed. Maybe he was being a little bit of an ass. "No, I can handle things up here. Please go back to the airlock and make sure Robbie doesn't miss a zipper or something." As Serina pulled herself past him Kyle called out again. "Serina? Thank you for doing this."

"You're welcome," Serina answered softly. "But I'm not the one doing the hard part right now," she added before she left.

Once Serina had left Kyle growled in exasperation as he turned his focus to positioning their shuttle appropriately. The Valkyries' upswept delta wings and the design of their engines prevented any kind of hard-dock between the two ships. Over the next several minutes, while Tanhi silently looked on, Kyle flipped their shuttle until it was back-to-back with the harvester; gentle inputs from the RCS jets carefully nudged their ship over until it hovered only yards above its partner.

Tanhi could practically smell Kyle's concentration. He never spoke, but she could watch his ears twitch faintly every time the radar rangefinders would beep. Kyle swiftly slid his own holoscreen into place in front of him and reached over to tap a button on the copilot's station. A docking camera activated, and Kyle watched the screen intently as he aligned the two airlocks. "In position," Kyle intoned into his radio after several minutes. An affirmative response quickly came from Robbie and Serina back in the shuttle's main airlock.

"What will happen next?" Tanhi quietly asked once Kyle sighed again and relaxed.

Kyle pointed to the screen in front of him and then upwards to the other ship outside. "We have to hover in place. There's no connection between the two vessels, and I need to keep the two airlocks lined up so that someone, in this case Robbie, can board the other ship."

Robbie's voice over the radio came before Tanhi could respond. "Exterior hatch open. Firing tether," he said in that strange, emotionless tone that Tanhi was rapidly beginning to associate with intense concentration. The two Na'vi watched on Kyle's screen as a cable was shot out between the two ships; its magnetic head landed soundlessly right next to the harvester's airlock.

Kyle touched his throat mic and said encouragingly, "Nice shot, Robbie. Nailed it on the first try."

"We've had a lot of, 'got it right on the first try' moments this trip," they heard Robbie answer in a semi-distracted voice. "I'm just waiting for our luck to run out."

"There's no such thing as luck," Kyle corrected, though he did so with an admirably gentle voice.

"Whatever," Robbie panted back, his breathing labored from his intense focus. "Just don't snap the cable."

On the screen they could see Robbie's suited form emerge from the airlock. A handheld crawler trolly had been affixed to the cable that was strung between the two vessels, and Robbie was in turn tethered to the trolly that was now trundling along down the wire. There should never be a moment where the man would be able to drift away from an anchor point.

Kyle could hear Serina pulling herself up through the mid-deck hatch. "How are his vitals?" he quietly asked her as he visually checked backwards. Serina was hovering in front of a display screen, and Kyle could recognize Robbie's spastically jumping biometrics.

"He's afraid, Kyle," came Serina's quick response. "He's really scared right now."

Kyle sighed again and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "All we can do is wait right now," he said softly to his mate.

Tanhi nodded and wrapped her arms around Kyle's chest so that she could give him an awkward, though sincere, hug. Even then she could tell that Kyle's attention was not fully on her. His eyes never wavered from the Valkyrie's instruments, and every now and then he would gently tap the control stick one way or another to make sure they stayed where they were supposed to. And he made damn sure not to snap Robbie's tether.

Kyle switched the image on the copilot's holoscreen over to a video feed from a camera on Robbie's helmet. The man had arrived at the outside of the harvester's airlock; he reached for the access panel, moving slowly as though through a thick liquid. "Easy breaths, Robbie," Serina coached him over the intercom. "You don't have anything to be afraid of."

Robbie's radio crackled with what was probably a sarcastic laugh. "If you do this next you'll realize just how terrifying it is to be out here alone," Robbie shot back. All it would take would be one slip of transferring tethers, or one equipment malfunction, and Robbie Jonas would become Polyphemus' newest satellite. Sure, they had mobile EVA suits aboard. It would probably only take Serina ten minutes to get into one. Probably...

"I'll handle the next harvester, then. Take it easy, you're doing great," came Serina's gentle encouragement.

Kyle almost said something, but at the last minute held off. Despite the ill feelings between them, Kyle could sympathize with the stress of conducting a spacewalk. Kyle had been required to do one himself on the flight out. Everything had gone just perfectly, but Kyle could still distinctly remember the strange terror that seemed to freeze his stomach, like he had been crouched on the edge of an abyss on a windy day. It was not a pleasant sensation.

Robbie gained access to the harvester's airlock. "There's still atmosphere in here," he reported.

Kyle and Serina both said simultaneously some variation of the theme, 'Don't you dare take off your helmet.'

"Aw, so someone does care," Robbie quipped with a short but at least sincere laugh. Even if there was supposedly breathable atmosphere it would probably be quite stale, and there was no way in hell he would be sampling it. There was a reason that these ships had been decommissioned from manned flight, and damned if he would start tempting fate now.

One benefit of the spacesuit was the magnetic boots, and Robbie simply stepped out onto the ceiling once he was inside the harvester's cavernous cargo bay. There were only a few lamps on inside, and Robbie could not tell if it was because most of them were burned out or simply switched off. Dust motes swirled about in the dimness and reflected back the lights from his helmet.

Kyle's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hurry up, Robbie. The faster you get it done, the faster you can get back home." Oddly enough, Robbie thought, Kyle actually sounded sincerely encouraging.

"Got it," Robbie murmured in agreement as he proceeded to clomp his way over to the crew cabin. Thank goodness these new EVA suits were not nearly as restrictive and bulky as their originators. "I just plug it into the main CAN port, right?"

Kyle quickly relayed an affirmative response. "Yes. We're getting all the telematics now from the harvester. Everything from the flash drive should upload automatically."

It only took Robbie a few more minutes to make his way up into the harvester's electronics suite. Kyle kept drumming his fingers repetitively on his armrest, a motion born not so much form impatience as from nervous anticipation. His lips twitched up into a faint smile when Tanhi wordlessly placed her hand over his and halted the motion.

"Hey, he did it!" Serina shouted with excitement several minutes later. She floated into the cockpit and offered Kyle a data pad as evidence. "Everything took without any bugs. Nice work, Kyle!"

Tanhi chuckled softly as well and nuzzled the side of Kyle's neck. _"Hmm, clever one," _she purred before moving to kiss the tip of his ear. _"Looks are not everything, as you say."_

Kyle let out a grateful sigh; it felt like a great weight was lifted away from his shoulders. To see his idea's success right in front of him brought him a profound sense of validation. _"This will keep the People safe, Tanhi," _Kyle murmured in a relieved voice as he turned so that he could wrap his arms around his mate in a tight, loving embrace.

The plentiful shows of affection between Kyle and Tanhi did not go unnoticed by Serina; neither was the seemingly effortless Na'vi speech between the two. A small smile, a strange mix of happiness and regret, flitted across Serina's lips before she turned and soundlessly made her exit. Someone with dexterous, human-sized fingers would be needed to help unwrap Robbie once he got back, after all.

* * *

Jake and Mal'ek walked at a leisurely pace around the interior perimeter of Hell's Gate, their deliberate progress brought on in equal parts by their serious conversation and their company. Hoshiro easily kept up with the two much larger Na'vi, as though the height difference caused him no trouble whatsoever.

"I don't like it," Jake said, his face creased with a thoughtful frown. "It sounds way too risky. Can you even pull something like that off?"

"But you agree with my initial assessment - am I correct, Olo'eyktan?" Hoshiro replied. "And I am certainly capable of pulling such a thing off, as you say."

Jake sighed. "Have you discussed this with the 'other party' yet?" he asked, not bothering to validate with words what he and Hoshiro both knew that he agreed on.

Hoshiro shook his head. "Not yet. I intend to do so tonight."

"Do that," Jake grunted. "Let me know what she says." Jake and Hoshiro paused their steps, and their eyes unfocused briefly as they both listened to their earpieces. "Come on, Mal'ek, let's get back inside. Kyle and Tanhi just cleared Polyphemus' shadow and are on the radio." Jake smiled as he saw Mal'ek's ears perk to attention at this news. "Tanhi's asking for you, apparently."

The atmosphere inside the control room was pleasantly tense. There were a few more technicians than normal who were monitoring Kyle's mission. Roger Oros hovered over all of it, ensuring that he was always up to speed on what was going on with "his" shuttle. Good or bad news, Roger wanted to be the first person to know.

Kyle's Valkyrie had been on the far side of Polyphemus when the first rendezvous was made. The second meeting was about to take place within clear view of the communications satellites; they would be able to watch live as everything unfolded.

There would also be the opportunity for a live call, finally, between the shuttle and Hell's Gate. "Hey guys, we've got a console set up over here for you," Roger said, his only greeting being a nod in their direction before he got right down to business.

Hoshiro seemed to melt back into the shadows, content to silently observe, as Jake placed a hand on Mal'ek's shoulders and gently encouraged him to step forward. The normally very imposing warrior seemed almost skittish and timid as he carefully threaded his way through the room over to the console that Roger indicated. _"Careful, Mal'ek. You look a little nervous," _Jake whispered in Mal'ek's ear._ "You are going to lose your reputation if you are not careful."_

Mal'ek's ears lowered slightly as a soft, irritated growl rumbled out from somewhere deep in his throat; quite by accident, the noise drew more than a few uncertain glances from the humans seated around them.

_"There, that is more like it," _Jake chuckled as he thumped his Second on the shoulder.

Norm, the only other person in the room who could speak Na'vi, laughed softly to himself and shook his head. _"You can be a real ass sometimes, Jake," _he said as he leaned back in his own chair.

Both Jake and Mal'ek regarded the scientist with surprised expressions. _"When did you learn to curse in the language of the People?" _Jake asked, not stung in the least by Norm's jibing.

Norm shrugged. "That's for me to know and for you to not worry about," he quipped with a wink.

Roger was perfectly oblivious to the conversation, though even he could recognize Mal'ek's discomfort with the indoors and the crowding. "You can kneel on the floor here... Or sit, if you'd like," Roger indicated. Mal'ek scowled at him and Roger backed up a step. "Or not. Whatever you want. Here are some headphones," Roger offered as he shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, they're not for Na'vi, but it's the only way to really have a private conversation."

Mal'ek stared thoughtfully at the strange device. "Thank you," he rumbled after a moment, much to Roger's surprise. He could tell that the Sky Person was attempting to be gracious to him, and for that he was grateful.

Thankfully Jake ceased his teasing and silently helped Mal'ek position the headphones over his ears. They were too tight, and Mal'ek gritted his teeth in irritation; he avoided hissing aloud, if only so that he could avoid making the Tawtute in the room even more nervous. As Mal'ek eased himself down to sit cross-legged on the floor Roger fiddled with the holoscreen until a complete picture finally appeared, and Mal'ek saw Tanhi staring right back at him.

_"Sempul!" _she squealed happily.

Mal'ek flinched, and this time he did hiss. The headphones were _way _too loud, thank you very much. Jake could clearly hear Tanhi as well, despite the headphones, and he sniggered beside Mal'ek as he helped him turn down the volume. _"Tanhi?" _Mal'ek said slowly; he still had a difficult time grasping the fact that he could see and speak to his daughter as though she was right next to him. The shock of nearly having his ear drums ruptured almost completely overruled the incongruity of seeing Tanhi dressed like a uniltìranyu. And why was her hair sticking all straight out like that?

_"This is amazing!" _Tanhi giggled. Then she completely rotated, right there on the spot, as if she were floating in midair. Mal'ek gasped and rested his hands heavily on the floor as though to keep himself still. _"I am flying! Like an ikran!"_

She was! Mal'ek leaned forward until his nose nearly ran into the monitor as he gasped in amazement. Mal'ek saw Kyle lean into the picture from behind Tanhi, and his own long hair was floating out at strange angles just like his mate's was. _"Are you feeling alright, Mal'ek?" _he asked with a laugh.

Mal'ek frowned at his son-in-law's teasing, but he could not hold the expression for long and soon he was laughing softly as well along with his family.

Jake and Norm traded smiles and a knowing look as they carefully distanced themselves from Mal'ek, giving him as much respectful privacy as conditions would allow. "That's cool to see," Norm whispered as he covertly observed the Na'vi out of the corner of his eye.

Jake nodded in agreement. "He's been a lot more nervous and worried than he'd ever care to admit, what with having Tanhi and Kyle be gone so far away." Mal'ek seemed to be blissfully unaware of his surrounds as he laughed at something, and Jake grinned along with his friend. "It's good for him to see that Tanhi is safe, and happy."

"Hey guys," a new voice greeted.

Jake looked up and waved his hand in greeting as Amber came up to them. One of Jake's eyebrows rose when Amber casually plopped herself right down onto Norm's lap. For his part, Norm simply looped his arms around Amber's waist with confident familiarity as he grinned up at his very tall friend. "What?" Norm asked as the grin turned into more of a smirk.

"Nothing," Jake quickly replied as he held his hands up in surrender. "We're cool." He winked at Norm, and Amber noticed and grinned sweetly as she pinched Norm's thigh, who grunted in protest.

There was only a few, precious minutes available for simply reconnecting with loved ones before it was time to get back to business. Roger piped the radio conversations through the control room speakers so that everyone could listen, and several views from the Valkyrie's external cameras were put on display as well.

Jake eventually made his way back against a wall next to Mal'ek, if only so he would not feel so damn conspicuous. Mal'ek leaned slightly closer and whispered, _"What is it that we are seeing?" _He motioned towards the monitor that showed Serina Rowley's space-suited figure entering another tawsìp. _"This is...difficult for me to understand," _he admitted.

A thoughtful moment passed before Jake replied. _"When we receive visitors from another clan, it is customary to welcome them warmly, and to offer them food and shelter, right?" _he said. Mal'ek nodded. _"If their pa'li are tired, we will gladly trade them for pa'li from our own herds, correct?"_

Mal'ek grunted an affirmative and motioned for Jake to continue.

_"Now imagine that those visitors are from a clan that is not in good standing with the Omaticaya," _Jake said._ "We are helpless to defend ourselves, and they take our food without asking, and our pa'li. If we cannot defend ourselves, what is to say that they will not come back with a stronger force and outright conquer us?"_

_ "This is not an ideal scenario," _Mal'ek conceded wryly.

Jake nodded in agreement. _"This is how it is with the evil Sky People. While it will always be a great distance for them to travel, they are relatively free to come and go from our world and to take from us whatever they please." _Jake waved his hand around them and said, _"This place has always resupplied them, their food and water and air. Those," _he pointed at the monitor, _"Are the Sky People's fresh pa'li, in a way. Those shuttles are what allows their great ship to replenish themselves and return home."_

The pieces fell quickly into place for Mal'ek, once it had been put into terms that he could more easily understand. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he finished answering his own question. _"Without those ships, they would be trapped here," _Mal'ek said. _"And as long as this place is controlled by Tawtute who are friends with the People, the evil Tawtute have no place to rest after their long journey. And it is us who can dictate the means of their returning home." _A devious grin slid over Mal'ek's face as he finished.

Jake's lip curled back in an almost-smile. _"Now you see," _he said.

* * *

It was always Jake's routine to conduct the morning hunt meeting before he ate his own breakfast - that way he could get everyone out and moving as soon as possible. Thus, on the morning after Mal'ek and he had returned from Hell's Gate, Jake was quite surprised to find the meeting already disbanding when he arrived, even though he knew that he was not even close to being late for it.

_"What is happening, Mal'ek?" _he asked his Second curiously as he drew up to him. _"Why was the meeting conducted without me?"_

Mal'ek dipped his head respectfully as he answered. _"You were overruled by a higher power, Olo'eyktan," _he replied with a faint smile. _"I have been instructed to relieve you of your duties for the time being."_

Jake tilted his head curiously. _"And what if I do not wish to be relieved?" _the chieftain asked, even though an idea of this "higher power" was already forming in his head. It was probably Moat. Or Neytiri, he thought wryly.

Mal'ek never wavered, and he calmly replied, _"Then you and I will have another fight where I will kick your txim, and then I will hand you over bruised and broken to your mate anyway." _Mal'ek's smile widened and he took on a rather smug expression as he folded his arms over his chest as though daring Jake to try him.

_"Please, my love, do not make him do this," _Jake heard Neytiri say from behind him. He turned and gave his mate a questioning look. _"I like you very much without the bruises," _Neytiri smiled.

Jake laughed and relented. _"Alright, you two. What is all of this about?" _he asked.

Neytiri grasped Jake's hands in her own and tugged gently as she smiled reassuringly. _"Come, Jake! We are going to the ikran roosts. We need to take a trip."_

Mal'ek only smiled cryptically when Jake glanced back at him over his shoulder. _"Okay, Love...," _Jake said. Then a thought suddenly struck him:_ "Neytiri, is it alright for you to be flying right now?" _he asked.

Neytiri yanked on his arm in exasperation. _"My Jake! I am pregnant, not crippled!" _Just to prove her point she proceeded to run the rest of the way up to the top of Kelutral, laughing the whole while at Jake to keep up.

* * *

So maybe this wasn't such a bad idea, Jake thought to himself as he and Tswayon soared over the Pandoran forest. Tswayon called out, just for the joyful sake of making noise, as he flapped a few extra times to push them up beside Neytiri and her ikran, Eampin. Neytiri glanced over at him and grinned fiercely. She had missed this, too.

It did not take Jake long to figure out where they were going. The broken yet beautiful landscape of the Hallelujah Mountains soared upwards around them. Jake wished with all of his heart that the vision before him of the free-floating mountains would never cease to amaze him. It was something that he never wanted to simply "get used to." Up ahead was what was no doubt their ultimate destination: Vitrayä Ramunong.

A new landmark denoted the way towards the sacred tree: A massive, bright green starburst shape could be seen upon the ground where a fire had burned away the old plant life. At the burst's center was several large, jagged chunks of scorched metal. They were the remains of the Valkyrie that Jake had destroyed, standing up like stark black gravestones within the field of fresh growth that was blooming vividly within the small crater.

Neytiri and Eampin winged over towards the ground, and at the faintest hint from Jake's mind Tswayon dove to follow. It was cool and still in the sheltered, bowl-shaped depression. The ikrans landed against some roots that gently cascaded down the short cliffs, and Jake and Neytiri nimbly leapt the last five or so feet to the ground.

Neytiri staggered slightly as she landed on a root wrong; she was not yet accustomed to her extra weight. Jake swiftly caught his mate before she could stumble any further, and he held her steady until she found her footing. "I am fine, Love," she reassured him with a sincere smile before he could object to anything.

Jake rolled his eyes and nodded. Neytiri was still breathing a little fast from their flight, and her eyes were slightly dilated with excitement. Behind her, Neytiri's tail waved about excitedly. Like a little girl's Jake thought. She really had enjoyed the trip.

"Come," Neytiri said quietly as she linked hands with her mate and urged him down the short path towards the sacred tree.

They were not the only ones in this special place. Two other Na'vi were waiting for them, and Jake smiled in greeting when he recognized Moat and Norm; the scientist wore his native garments, and much to Jake's amusement he noticed that Norm looked mildly uncomfortable. The loincloths _did _take a little getting used to, Jake had to admit.

Norm jogged over to greet them, and like the gentleman he was he offered Neytiri his hand as Jake and she climbed down the last set of massive stone steps. "Did you have a good flight?" Norm asked.

Before Jake could answer Neytiri responded with an enthusiastic, "Yes!"

"How did you and Moat get here?" Jake asked curiously as he shook hands with Norm.

"Pa'li," Norm responded. "We left very early in the morning." He leaned in closer to his friend as though sharing a grave secret and whispered incredulously, "You wouldn't believe how well Moat can ride! She is very...spry, for an old woman."

_"I heard that, Normspellman!" _Moat cheerfully informed him from where she was relaxing on the ground beneath the sacred tree's fronds.

Jake could only laugh at Norm's utterly mortified expression.

"Okay, now I'm really curious as to what all this is about," Jake said as everyone gathered beneath the tree. He tried to put a little levity in his voice, but even still he could sense that this was a somber moment. And why was there a shovel, of all things, leaning up against Norm's pack?

Neytiri lovingly took both of Jake's hands in her own, and her thumbs rubbed gently over his knuckles. "My Jake...," Neytiri began as she gently worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "There is no easy way to say this." Jake could only shrug helplessly at her words even as he gave his mate's hands a reassuring squeeze. "I know that the death of your brother saddens you greatly."

Jake tensed, and his expression became guarded. But much to Neytiri's relief, he did not pull away from her.

"I... I sense from you that you have not had a chance to mourn your loss. Even now, my Love," Neytiri said. "I wanted to give you this time to do so. If you wished it."

A quick look between Moat and Norm showed that their expressions were set in solemn agreement. "What are you talking about?" Jake asked to no one in particular, his voice breaking with nervousness. He really wanted to step back, but he did not think he could bear releasing Neytiri's hands right now.

"Normspellman has spoken with me of the Tawtute's...'customs,' regarding their dead," Moat stated, her derision of this knowledge clear in her tone. "It was not fitting for your brother to be treated in that way."

Now Jake finally backed up, his expression wavering between sad and angry. "Look, guys, you don't need to do anything for me. I'm fine!" Jake said. Neytiri opened her mouth to object. To everyone's surprise, including Jake himself, Jake interrupted her. "Look, do you think I can just regurgitate this kind of thing on the spot?" he snapped.

"Jake, I'm sorry, it was my idea to -" Norm began, trying to intervene.

"No, Love, the idea was mine," Neytiri swiftly corrected as she tilted her chin up defiantly, as though daring her mate to challenge her. "I asked Normspellman for his advice only."

Norm swallowed nervously and glanced down at the ground, but otherwise kept his mouth closed.

Jake was almost angry with Neytiri. For the life of him he could not figure out why, though. The accusation of, 'Who is _she _to decide this for _me,'_ echoed through his mind. His ears flicked back and forth, an outward indication of his suddenly conflicted emotions. Another part of him gently informed him, 'she's right,' much to his chagrin. Damnit, Neytiri.

Moat spoke next, her voice carrying a gentleness that only a mother's could. "Tommy was taken from you, 'Itan," she softly stated, and Jake glanced away as the muscles in his jaw tightened. She had spoken the name a few times before, but it had always been in reference to his unborn son. Not his brother. Now the name almost sounded strange to him. "You never received the chance to say 'goodbye' on your own terms, and for that I am sorry."

Somehow the notion of Moat, of all people, apologizing to him for this broke something in Jake, and he swiftly closed his eyes against the unexpected torrent of feeling. Jake found himself wrestling with his own breathing in an effort to keep his emotions under control; Neytiri stepped up beside him and looped her arms around his waist in a secure, reassuring embrace.

Neytiri gently took one of Jake's hands and laid it on her belly. "It is a solemn thing to name a new life after an old one, my Jake. Such a thing should not be done lightly. To do so speaks of the bond that you shared." Neytiri gently kissed Jake's shoulder and laughed softly before she whispered, "Trust me, Love, I am your mate. I know you well. And I understand your pain. This is a good thing for you to do."

Jake sighed as he returned Neytiri's embrace. "I need time," he said, his voice suddenly ragged.

He felt another person's gently touch on the shoulder opposite from Neytiri. "You have all the time you need, Jake," Norm responded softly. "All the time in the world."

* * *

The mood aboard Valkyrie 61 was borderline celebratory after the second successful rendezvous. Perhaps the most unlikely group of crew members ever in the universe were getting along quite well, and it was swiftly determined that some sort of levity was needed to pass the time between the second and third spacewalks. A deck of cards was spontaneously produced, and Kyle, Robbie, and Serina all derived great amusement from teaching Tanhi all kinds of various card games. Everything from Rummy to Old Maid to the aptly named "Bullshit!" was played, much to the enjoyment of all. If anything, the sight of two Na'vi trying to maintain a successful grip in zero gravity on a hand of human-sized cards was entertainment enough for Serina and Robbie.

When the number of yawns began to catch up to the number of laughs Kyle thought it best to call it a night. "Oh, come on, Commander. Getting soft in your old age?" Robbie teased.

"At least you can go to sleep, if you wanted," Serina gripped good-naturedly. "I still have to mind the watch!"

"Not soft, but with age does come wisdom, after all," Kyle chuckled. "We've all got work tomorrow, anyways."

Fond goodnights were exchanged all around. Serina headed up to the cockpit with a data pad in tow, no doubt loaded with the plentiful novels that she was known for reading. Robbie retreated for his sleeping bag in the forward compartment of the mid-deck, and Kyle and Tanhi made for their own cabin back in the cargo bay.

"Did you have a good time?" Kyle asked through a yawn of his own as they entered their cabin.

Tanhi nodded, and Kyle was relieved to see that her eyes were bright with happiness. The chance to speak with Mal'ek earlier had done wonders for Tanhi's countenance. "Thank you, all of you, for showing me those games," she said. "Did _you_ have a good time, Yawne?" Tanhi asked right back.

Kyle grinned. "I did," he readily answered. One of his eyebrows rose as he said in a semi-serious voice, "You play a killer game of Bullshit." Much to his own amused frustration he had discovered that he seemed incapable of fooling Tanhi, and as a result Kyle inevitably lost every game.

This earned him one of Tanhi's beautiful laughs as she accepted his compliment. _"You have been working hard lately,"_ Tanhi murmured absently after a moment as she caressed her mate's face, tenderly stroking the stress lines on his features. It may not have been the hard, physical labor that hunting was, but she could tell that her Kyle had been working _very _hard indeed.

Kyle shrugged as he placed his own hand over hers. "I am glad to do it, Tanhi," he told her. "It has been no great sacrifice."

After the pair had managed to kick off their boots and socks and stuff the footwear into a locker, Kyle took Tanhi's hand and gently pulled her with him over to their hammock. "Sleep with me?" he asked in a gentle voice.

The innocence and sincerity of the question made Tanhi break out into her signature smile, and she nodded. _"Of course, Yawne," _she giggled as they slipped into their hammock. The nivi was a comforting reminder of home. If Tanhi pressed her face into the soft fibers she could still smell the scents of the clan; the hammock was infused with the comforting aroma of Kelutral and even faint hints of the warm spice from the cooking fires.

When Tanhi offered her mate the end of her queue Kyle quickly reached behind him and grasped his own braid, and they both sighed in contentment as the bond was made. Kyle allowed his eyes to drift closed as his mind mingled intimately with Tanhi's. "Hmm, love you so much," he murmured as he wrapped his arms around Tanhi in a familiar hug. He loved it when they fell asleep while linked in tsaheylu. The dreams of two together were always better than one alone.

His eyes slowly slid back open when he felt Tanhi gently bite his chin, and he found his mate staring back at him with a look full of unsaid meaning. Her hands were busy as well; they had slipped under his shirt to rub his sides, and now that she had his full attention she continued to pull and tug at the t-shirt. Kyle laughed softly as he felt Tanhi's irritation concerning the Tawtute clothing; because of their joined queues he could not completely remove the garment, and they had to settle for bunching the shirt up behind his neck. If by any chance he thought he might have misconstrued Tanhi's behavior, the feelings that she was sending him through their link made her current state of being patently clear to him.

"Fine, but only if I get to touch, too," Kyle whispered in a husky voice as he unbuttoned Tanhi's own top. He slipped her shirt back off and away before bringing his hands around to the front to caress her chest through her sports top. As much as he knew that she hated the Tawtute clothing, Kyle played the unfamiliar texture to his advantage, and soon Tanhi was literally panting with arousal against him.

Tanhi gasped and moaned as Kyle brought his lips up to the sensitive skin beneath her ear, where he proceeded to kiss and nip mercilessly. Much to Tanhi's frustration, she found that Kyle's pants prevented her from rubbing his lower back and tail in that way that she knew would be her best retaliation. Not content to stay at a disadvantage, she slid her hands around to the front of his waist and began to fumble with the buttons and zipper.

She moved down to caress the strong musculature of Kyle's chest with her lips as she began to slip his pants down his hips. "Whoa, hold on," Kyle gasped as he finally noticed what she was doing when his pants and underwear got caught on his tail. "Hey!"

Kyle had actually grabbed her wrists to make her stop, and she finally looked up to his face. "Kyle?" she murmured. Her cheeks were flushed with desire, her lips kiss-swollen as she looked at her mate in confusion. This was _not _the expected reaction.

Kyle swiftly released his grip on her and brought his hands up to the exposed stretch of her sides where he stroked the skin of her smooth stomach with his thumbs. His brows creased with some unidentifiable emotion before he swallowed nervously and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Tanhi, you got me carried away," he whispered thickly before kissing her chastely on the forehead. The gesture sorely disappointed Tanhi, considering what she had ultimately been going for.

_"Is something wrong?"_ she asked as she stilled her hands against his waist, at least for a moment. Except for the moments when he had been thoroughly distracted while he was flying the tawsìp, her Kyle had always been very attentive to her. She never sensed a lack of love from him, ever, but now that she thought about it, it did seem odd indeed that he had never initiated anything physically intimate between them since their journey had started.

_"No...," _Kyle responded slowly as he shook his head. Tanhi could feel things gradually rearranging in her mate's mind, as though he was subtly defending himself from her.

_"Yawne, I have missed you," _she said plaintively. The feelings of renewed love, commitment, and desire that she sent him made Kyle shudder faintly against her. She could sense his physical attraction and need for her through the bond, and oh how it echoed her own. So why, slowly but surely, was he trying to turn it back?

_We just... It's that... We can't be doing this here, _Kyle thought. _Please. _Tanhi could sense his mind becoming more frantic.

Tanhi frowned. _Have I done something wrong? _she wondered.

_No, _Kyle quickly assured her. He could feel how distressed this was making Tanhi, and when he sought to comfort her he lost his grip on what he had been trying to protect. Or hide, as it were.

Tanhi caught a glimpse of something, a memory that had been fighting for Kyle's attention, and she felt him physically flinch. _Wait, let me..., _Kyle desperately thought, but Tanhi ignored him. Kyle edged closer to actual panic as the situation began to unravel around him at a much faster rate than he was even remotely comfortable with. Tanhi attempted to find that fleeting memory again on her own, and her one curious nudge was enough for Kyle's weak grip on the thought to fail.

Tanhi gasped as she saw a human Kyle Fischer and Serina Rowley tangled together in a Valkyrie cockpit, naked and sweaty, entwined in the throes of ecstasy.

"Oh shit," Kyle muttered aloud as he braced himself.

Tanhi pushed away from him as if she had just discovered that he carried some kind of communicable disease. _"You MATED with her?" _she shrieked.

The explosion of anger and too many other emotions to count through the bond made Kyle hiss as a physical pain moved from the back of his skull towards the front, like a reverse migraine. "Tanhi -" he began, desperately pleading.

_"No!" _Tanhi shouted. She broke tsaheylu with a rageful snarl, and Kyle's eyes bugged as his mental processes scrambled for a moment in surprise.

He desperately reached for her, but Tanhi slapped his hands away and twisted out of their hammock. "Tanhi, let me explain! Please!" Kyle entreated as he struggled to follow after her.

Tanhi was gripping the walls of the field module, pushing herself backwards away from him. _"What is there to...to 'explain?' What exactly are you going to say, Kyle?" _Tanhi always tended to speak in Na'vi when she was emotional, and to his dismay Kyle found that his mate was so spun up that even he could hardly understand her words right now. Not that he blamed her...not in the slightest. She stopped moving away and glared at him.

Kyle blinked, surprised as he was that Tanhi actually gave him a chance to speak. "Tanhi, we...we... That was before you and I met, before I ever got to Pandora! That was an old life... I was a totally different person then." Kyle trailed off, fully aware that he was beginning to flounder.

Tanhi stared hard at him for a moment, breathing hard through clenched teeth. _"You should have TOLD me!" _she spat.

Kyle winced. "Tanhi, when we first mated. That night you... You truly saw me. Kame," he said, using the Na'vi's intimate word for 'see.' "You knew that I had...I had been with other women before I became Na'vi. Back when I was human." Oh, how it shamed him more than he ever thought possible to have to say this.

_"I did not know one of them was her!" _Tanhi shot back as she jabbed her finger towards the general front of the shuttle. She moved back several more feet.

"Tanhi, what would you have had me do?" Kyle asked in exasperation. "What should I have said? Should I have told you, 'Oh, by the way, you know one of the people we're going to be stuck in a tin can with for a week? She and I just happened to -'"

Tanhi snarled and lunged away, and with a sudden sick feeling Kyle saw that she was reaching for the airlock.

"Wait!" he shouted as he lunged after her. He managed to grab onto one of her legs, but Tanhi braced her other foot against his shoulder and shoved back. Hard. Kyle slipped away and spun into a bulkhead with a pained grunt. He dove forward again, but Tanhi was already inside the trailer's airlock. She slammed the door shut in his face and smacked the control panel, activating the interchange and locking the door. "Tanhi, what are you doing?" Kyle yelled as he pressed his face against the glass window.

His mate never answered. Her face was creased in a silent, ugly snarl that truly terrified Kyle.

"Oh, no," he muttered. "No, no, no! Tanhi!" She continued to ignore him as she threw open the exterior door, bouncing it off its stops with a metallic _clang! _Kyle pawed his way along the inside of the module's windows as he watched Tanhi launch herself towards the Valkyrie's crew cabin.

It would take several excruciatingly long seconds for the airlock to cycle back - already he could hear the roar of the air handlers. Kyle fumbled his t-shirt back down over his torso as he pushed over to the communications panel and stabbed at the intercom button. "Serina!" he yelled. "Serina, seal the cockpit!"

There was no response. No one said a word, and the implications chilled Kyle to the core.

"Fucking hell," Kyle muttered as he threw himself into the now open airlock. A quick check to make sure he would not smash his queue or tail in the door and then he slammed the hatch behind him and began to cycle through. "Come on, hurry up!" he coughed as he banged his fist helplessly against the wall. Thankfully before the interchange was complete he remembered to fix his pants.

Kyle flung open the outside door; he crawled his way onto the top of the trailer, and in a single calculated move that came from years of experience in a microgravity environment, he launched himself through the air towards the crew cabin hatchway. His ears strained forward as he listened for something, some kind of clue as to what was happening. It was silent.

"What's happening?" Robbie asked blearily as he emerged from the small private sleeping room at the front of the deck.

Kyle ignored him as he frantically maneuvered his way up through the hatch to the flight deck as a feeling of growing dread began to solidify in his belly. He froze when he finally saw what was going on.

All was still up on the flight deck. The only movement that readily caught Kyle's attention was Serina's data pad, which was still careening about in the cockpit as it bounced off of the windshield, the control panel, the seats. Tanhi was effectively sitting sideways in Kyle's own cramped pilot's seat, her right arm extended ramrod straight before as she held something out of sight against the Valkyrie's starboard bulkhead.

For a split second Kyle thought that maybe Tanhi had actually killed Serina, but then he caught a glimpse of a weekly flailing booted foot. "Tanhi?" Kyle rasped out, his voice hoarse from his earlier yelling.

Kyle saw his mate's ears twitch, and her eyes flickered briefly in his direction.

Good, Kyle thought. No telling how this might turn out if I surprised her. Kyle crept forward through the electronics suite, moving as slowly and non-threateningly as possible. He reached the cockpit vestibule with no further reaction from his mate, and he carefully peered around the corner. One of Tanhi's hands was clenched around Serina's throat, and the copilot was crushed up against the wall, choking and gurgling softly as her face continued to turn crimson. Some of her black hair had come out of its ponytail in the struggle and was strung out away from her head. Her bright, terror-filled eyes darted towards Kyle.

_"Do not look at him!"_ Tanhi hissed, and Serina whimpered and clenched her eyes shut. It was doubtful that Serina understood the Na'vi command, but the tone was quite clear. Tanhi's ears were pinned back, and her own impressive set of canines was out on display through her snarl.

Kyle would later marvel at how calm he was then, all things considered. He swallowed nervously and carefully extended his arm until he could gently grip Tanhi's own forearm. He carefully kneaded her tensed muscles and asked, "Please, let her go, Tanhi. Please don't hurt her anymore."

Tanhi rounded on him, her eyes flashing dangerously. _"Are you still defending her, even now?"_

Kyle meekly shook his head as he locked eyes with his furious mate. _"No, Tanhi, I am defending you." _His words were strange enough to her that Tanhi fractionally relaxed her grip, and Serina sucked greedily on her meager airflow. _"I know you can kill her, Tanhi. But I know that when this moment passes, you will regret it if you did. You should be angry at me, not her."_

_ "Maybe I will not regret it!" _Tanhi hissed and renewed her grip on Serina's throat, much to Kyle's dismay. _"And I am FURIOUS with you!"_

_ "Then please, deal with me on this, not her. What we did was in the past. It was wrong, Tanhi, and I am sorry. I am so sorry," _Kyle whispered. He closed his eyes and said, _"Tanhi, please let her go. If you do not stop in the next few seconds, you will kill her."_

Kyle waited. At long last he felt the muscles and tendons in his mate's forearm relax, and the sound of Serina's frantic inhalations reached his ears. Kyle's eyes slid back open, and he found that Tanhi was staring hard at Serina with an expression that was now more hurt than angry.

With another snarl Tanhi turned and literally threw Serina at Kyle, who caught the smaller human awkwardly in his arms as the force of the impact pushed them both back into the electronics suite. He walloped his head on a control panel, but the pain hardly registered with him as he swiftly extracted Serina from his grasp. They quickly moved as far apart from one another as possible in the cramped space.

Serina gulped in greedily as her lungs struggled to make up for lost time. She kept her eyes screwed shut, as though afraid to look at anyone for risk of triggering another attack. "I think it would be best if you leave now," Kyle murmured as he blinked his eyes closed tiredly. He, too, was not willing to look at anyone else right now. "I'll finish the rest of the watch."

Serina nodded stiffly as she gingerly made her way to the mid-deck hatch. A flash of movement there caught Kyle's attention; all of the yelling had woken Robbie up, and he was staring at all of them with wide eyes.

Kyle cautioned a glance towards his mate. Tanhi's eyes were fixed at a far away distance, and her nostrils flared with every deep, angry breath that she took. "Tanhi...?" Kyle began.

His mate placed a hand against his chest and shoved him back against the wall as she moved by without answering, and Kyle made no move to fight her. Robbie plastered himself against the wall on his own accord, but Tanhi ignored him as she pulled herself down through the hatch.

It was silent for a long while, with the only noises coming from the steady thrum of pumps and air handlers and computers, of the Valkyrie blissfully going about its own business. It finally registered with Kyle that Robbie had yet to leave, and much to his own surprise he found that this did not bother him at all. "I really fucked up," Kyle admitted with an incredulous chuckle.

Robbie's eyes turned up as he thought for a moment. Then, with a simple shrug, he replied, "Yeah, you did. You pretty much nailed that assessment, I'd say."

Kyle nodded slowly in agreement.

"Do you want to talk anything over? I'm up already...," Robbie offered.

Kyle finally looked up in surprise, and he saw that Robbie's expression showed no trace of teasing, or even judgement. "No, thank you," Kyle replied as he turned to pull himself back into the cockpit. "I'll be alright."

"Okay," Robbie answered softly. He did not think that Kyle would be "alright," at least not for a good long while, but who was he to disagree? Kyle was the boss, after all.


	32. Chapter 32

**Wow guys, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you all in suspense for so long, especially after a cliff hangar like that! Life's drama and complications kind of rose up and smacked me right in the face, and getting sicker than a dog for a week didn't help things, either. I hope you all will stay tuned - I can say with near certainty that things will start to get very exciting after this chapter! And I'd wager they'll get written a little quicker, too. -)**

Chapter 32

Serina was alone in the tiny sleeping cabin at the front of the mid-deck, frantically dabbing at her face with a wet, nearly burning hot washcloth. She sobbed one more time, even though she tried to hold it in, and furiously wiped at the tears again. She knew she was not thinking straight - the adrenaline still coursing through her body was evidence of that. Not that she blamed herself, of course. She winced as she tenderly felt the raw skin of her throat, and a quick glance at a tiny mirror on the wall revealed what she already knew:

Her neck would soon be sporting a brilliant set of bruises.

Oddly enough, she found that she held none of it against Tanhi.

Serina pressed two fingers against the skin on the inside of her left wrist and began to count as she inhaled a deep breath. When she got to four, she held her breath for another four seconds. Then she exhaled, again for a count of four. Thank God for yoga, she thought dryly as she did this for several more minutes, as long as it took for her heart rate to return to a sane level.

"Bloody hell," she muttered as she pressed the washcloth against her forehead. Robbie had not yet returned to the sleeping cabin, for whatever reason. It was just a passing observation, really. She would not have let him stop her from her next step, anyway.

Serina took a quick second to gather all of her hair back into its ponytail before she silently slipped out of the cabin and headed for the cargo hold.

* * *

Tanhi sneezed.

Her eyes fluttered open to see what had been tickling her nose, and she caught a glimpse of the atokirina' spinning away in the miniature maelstrom from her exhalation. It was strange to watch the sacred seed pulse about without any regard for what seemed like should be up or down. Tanhi sighed and extended her arm; the seed turned and made a beeline for her hand, as though it contained a strange sentience, and gently hovered against the skin of her palm.

Tanhi had only given it a passing thought that the sacred seed had somehow remained generally hidden in their cabin until this time. Maybe it had not been needed until now.

It was not like Kyle had been unfaithful to her. His resolve and dedication for her were unshakeable - Tanhi could See this every time they bonded in tsaheylu. So why did this hurt so much? The contradiction between what Kyle was then and what he is know churned up an ugly storm of emotion in Tanhi's gut. Yes, he had been a _very _different man before they had met. And she had been a very different woman. Though his statement had been made with a complete lack of tact, Kyle had been right: Tanhi had known that he had his own set of baggage that he was hauling around, that he had his own past ghosts.

Then again, to be able to put a face to some of his past deeds was a different story entirely. Kyle had shared a part of himself with another woman, a part of himself that had only been meant for _her, _and it ignited flames of possessiveness that Tanhi did not even know she was capable of feeling. Kyle was _her _mate, and hers alone.

That rage had almost, _almost _led her to kill another woman. Tanhi shivered subconsciously - her actions were suddenly something that she could not be proud of, not by a long shot. By all accounts, Kyle and Serina had done nothing wrong in the past. Tawtute had some very strange customs, to put it diplomatically.

Still... He should have _warned _me, Tanhi silently raged. This event almost made it feel like she did not know her own mate at all. Tanhi wrapped her arms around herself and shivered against a sudden chill. _Wiya, I miss him already, _she silently grumbled with a small, self-effacing laugh.

Tanhi sighed as at last she came to peace with the realization that Kyle had been completely right to stop her. He had been doing her no disservice at all.

A knock at one of the module's windows caused Tanhi's ears to perk curiously. Who could that be? Tanhi slipped gracefully out of the hammock and moved to the source of the noise, the atokirina' following along in her wake. The trailer's photochromic windows had been rendered opaque for privacy, and Tanhi ran her finger along the sensor strip like Kyle had shown to turn the glass transparent again.

Serina Rowley floated outside, her expression the strangest mix of determined and terrified. Though Tanhi's anger had bled off and been replaced by a cold numbness, her eyes still widened fractionally in surprise. A sheepish, guilty feeling began to settle in her gut, like Serina had somehow already beat her to the moral high ground.

"Tanhi, can I talk to you?" Serina asked, her voice muffled through the glass, though Tanhi's acute hearing still picked it up.

Tanhi simply nodded and pointed towards the airlock.

Several long seconds later the interior hatch popped open and Serina slipped inside, her breath hissing loudly in Tanhi's ears due to her exopack. Tanhi folded her arms across her chest and simply stared silently at the other woman, her golden eyes narrowed as she tried to get a read off of Serina. The Tawtute woman was either exceedingly brave or exceedingly stupid. Her next words would probably reveal which one was the better descriptor.

"Tanhi, I am sorry," Serina began as she held Tanhi's gaze with her own; she occupied her hands by repetitively squeezing her knuckles. In any other circumstance Tanhi would have found it fascinating to listen to the British lilt in Serina's English. "I have caused both you and Kyle pain, and for that I ask for your forgiveness."

As Tanhi nibbled her lower lip in thought the atokirina' propelled itself over towards Serina, like a curious creature investigating a new person. Serina's eyes followed the seed's progress as it orbited around her head, but she made no move to reach out and touch it. "And I must apologize to you as well," Tanhi said stiffly as she looked away, her English still thickly accented by her emotion. The bruises that she had inflicted had not escaped her notice.

Serina blinked, as though the statement had completely caught her off-guard. "I...I accept," she murmured. "I have said my piece, then. I... I'm sorry for disturbing you, Tanhi," Serina said quietly as she rotated in place and made to pull herself back towards the airlock. She winced when she was facing away - "disturbing" was probably not even close to the right word to use for this situation.

"Pey," Tanhi said from behind Serina, who paused briefly at the unfamiliar word before she reached out for the airlock hatch. "Wait," Tanhi said again, this time in English when she realized that Serina did not understand her first statement. "Please."

Serina sucked in a shaky inhalation; the breath was tinged with the smell of rubber and chemicals from her mask. She glanced back over her shoulder.

"It was an...honorable thing. To come here. To say these things to me," Tanhi admitted. In that moment the massive Na'vi woman almost seemed her size, or so Serina thought. Tanhi's tail flicked back and forth behind her, a clear indication of the agitation she still felt inside. "I should not have lashed out at you. I am sorry."

"Thank you," Serina replied after a moment. That had not been expected, either.

Tanhi sighed, the sound more like a hiss through her clenched teeth, and Serina backpedaled a bit without even thinking about it. The beautiful Na'vi woman looked even more conflicted now than she had a few seconds ago, which was no small feat in Serina's opinion. "I need to know... Do you love him? My mate," Tanhi clarified, quite unnecessarily.

"No," Serina replied. There was something in her tone, though, that Tanhi felt was not sufficiently captured by that one word. Serina smiled wanly and said, "That was a long time ago. Kyle's a married man, now. I would not dare intrude on that. I couldn't."

Tanhi nodded as she accepted this, and she felt sweet relief flood through her veins upon hearing these words. "Then, why did you and he...?" Tanhi asked slowly. She had to know. She just had to.

It felt like it took Serina a long while to come up with a response, and when she placed her hand on the hatchway Tanhi thought she might actually just leave. Tanhi did not expect the next words that came out of Serina's mouth. "Would you eat a piece of rotten fruit, Tanhi?" she asked.

Tanhi scrunched her nose up as she frowned. "No. That would be a stupid thing to do," she stated flatly.

Serina nodded as she accepted Tanhi's response, as though it made perfect sense. "What if you were starving, Tanhi? And there was no other food available for you. Would you eat it then?" Serina pressed.

Tanhi's frown deepened. This line of questioning was making no sense. "Perhaps. Why do you ask this?" she replied.

Another faint smile crossed Serina's face, but one could not even remotely call her expression satisfied. "What happened, happened years ago," Serina said. "And Tanhi? Both Kyle and I were starving."

Tanhi felt her ears stand up to attention in surprise, and her jaw slackened as her mind processed this new angle.

"That does not make it excusable, Tanhi," Serina murmured. "But perhaps it makes it understandable." Serina laughed as she shook her head. "When you work with someone, especially in the same department for so many years, you get to know them. Back on Earth, you know... It was not uncommon for us on the Valkyrie crews to go out and have drinks on a weekend." Serina laughed again. "It was the one time we could get even close to being buzzed without worrying about going out of compliance. I watched Kyle with a lot of women, you know."

Tanhi's ears fell back, and she clenched her fists at her side. That was not a pleasant thing for her to dwell on.

Serina redeemed herself with her next words. "I may not love him, but I...he still matters to me, in a way - that's why I'm here. And Tanhi? He's never looked at another woman like he looks at you." She opened her mouth again, as if she had more to say... Serina must have thought better of it, though, for she said nothing more as she gestured her farewell and respectfully made her exit.

As she absently listened to the dull roar of the air interchange Tanhi shivered again when a new awareness of the cool temperature gripped her. The field module had been designed for use by humans in a jungle environment. It had a rather potent air conditioning system, but its heating abilities were being sorely taxed right now.

The atokirina' danced about in the cabin, seemingly at ease despite all that was going on.

* * *

The hatch for the sleeping compartment was closed when Tanhi entered the mid-deck. Moving as quietly as a ghost, Tanhi pulled herself up through the hatch in the ceiling and up onto the flight deck. Any faint sounds that her hands and feet may have made on the minor touch-points that she required were probably muffled by the relentless thrum of the Valkyrie's various operating systems.

The cockpit door was open, and Kyle was in his seat on the left. Robbie was still in the copilot's seat, his sock-covered feet braced irreverently up against the window as he read something on a data pad. Except for his tail, which was waving languidly about in the center aisle, Kyle was still as he watched over his ship with the dedication of one who knew the consequences of a screw-up.

Tanhi floated silently forward, and when she was within range she reached out and gave Kyle's tail a brief tug. Kyle would have probably shot through the roof, but thankfully his lap belt kept him firmly anchored to the seat. His yip of surprise was most unbecoming, and despite the seriousness of the hour Tanhi found herself smiling slightly as she basked in the success of sneaking up on her mate.

Kyle craned his neck to check behind him, his eyes wide with alarm and surprise. "Tanhi!" he said, quite unnecessarily. He did not exactly know how to proceed past that point, and a rather awkward silence settled between them.

If it was Tanhi that had scared Kyle, it was Kyle's surprised exclamation that had startled Robbie. "Shit!" he let slip as he clutched his data pad to his chest like a shield as he glared at the man next to him.

"Are you alright?" Kyle asked his mate. When Tanhi nodded slowly Kyle responded with, "That's good... Because we need to talk."

His tone was that odd mix of tender yet firm; Tanhi felt her ears fold back at the sound of it, and she nodded a meek affirmative.

Robbie interrupted. "Hey... Kyle if you want to head aft, I can keep an eye on things up here. No biggie."

Kyle blinked and turned in his seat to look at the copilot. "No, I'm finishing the watch," he said firmly, and Robbie nodded. Kyle sighed and spoke in a somewhat softer voice, "Thank you for staying up, Robbie. Even though you didn't need to, you did. And I appreciate it. Really."

Robbie shrugged and waved his hand dismissively. "Don't know what you're talking about. I was just reading."

The faintest of smiles turned up Kyle's lips. "Whatever. Get the heck out of here," he said.

The copilot said no more; he simply nodded respectfully towards the other two present and guided himself out of the cockpit.

Kyle waited for a spell before he simply said, "Come here," and held his arms open.

Zero gravity enabled the awkward hug in the cramped space quite nicely, as Tanhi was essentially positioned perpendicular to Kyle's body. Neither noticed, or cared, and Tanhi let slip a quiet whine into the crook of Kyle's neck and shoulder as she allowed him to hold her with almost uncomfortable tightness. She was probably holding him just as tightly, after all.

For a long while neither spoke; Kyle simply rubbed his mate's back reassuringly, and every now and then he would place a kiss against the side of Tanhi's head. At last he spoke, though it was not exactly the words that Tanhi expected: "Don't do anything like that again, Tanhi. _Ever."_

Tanhi pulled back just far enough to see Kyle's face. He did not look angry, exactly... But his words and his expression left no room for argument. In a way Tanhi was glad that he did not turn weepy and ask her to "promise never to do _that _again." His firmness was almost as refreshing in its abrasiveness as it was scary, and she found herself nodding quickly in agreement.

"For a second I thought that you had forgotten that we can't exactly 'step outside' for a bit." He growled in frustration, and Tanhi felt herself cringe. "Tanhi, you need to give me a chance to explain things first, before you fly off the handle." He must have noticed how Tanhi's expression was beginning to quaver, for he quickly brushed his lips reassuringly against her cheeks as he said, "Tanhi, I told you that I'd never hide anything from you. And I meant it. You remember that, right?"

"Yes, Kyle," Tanhi softly answered.

Her voice oddly muffled against the skin of Kyle's neck, and he let a single amused, incredulous chuckle escape him. "God, you're so possessive," he said with another breathy chuckle. "Any other circumstance and I'd call that 'hot,' but geeze..."

"It...made me angry," Tanhi admitted. "I should not have done what I did, though."

"No kidding. And I'm...I'm sorry that you got such a...a nasty mental image right in the middle of us trying to...," he trailed off and groaned unintelligibly. "That must have been like a slap to the face. I'm really sorry, Tanhi."

Kyle sighed as he felt his mate nod in response. "Serina and I have already spoken," Tanhi informed him.

Kyle jerked back so that he could look at her expression; his own eyes were wide with surprise. "You what?" he asked incredulously. "Really...?"

Tanhi nodded as her expression brightened fractionally. She quickly sobered, though - it had been Serina who had possessed the fortitude, the bravery to speak to her. "She came to me, first," Tanhi admitted. "There is still much to be said between us, I am sure. But our words for each other were...helpful. And for that, I am glad." Tanhi paused, her brow furrowing in thought. "She still cares for you," she stated.

Kyle nodded slowly. Somehow, this announcement did not surprise him. Why else would Serina have approached him and offered her services for this insane trip? She had nothing to gain, and everything to lose - her career, financial stability, even freedom. What Kyle was doing was corporate treason and sabotage of the highest order. Not that he particularly gave a damn, anymore. The RDA had made its position known when it had tried to kill him.

Kyle reached over with his left arm and began tapping out commands on the shuttle's main control panel. Like most pilots, Kyle likened himself to be smarter than the Valkyrie's automated systems and preferred to run as many things manually as possible. Call it a pride-thing. But now, he did not mind turning the shuttle over to mind its own business - damn thing's probably smarter than me, anyways, he thought with the grumpy regard of man to machine.

"You know you're the most important thing in the world to me," Kyle stated as he wrapped both his arms back around his mate again. "Whatever I've done or had in the past doesn't hold a candle to you."

"But -" Tanhi began.

"No," Kyle interrupted firmly. "No more talk. Just this," he said as he reached back for his braid.

Tanhi nodded slowly. She placed a soft kiss against Kyle's cheek as she grasped for her own queue.

* * *

Amber, in her avatar, reclined back against a shady tree at the edge of Kelutral. Her time with the Omaticaya was so incredibly refreshing compared to Hell's Gate. If the use of my avatar to escape the trappings of the human base were to be called a crime, then I'd plead guilty on all counts, Amber thought. The fact that she had purposely picked a day that she knew Norm would be busy on private business with Jake, Neytiri, and Moat had not gone unnoticed, much to her dismay. Oh, well... It had probably been an obvious move, anyway.

"Scroll down for me, Rini?" she asked after she had read to the bottom of the page on her data pad.

The young girl who was curled up contentedly against her side reached out with her small, blue hand and deftly swiped two of her fingers down the screen in order to tab the document down for further reading.

"Thank you," Amber sighed as she resumed her study.

Rini rubbed her hand reassuringly on Amber's wrist. "Reading make sad...why read?" she asked in broken English. Her huge, curious, and bright eyes turned up to study Amber's face.

For a moment Amber could only stare back at the little girl, stunned as she was by her perception. "How...how do you know reading this makes me sad?" Amber asked.

Rini tilted her head to the side and smiled brightly, and Amber could not help but smile back. The gap-toothed grin was just too adorable, and Rini's next words made Amber chuckle despite their innocent irreverence. "You pretty, Amber," Rini said, sweetly trilling the "R" at the end of the scientist's name. The girl reached up and played for a second with some of the bright, colorful beads that she and the other children had braided into Amber's hair. "But this read make you look not pretty."

"You're right, young one," Amber admitted as she rubbed Rini behind one of her ears. "I'm not enjoying reading this, but I have to. Some things in life are good to do, even if they are not pleasant."

"Hmmm, now you have me curious."

The sudden sound of Norm's voice surprised Amber so bad that she jumped. "Norm!" she exclaimed as she whipped her head to the side to find that Norm had been leaning against another tree, just out of her line of sight. His one raised eyebrow indicated that he had probably been there for a little while. "You scared me. I didn't even hear you walk up. When did you guys get back?" His native dress was a little...distracting for her, but at least the lack of boots explained his newfound stealth.

Norm's gentle features warmed as a small smile spread over his face. "Moat and I got back a little bit ago. Jake and Neytiri are...who knows." He motioned at her data pad. "What _are _you reading, anyway?"

Amber swiftly whipped her hand across the screen, dragging the document out of sight. "Nothing," she answered. Now both of Norm's eyebrows rose - he clearly was not convinced. "Alright, it's something...," Amber hedged.

"You, ma'am, are a purveyor of the pointedly obvious," Norm deadpanned. "An expert of the evident, a true scientist of the straightforward -"

Amber collapsed back against her own tree, laughing uproariously despite herself. Poor little Rini was going nearly cross-eyed as her young brain tried to decipher the sudden and unexpected onslaught of so many new, large, and unusual Tawtute words. "Stop, stop! You're giving me a headache!" Amber pleaded through her laughter.

Rini politely scooted aside as Amber herself stood and brushed off her shorts. "Excuse me, little one, I think Norm and I need to have a talk," Amber chuckled. "You want to go play? If you get some of the other kids together, I'll play a game with you all in a bit, okay?"

Rini nodded swiftly, her expression blooming bright like the morning sun before she tore off to find some friends.

Amber tossed the infernal data pad back onto her backpack and stepped up to Norm. "You look...good," Amber admitted softly as she placed her hands gently on Norm's hips. To say that she did not mind either of Norm's bodies was certainly a safe assumption. "Is Jake doing okay?" she asked.

Norm nodded. "He's doing fine. It was good to...to bury his brother. In a place that Tommy would have appreciated." Norm glanced away for a brief moment as some of his emotion threatened to well up again. "It was good for me, too," he murmured. He motioned towards Amber's backpack before tenderly stroking his knuckles against Amber's cheek. "So what's the big secret?" he asked.

Amber smiled thinly. "It wouldn't be a secret if I told you, would it?" Amber silenced Norm's objection with a quick kiss on the mouth; her tongue ran teasingly over Norm's lips, and he growled. Actually growled. That was something he never did in his human form. "Trust me, please, and forget about it. Just for now. I'll tell you later, I promise," she said, and to her great relief Norm nodded. "So," Amber said as she took an obvious glance between them down Norm's body. "What do I have to do to make you dress like this more often?" she asked in that coy, playful tone that had only recently began to emerge. Watching Amber come out of her shell was like witnessing a rare, beautiful flower that only bloomed once in many years' time.

Norm smiled back, if anything glad that he could bring Amber amusement at the expense of his own dignity. "I tell you, this is still pretty damn embarrassing," he said. "I'd feel a lot better if you'd join me."

Amber frowned playfully and shook her head. "Nuh uh, mister. Not on your life!" she objected.

She squeaked in surprise when Norm suddenly pulled her tight against his body. "So what do I have to do to convince_ you?"_ he whispered in her ear.

"Gross, get a hammock you two!" a distinctive voice said in well-practiced English. Norm and Amber both turned to see Jake watching them, who wore a look of mock-disgust on his face. "Think of the children!"

Norm was caught flat-footed, but Amber fired back with all weapons blazing. "Oh please, Jake, spare us. At least I don't pinch his ass in public like your mate does to you," she said primly.

Both Amber and Norm thought they just might die with laugher on the spot. Jake's ears flicked back and a completely abashed expression fell over his face. "Palulukan got your tongue?" Norm managed to snicker between guffaws. Soon he and Amber were clutching one another not from affection but due to a need for mutual support in order to remain on their feet.

Once she had managed to calm down Amber asked, "Hey, is your hand alright?"

Jake reflexively looked down at his left hand, which had been carefully wrapped in a clean bandage. "Oh, yeah, it's fine," he said absently. "Don't worry, it's just a scratch." The only part of his brother that he had to bury was a few drops of blood from Tommy's - no, _Jake's _avatar. Jake had been more than willing to offer it.

Amber nodded, sensing that any more prodding would probably constitute an invasion of privacy. Norm's telling squeeze around her waist confirmed her thoughts.

"It's -" Jake paused to self-consciously clear his throat. "It's good to have both of you back with us. I know the children have been missing you guys terribly. And all of the artisans and craftsmen have had nothing but good things to say about you, Amber."

Amber blushed at Jake's praise as she nodded again in agreement, speaking for both herself and Norm. "It's good to be here. I think we're both trying to absorb as much peace as we can before stuff hits the fan."

"I think everyone's trying to do a little of that," Jake said as he gazed with affection out over his clan. "Kyle and Tanhi'll be back in a couple of days, and as for me I'm going to spend as much time as I can here before then."

"Showering Neytiri with more unnecessary attention?" Norm asked with a knowing grin. Jake was only being a loving, doting mate, but sometimes Norm wondered if his friend even noticed the moments where Neytiri looked like she wanted to knock his head off his shoulders, if only so she could get some breathing room.

Jake smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, well... She deserves every bit that she gets," he said, his tail wagging proudly behind him. He suddenly frowned. "Hey, have you seen her around?" he asked.

Amber laughed and shook her head. "No, I only said 'Hi' briefly when you guys got back, but that was a while ago. You gonna hunt her down?" Jake's faintly guilty expression made both Norm and Amber laugh again. "You've got a fine woman in Neytiri," Amber chuckled. "Ass-pinching aside."

* * *

Neytiri's shoulders were pleasantly sore as she walked down the forest path towards the pools; she sighed in contentment as she stretched and rolled the kinks out of her muscles and felt the soothing ache of a good workout. The flight to and from Vitrayä Ramunong left her pleasantly tired. She had not been out flying with Eampin, or hunting, as much as she wanted to be. Jake insisted on going with her whenever she went out. Neytiri knew that two hunters were often much more effective than one alone; she also knew that for better or for worse, her mate did not want to let her out of his sight.

Neytiri smiled slyly to herself when she arrived at her destination; she felt quite pleased that she had been able to slip away from the Omaticaya unnoticed. Here the stream that ran by Kelutral widened and slowed into several small, peaceful pools before it finally meandered into the main river. She had been working hard today, and now it was late afternoon; it was time to get cleaned up before dinner. Neytiri decided that she would enjoy this time by herself, away from the attention of seemingly all of the Omaticaya. Yes, she knew that she and her baby were quite special...but sometimes the proverbial spotlight was bright enough to make her want to be invisible.

After she disrobed, Neytiri slipped gracefully into the still, pleasantly warm waters. They were just deep enough that she could paddle leisurely about, and for a moment she enjoyed simply floating on her back as she allowed the water to support her. Neytiri began to hum a simple thank-song to herself as she set about undoing her braids, her eyes already locating the plants whose soothing extracts provided a natural form of soap.

Overhead a small flock of forest ikran squawked and squabbled happily in the treetops. Neytiri's ears flicked to and fro as she listened around her, and with a faint smile she dipped herself fully underwater to wash out her hair; she stood back up and flung her wet tresses back behind her, and she arched her body as she reached back to wring her hair out. She was fully aware of the sensual sight that she must have presented, should someone have been watching her.

As a matter of fact, someone was watching. "You may come out now, my Jake," she sighed. Unnoticed by all but one, apparently.

The forest remained silent until several seconds later she heard a guilty, whispered, "Damnit" come from the direction of the bushes. Neytiri's delicate lips curved up with silent laughter.

Neytiri turned and watched as her mate slinked sheepishly out from cover of the foliage by the path. She did not know if she should be appalled or flattered that Jake had been spying on her like a hormonal teenage boy. "How did you know I was there?" he asked in an almost-whine. He had tracked his mate with the greatest of care once he had realized that she had left Hometree without his knowledge; nary a twig nor a leaf had been disturbed by his passage.

Neytiri waded several steps forward, and she stopped when she felt the water lapping at her lower belly. Jake swallowed hard as the shallowing water revealed more and more of her beautiful figure; he watched with wide eyes, and for a moment he was insanely jealous of the crystalline drops of water that were sliding down Neytiri's cerulean skin.

"You hunt admirably," she acknowledged. He had indeed stalked her well. Except for... "But you were panting like a palulukan in heat," she informed him in a wry voice. "I could hear you plainly, Love."

"Oh," Jake replied, crestfallen. He looked inordinately disappointed upon hearing of this revelation.

"Since I doubt I could now get rid of you...," Neytiri began as she smiled coyly at him. "I suppose I could ask you to join me." She suspected that Jake had no obligations with the clan at the moment. He wore none of the symbolic Olo'eyktan gear - he did not even have his weapons harness on, and Neytiri smiled as she saw in him now the same wide-eyed innocence and curiosity that he had displayed when he had first appeared so ungracefully in her world.

Jake perked up noticeably at this idea. He quickly began to strip off his loincloth, and Neytiri watched him do so with obvious appreciation. Her mate was put together quite handsomely, in her opinion. He smirked confidently as he carefully lowered himself into the pool, and he submerged himself until only his smiling golden eyes were visible above the water's surface. He began to move slowly forward, crocodile-like, towards his mate; every now and then the tip of his tail would disturb the water's surface behind him as it waved happily about.

Neytiri frowned and began to back up. "Jake... You had better not - gah!" she sputtered in annoyance when Jake suddenly stood back up and swept both his arms forward, soaking her with a mini-tidal wave of water.

Jake came back up laughing, obviously not sorry in the slightest. Neytiri huffed in irritation and swatted at the water with her hand, splashing him back. It was ultimately a fruitless gesture - they were both already soaked, but it did make her feel a little better. "You can't possibly stay mad at me," Jake purred as he waded up to her.

Neytiri found that she rather agreed with him, and she eagerly leapt into his arms when he was close enough. "Nga yawne lu oer," she murmured as she nuzzled the side of his face. Jake grunted in surprise when Neytiri jumped up and locked her legs around his waist. He certainly did not complain, though, and he chuckled as he kissed his mate on the lips and sloshed out to where the pool was a little deeper, easily supporting the both of them despite the fact that Neytiri was clinging to him like she would never let go.

"Hmmm, I love you, too," Jake agreed. "You should have invited me with you," he gently admonished. His mind was not only on the pleasure that existed between mated couples - he genuinely did not like the idea of Neytiri being out in the forest by herself, even within the area of the forest that the clan guarded as their home.

Neytiri rolled her eyes. "But I know you enjoy the chase," she countered as she pressed her forehead against his. Neytiri tightened her thighs around Jake's waist - she could tell exactly just how much he was enjoying this.

Jake grinned and ran his tongue over Neytiri's lips, earning him an approving hum. He could taste pure water and her clean skin. "That I do, my Neytiri," he agreed in a husky, almost-growl. "That I do."

* * *

Kyle manned the watch for the whole night, and Tanhi never left his side. True, the Valkyrie was able to take care of itself relatively well enough on its own, but Kyle always had at least one eye on things. Both Serina and Robbie seemed to sense that he did not want to be disturbed, even concerning shipboard matters. Kyle was more than a shuttle driver - he was the consummate Na'vi hunter, as patient as he was deadly with the bow and arrow. Uncomfortable stretches of time without sleep were not unknown to him, and he weathered the night just fine.

A knock drew Tanhi and Kyle's attention to the rear of the cabin, where Serina was floating half-way through the mid-deck hatch, a drinking bulb held in one hand. "I'm sorry to bother you guys...but it's morning, boss," she said softly. "I feel obliged to remind you that you don't have to sit up there for the rest of the mission. Want some coffee?" She frowned. "Can you even drink coffee?"

Kyle grinned faintly and shook his head. "Nah, I can't touch the stuff anymore. Not unless I want to incapacitate myself for a day. Damn shame, really."

Tanhi had been sleeping, resting her head against Kyle's chest; she stretched and yawned widely as she stirred, flashing a set of pearly white canines. She studied her mate's expression carefully once she had finished waking up. _"Would you like some kllpxiwll berries?" _she asked as she ran a finger over one of Kyle's eyebrows and down the side of his face._ "You need to keep your energy up. I can get them for you."_

Kyle gave her a quick peck on the lips for an answer. _"If you are willing," _he responded softly.

Serina calmly held her body to the side as Tanhi pulled herself down through the hatch. Kyle had been discreetly watching, and he sighed and closed his eyes in relief when the two women essentially ignored each other.

"Are you feeling okay?" Kyle asked as Serina placed herself at a station in the electronics suite.

The woman rubbed at her neck self-consciously. "I'm fine," she responded. Kyle could hear the computer's affirmative beeps and burbles as Serina browsed through various programs, no doubt completing a casual systems check.

Kyle opened his mouth, but then closed it again without speaking. It...just did not feel right to pry any deeper than that. "Thank you, Serina. For...for everything," Kyle said softly.

"Everything?" Serina chuckled back.

Kyle rolled his eyes and clarified. "For coming along on this insane trip in the first place. For risking so much to help the Na'vi." Tanhi and I will have to think up an appropriate way to thank you and Robbie for what you guys have done for us, Kyle thought silently. "And for being...so forgiving," he added.

Serina snorted derisively. "Kyle, what happened to you, Singh, Delgado, and everyone who died on your shuttle when we arrived at Pandora has never sat well with me. Murdering its own employees isn't a quality that I particularly admire in an employer. So I kind of think of this as a final 'f-you' to the company." Serina paused for a moment. "And as far as being forgiving... Mum always told me that forgiveness was for my own sake, and not whoever did the hurting."

"Your mum's a wise woman, then," Kyle quietly agreed.

"How far is the last harvester?" Robbie's voice asked as he appeared up on the flight deck. He let loose with an exaggerated yawn of his own and took a slurp from a drinking bulb. Kyle turned his head and scented the air - he smelled coffee, and his mouth watered even though he knew the brew would knock him out if he drank it.

"Only a few tens of thousands of miles away," Kyle answered. "We'll be there in a couple of hours, give everyone time to wake up and all. Who's got this one?"

"I do," Serina and Robbie both said at the exact same time, and Kyle turned and gave them both an incredulous look over his shoulder.

Both Serina and Robbie seemed to be just as surprised by the situation as Kyle was, and they both exchanged puzzled glances. "Robbie will do the last spacewalk," Kyle decided. Someone - Kyle could not tell who, he had already turned back forward - started to sputter a response, but Kyle interrupted. "Who's the boss?" he calmly asked.

"You are," Kyle heard Serina snicker.

"Damn straight," Kyle affirmed.

"I told you he'd do that," Robbie complained.

* * *

A wave of exhaustion crashed over Kyle like waves over a beach when Robbie finally reentered their Valkyrie, his work on the third and final harvester complete. Kyle could not hear the airlock from up in the cockpit, but when his ears popped from the pressure change he knew the copilot was back inside. Serina ran some tests on her own computers and confirmed that the software had all uploaded properly. "It's done, Kyle," she murmured.

If Kyle had been human he might have missed her hushed comment, but his acute sense of hearing readily picked up her words. "It is," Kyle agreed as he gently eased back on the control stick and pulled their Valkyrie away from the last, massive harvester. Essentially, any further human occupation here at Pandora would have to go through him, and the weight of the knowledge settled heavily on his shoulders.

"I'll go back and help Robbie out of his suit," Serina informed him, and Kyle heard the tinkling of belt buckles as Serina unfastened her harness.

From her position in her own corner of the cockpit, Tanhi could watch her mate grow exponentially more tired, right before her very eyes - she could see his mental straining beginning to catch up with him. Still, she avoided speaking as she watched Kyle concentrate on placing the tawsìp where he wanted within space. She could hear Robbie and Serina talking about technical things as they approached several minutes later, and her nose wrinkled as she caught a whiff of an unpleasant smell.

Tanhi took an experimental sniff of her own arm and winced. Come to think of it, _she _did not smell the best, either. The hot washcloth rubdowns that she and Kyle had given one another, while quite entertaining in and amongst themselves for reasons unrelated to hygiene, were really not something that could be considered a proper bath.

Serina floated up to the right-seat copilot's station, and Robbie remained in the doorway. "How long until we break orbit?" he asked as he wiped at his forehead with the back of his arm. Despite his spacesuit's cooling equipment he was still a little sweaty from his time on the harvester.

"Only a few more hours," Kyle informed him. The cosmic on-ramp for the highway home was on the same orbital plane as they were on now, and they would follow the same path back to Pandora that the harvesters would on a refueling mission. The calculations for an injection burn would not be complicated, thankfully.

"Hey...," Robbie began. "Serina and I can knock heads together and read a map well enough on our own. Why don't you get some real sleep, Fischer?"

Tanhi restrained her grin. _"He is correct, Yawne," _she quietly agreed.

Kyle's eyelids almost fluttered closed at the thought of rest without distraction. "That idea is beginning to sound better and better the more that we talk about it," Kyle admitted. "You'll wake me if you need anything, right?" he asked. Come to think of it, there could probably not be a better time to get some good, solid rest than during the transfer route between Polyphemus and Pandora. And Kyle knew he needed to be well rested pending the arrival back home.

"You got it," Robbie agreed. He gave Tanhi a wink, and she smiled in thanks when Kyle was not looking.

* * *

As soon as they locked into the module Kyle made straight for their hammock. Tanhi frowned as she watched him closely - without gravity it was impossible to tell what his posture was, and she found herself sorely missing the nonverbal clues that would hint at his state of mind and body. She knew he was tired, of course. But what if it was something more?

"Are you feeling well?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, just tired," he sighed back, confirming the obvious as he burrowed into the nivi. "Alright, fine, I'm exhausted," he admitted a few seconds later. This trip was turning out to be quite stressful - for numerous reasons.

Hmm, well that was something at least, Tanhi thought. Kyle did not often admit discomfort. Tanhi pulled herself along the wall over to her mate, and she reached into the hammock to lay a hand against his forehead. He felt a little warm...but maybe it was because everything else seemed so cold inside this infernal metal box.

"Time for my checkup?" he quipped as he observed Tanhi. Kyle could tell that his mate was sliding into her healer role.

"Yes," Tanhi replied absently. "Take off your shirt," she ordered.

"You first," Kyle countered.

At least his sense of humor, among other things, was alive and well. Tanhi rolled her eyes and explained, "I want to listen to your breathing and your heartbeat." The last couple of nights the volume of Kyle's normally quiet snores had increased slightly, and Tanhi could not help but wonder at what the reason for the change might be.

To his credit Kyle complied without any further smart-aleck comments. Tanhi rested her head against his bare chest and reached up to place her fingers against his neck. She was practically inside the hammock with him; Kyle's tail began to rub gently against her, and Tanhi could not tell if it was on purpose or not. "Are you always this frisky with your patients?" Kyle asked in an amused voice as he blew some of Tanhi's drifting hair out of his face.

_"No, only you," _she replied dryly, speaking in Na'vi again as her focus increased. Perhaps her touch was intimate; Kyle certainly did not mind, but then he realized that the fingers resting delicately against his neck were to measure his pulse. _"Breathe in deep, and hold," _Tanhi murmured, and Kyle did so. _"Now breathe out," _she said. She had her mate repeat the actions three more times.

Kyle allowed his eyes to drift closed, if anything drawing comfort from Tanhi's nearness, from the gentle caresses of her own breath against his skin.

_"You have been spending much time in the Sky People air," _Tanhi observed after a while.

Kyle's eyes reopened. "Well, yeah...," he said slowly. "I don't have much of a choice about that."

_"If you need to go back outside any time soon, I want you to wear a face-covering," _she said firmly, and she pointed to one of the Na'vi exopacks that was hanging on the wall, just to make sure she was being clear.

Neither Kyle nor Tanhi had taken advantage of the Na'vi-sized reverse exopacks, and for good reason - both of them hated the amazingly uncomfortable devices. "Hey!" Kyle objected. "I don't need one of those damn things. I'm doing fine!"

Tanhi shook her head. _"I can hear that you are getting congested," _she informed him. _"Do not tell me that you do not feel it!" _she interjected when Kyle opened his mouth to disagree. There was no way he had not noticed what sounded to her like faint rasping in his lungs.

"How come you aren't wearing a mask, then?" he countered as he glared up at her.

Tanhi slapped his shoulder. _"Because I have not spent as much time breathing the bad air as you have," _she reminded him sternly. The flight out to Polyphemus could have practically been done on autopilot, but maneuvering around the harvesters required Kyle's undivided attention up in the cockpit.

"Alright, fine," Kyle relented with a sigh as he shrugged back into his shirt.

Tanhi grunted in approval as she turned and began to rummage through one of the lockers for something to eat. She accidentally knocked over a small container, and an action that would have been inconsequential on Pandora proved to be much more complicated in space. The small basket spun in place, ejecting out most of its contents. Tanhi grumbled in frustration as she corralled the few items that had gotten loose. One was a tiny piece of gold jewelry; the cabin lights glinted off of it in an eye-catching manner, and Tanhi reached out to pluck the thing out of midair so that she could examine it.

It was one of her mate's pins - she could clearly see the Valkyrie's detailed likeness in the tiny object. _"What is the significance of this again?" _she asked curiously as she turned to show Kyle, the pin delicately grasped between her thumb and forefinger.

Kyle stared at it for a moment before explaining in detail the pins' significance - initially he had only given a cursory explanation of this piece of his former life to Tanhi. _"I guess I had forgotten about them," _he finished a little sheepishly.

Tanhi smiled. This sounded very much like something Kyle would do. _"If they are important to you...why did your forget?" _she asked, her tone teasing. _"And why do you still keep them, then?"_

Kyle laughed softly to himself as he rolled his eyes. The pins were meant to be worn on a dress uniform, something that was conspicuous for him in its absence. As he had packed the pins he had thought in passing how ironic it was that he would get to be the commander of one last shuttle flight, even after all that had happened. _"I keep them as a token of the past, I guess," _Kyle explained. _"And as a reminder. Of how lives and priorities can change."_

Tanhi nodded as she found what she had first been looking for, and she ate her food in silence. She thought that Kyle had fallen asleep, but he surprised her when he spoke again. "Are you glad you came with me?" he asked. He had switched back to English, and Tanhi could hear the sleepiness creeping into his voice.

Tanhi pondered the question as she finished chewing her portion. "Yes," she responded after she had swallowed.

"Even after finding out...?" Kyle trailed off. Perhaps he should not bring that up again.

"Yawne, I would never enjoy anything that separates us," Tanhi replied as she rotated in place to look back at her mate.

Kyle nodded as he accepted Tanhi's response. "I miss Hometree. I miss the forest," he admitted.

For a second Tanhi was surprised. She had felt Kyle's excitement through tsaheylu when they took off, when they left Pandora so many days ago. "I thought you enjoyed flying your tawsìp again?" Tanhi asked.

Kyle shrugged and laced his fingers together behind his head as he gazed up at the textured metal ceiling, and he relaxed as he allowed the nivi to keep him from drifting around. "I do," he agreed. "But it's not everything. Certainly not anymore." He met his mate's gaze and said, "I wish I didn't have to be here."

After a spell of contemplative silence Tanhi said, _"When we return to Eywa'eveng, we should go hunting together. It will be only the two of us. Alone."_

The Pandoran atmosphere inside the field module smelled slightly off - it always had, no doubt a consequence of having been designed to refresh the atmosphere of another planet. If one concentrated, one could still detect the faint scent of stale cigarette smoke that still seemed to permeate things. Kyle sighed and inhaled deeply anyway as he silently relished such a concept. Some alone time with his life-mate would be fantastic. _"I would like that very much, Tanhi," _he agreed.

A short time later the sound of Kyle's soft snoring informed Tanhi that he well and truly had drifted off to sleep. She smiled as she made to turn around to check on him, but another had already beat her to it. The ethereal shape of the atokirina' peacefully hovered over Kyle's still form as though guarding him.

* * *

The brig for Hell's Gate was buried in one of the deepest layers of the base. This section had, in fact, been originally planned to be part of the geothermal power plant, but an embarrassing last-minute recalculation during construction revealed that the necessary plumbing for the machinery needed to be built a couple of hundred yards _that _way. This architectural upset left a cavity within the building that needed a purpose. It was too deep for any kind of useful storage, and so it had been decided that the space would actually make an excellent, well-secured jail.

On the day that Valkyrie 61 would be returning home, the elevator doors _dinged _open and Hoshiro calmly walked into the brig anteroom. The guard on duty straightened measurably behind his desk at his appearance. "Good morning, sir," the soldier murmured, and Hoshiro nodded in response.

Inside the cell, the lone occupant slouched grumpily back against the wall. Dryers would have been more comfortable with his hands resting behind his head, but since he was missing one of those... It was amazing how many new poses he had to learn. His eyes hardened when he caught sight of Hoshiro, but he otherwise showed no reaction to his presence.

"You are comfortable, I hope?" Hoshiro said by way of greeting.

Dryers tilted his head to the side. "And if I'm not?" he responded acidly.

Hoshiro shrugged. "You would simply have to manage, I suppose." Hoshiro smiled faintly. "The question was more an attempt at conversation rather than a genuine inquiry into your wellbeing," he admitted.

"And I thought for a second that you'd grown a heart," Dryers retorted as he rubbed at the stump of his right wrist - relearning major life tasks as a lefty had not been easy. His long captivity had dulled his venomous personality somewhat, but not fully extinguished it.

"No such luck, I am afraid," Hoshiro responded with a self-effacing shrug. Dryers quickly stood as Hoshiro held his passkey over the lock and slid the door open. "Your new reading material," Hoshiro said unnecessarily as he tossed a fresh data pad onto the bench and retrieved the old one - it had been thought a necessary kindness to give the man something to read to better help him pass the time. Dryers never moved a muscle as the two men eyed one another warily, and every now and then Dryers' gaze would flick over to the katana slung across Hoshiro's back. The RDA spy wanted his guts to remain on the inside of his body, thank you very much.

As Hoshiro stepped back out of the cell he took silent note of the way that Dryers would glance at the data tablet with covert eagerness. "You know, if I could get some more variety in my meals, I might consider giving this hotel another star," he said as Hoshiro sealed the door.

The Japanese man paused for a moment. "Hmmm," he said in an impressively thoughtful, serious tone. "I might think about it." Then he turned and strode away.

* * *

The calm exterior that Hoshiro had put up in the brig was mostly a front. To be completely honest, Dryers irritated the hell out of him. Hoshiro would much rather have had the spy executed, but that was something that Dr. Patel would not stand for.

This was why Hoshiro now found himself outside, still dressed in his Sec-Ops fatigues, trying to butcher his way through his katas with some semblance of anything resembling the graceful skill that he knew he possessed. Hoshiro knew he was upset when it took all of his concentration to maintain proper form.

He was so focused, in fact, that it took him several seconds to notice the Na'vi man standing at the edge of the garden clearing, watching his every move like a hawk. Or better yet, like a toruk. "Oel ngati kameie," Hoshiro greeted quickly. _"Forgive me, I did realize you were there."_

_ "I See you," _Mal'ek responded. _"You have done no transgression," _he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Hoshiro swiftly scabbarded his weapon back over his shoulder - it was not respectful for the blade to be out unless it was in use. Hoshiro was in no state to practice his katas, he finally admitted, and he certainly was not about to use the katana against a living opponent. _"What brings you to my home?" _Hoshiro asked curiously as he tried to catch his breath. His sloppy, rushed form had tired him out. Damn these exopacks.

_"My daughter and her mate return home this afternoon," _Mal'ek explained. _"Jakesully and I are here to welcome them back. The Olo'eyktan is speaking with Maxpatel; I was simply spending some time alone in the gardens...it is I who must apologize, for I have disturbed your training."_

Hoshiro swiftly shook his head in the negative. _"My actions were not worthy of being called 'practice,'" _he said.

Mal'ek shrugged noncommittally. _"Even still, your motions were quite fluid and graceful. To move as such is a skill I would much like to learn." _He sighed, almost wistfully, and said, _"I did not know that the Tawtute fought with weapons such as these."_

Hoshiro smiled wanly. _"The art of the sword is not often practiced. It was perfected by my own people many thousands of years ago. Sadly, there are not many of us who remember how to do it. Unfortunately, the Na'vi are familiar with the Tawtute's preferred methods of making war." _A particular memory crossed Hoshiro's mind, and he frowned thoughtfully. _"Do not the People utilize a staff as part of your traditions of combat?"_

Mal'ek nodded. _"It is a challenge weapon," _he said.

A small smile began to form on Hoshiro's face. Perhaps this situation was still salvageable... _"My culture uses something similar. It is called the 'bō,'" _Hoshiro said._ "Would you like to learn of this?"_

Mal'ek's expression grew both surprised and hopeful. _"It would be an honor." _Then he frowned and looked down meaningfully at himself and then at Hoshiro. _"But I am afraid that -"_

Hoshiro interrupted with a wave of his hand. _"Do not worry. I know of something that may suffice for you." _Hoshiro stepped away, but returned only a few minutes later bearing three staffs - two were approximately six or seven feet long; the other staff was over ten feet in length, and considerably thicker. _"This bō has been in my family for many generations," _Hoshiro explained as he offered one of the shorter lengths of wood up for Mal'ek's inspection.

The Na'vi warrior could sense the reverence that Hoshiro held for this weapon. There was a certain beauty in its clean, unpretentious lines, and Mal'ek could tell that it must have been crafted with great skill - the staff was quite true, with no kinks or bends in it. There were no knots in the wood that might compromise its strength, and any Na'vi artisan would have been rightfully proud to call such work his own. The wood grain was exotic, something that Mal'ek had never seen before.

Hoshiro could see the question in Mal'ek's features. _"It is made from white oak, a tree that is now quite rare on my world," _he explained.

The other two bō staffs were made with exacting accuracy from Pandoran wood: the human-sized staff was one that Hoshiro could utilize with "proper enthusiasm," as he put it. The larger staff belonged to one of the avatar drivers on the base; though not as accomplished in martial arts as Hoshiro was, she was certainly not lacking in skill. The effort that had gone into making an avatar-sized bō was evidence of this.

Mal'ek respectfully knelt on the ground and offered back Hoshiro's bō. Then, he retrieved the staff that was more his size and stood back up, hefting the bō with a practiced hand. _"It is very well balanced," _he commented as he gave the staff a quick, experimental twirl. He gave Hoshiro a tight, proud smile. _"It has been a long time since I have lost a challenge. But tell me: how do the Tawtute handle a weapon like this?"_

Hoshiro exchanged his family's bō for his practice staff. He stood with Mal'ek so that they were side-by-side and demonstrated. _"Hold it like so. Hands go here, and here," _he said as he held his bō before him, his two-handed grip neatly dividing the staff into thirds. _"Your right hand needs to face up, and your left hand down," _Hoshiro instructed; out of the corner of his eye he saw Mal'ek nod and switch his right hand to the proper form.

_"This does not seem to be the proper way to hold a staff," _Mal'ek said as he frowned doubtfully down at his hands.

_"You will see why this is the proper way in a moment," _Hoshiro assured him. _"The bō is an extension of your body. The same motion that you would use when you strike someone open-handed, or block a blow, is used with the bō. Like so."_

Hoshiro demonstrated with a few quick but simple motions while Mal'ek observed intently. Mal'ek followed along, albeit at a much slower pace. The handholds made much more sense, now that he was moving.

_"When you strike your opponent, your power comes from your back hand pulling, while your front hand guides the blow. Like this." _Hoshiro struck an invisible opponent before him; he moved in slow motion, exaggerating the rotation of his wrists for effect.

They practiced standing next to one another for a while as Hoshiro steadily coached Mal'ek into proper form. The Na'vi man picked up the nuances of body posture and motion with impressive quickness - Hoshiro could not remember a quicker or more clever student. What Hoshiro had intended to only be a brief highlight of staff fighting was turning into a full blown, detailed lesson. Mal'ek simply kept asking for more.

Finally Hoshiro called a temporary halt to things, and Mal'ek's disappointment was almost tangible. _"I did not say we were finished," _Hoshiro chuckled. _"I only said that it was time to stop fighting someone you could not see."_

Mal'ek smirked down at him. _"And are you offering yourself as said opponent?" _he asked.

Hoshiro simply raised an eyebrow. _"I shall trust you not to kill me," _he deadpanned. _"Allow me to control the pace. Press back with only the same strength that I exert against you. I can hope that my greater skill will be an appropriate match to your greater reach."_

The Na'vi warrior nodded in agreement as he renewed his grip on the bō. Hoshiro's first move was an almost painfully slow overhanded blow. It gave Mal'ek an eternity to react, but as a teacher of combat himself Mal'ek knew precisely what Hoshiro was doing. Mal'ek easily responded with the appropriate countermove, and Hoshiro nodded in approval.

Mal'ek struck back with equal reservation, and of course Hoshiro easily blocked the strike.

_"Excellent," _Hoshiro said. _"Please, continue. Our pace will increase accordingly."_

The two men pressed faux attacks against the other, pushing each other back and forth across the clearing. As both of them became more comfortable with the skill of the other the pace of their sparring did indeed pick up, and Hoshiro found himself dipping with greater frequency into his reserves of knowledge in order to stand up to Mal'ek's greater size and reach. Words of encouragement fell away as each man concentrated on outsmarting the other, and soon the _clack _of wood against wood was the most telling noise that could be heard from the dueling pair.

Mal'ek was beginning to incorporate some of his extensive technique that he had picked up with the Na'vi challenge staff, and new and unexpected style pleased Hoshiro greatly. It had been a long time indeed since he had practiced with a worthy opponent, and soon Hoshiro found himself panting from exertion. While Mal'ek was not even close to being physically challenged, his lips were set in a tight line as he concentrated on melding the technique that Hoshiro had taught him with that which he already knew.

All told, the match was quite an enjoyable experience for the two warriors from two very different peoples, and for a brief moment each forgot about the present time's trials and troubles that afflicted each of them.

* * *

Over Pandora's night side, Valkyrie 61 flew backwards and upside down. After nearly two solid days of sleep, with minimal excursions outside of the trailer, Kyle felt much better. Tanhi had deemed his rest sufficient, and thankfully he was less his exopack as he and Robbie ran through their checklists for reentry. Everyone's excitement was almost a tangible thing in the air - everyone was looking forward to getting their feet back on solid ground.

_"Tanhi, reentry is going to be loud, rough, and a little scary," _he reminded her._ "Are you sure you are going to be okay?" _Kyle asked as he looked across the aisle at his mate.

She nodded, even as she chewed worriedly on her lower lip.

_"Do you want to bond with me?" _Kyle asked.

Tanhi shook her head. _"Not this time, Yawne," _she said._ "I... I want to be able to do this by myself."_

Kyle nodded as he offered her a reassuring smile. He knew Tanhi's choice was not a rejection - she wanted to prove to herself and everyone else that this was something that she was capable of handling on her own. _"We are nearly home, Tanhi," _he said. _"You have been very brave so far."_

Tanhi nodded as she accepted Kyle's words and gripped the sides of her seat. She allowed herself a small smile - it would be good to see her father again, to be back in open spaces and on firm ground.

"Crew check," Kyle said. Affirmatives came from Robbie and from Serina, who had rotated her chair in the electronics suite to face forward. _"Lean your head back, Tanhi," _Kyle quietly instructed as he leaned his own weight against the back of his seat.

A brief glance out of the corner of his eye told Kyle that Tanhi was ready, and without further ado he confirmed his settings in the computer, gripped the flight stick, and pulled back.

There was a loud _bang! _from the stern of the ship, and everyone was shoved forcefully back into their seats as the Valkyrie's twin fusion engines lit off for a predetermined amount of time. Tanhi yipped in surprise despite her efforts to hold it in. The engines switched off nearly as quickly as they had come on, and now the Valkyrie was committed on returning herself to Pandora, her radar altimeter already beginning to wind downward.

Kyle pulled back on the stick again, this time utilizing the RCS rockets to make the shuttle perform its necessary backflip. Tanhi found herself holding tightly to her seatbelt as the nose of the shuttle pointed straight down at Pandora for a moment; her stomach lurched disconcertingly as she had the irrational thought that she just might slip out of her seat and fall all the way to the ground.

Tanhi tried to see what was going on outside, but the shuttle was now angled up sharply enough that all that she saw was blackness and stars. Beside her Kyle spoke in hushed tones over the radio with Roger Oros, who had been faithfully serving as their Mission Control for this whole time.

Strange tickles were beginning to form in Tanhi's stomach again as she felt the faint hints of planetary gravity for this first time in many days. The ride was beginning to get a little bouncy, and Tanhi was aware of a sound from outside, a gentle whisper that was steadily growing into an outright roar. Flickers of orange flames began to lick at the outsides of the windows, and Tanhi firmly shoved back on her anxiety. Kyle had described to her how incredibly hot the bottom of the tawsìp would get, simply from the friction of the air. She had to admit that she found his words difficult to believe...until now.

As for Kyle...he was finding this flight back to Pandora infinitely more enjoyable than his last one. His crisp professionalism never wavered as he spoke with Hell's Gate and continued to guide the Valkyrie downwards, but a small, telling smile could be seen on his lips. Even if he never flew a Valkyrie again, he could at least say he had ended things right.

The flickering flames of reentry gave way to a lightening blue sky, and as the ship transitioned from spacecraft to airplane Kyle glanced over at Tanhi. She was tense in her seat, but she did manage to offer him a tight smile, even if it was a bit forced.

"Hang in there, Tanhi. Almost home," he said. Crisp, beautiful sunlight streamed in through the windows. Unlike the rain during their departure, not a single cloud marred the sky this time.

* * *

Jake waited patiently to the side as Tanhi almost leapt into Mal'ek's arms. He smiled faintly as he watched the fond shows of affection between father and daughter. Mal'ek's greeting to Kyle was more subdued, but certainly no less sincere. Though he would not readily admit it, Jake's Second really had missed his daughter and son-in-law terribly during their absence.

Valkyrie 61 ticked and pinged softly as it cooled on the runway. Technicians from Hell's Gate scurried around the tarmac as they went about securing the shuttle from its flight; Jake sighed, content to let all of the activity carry on around him. The afternoon sun was warm, the air clear and refreshing, even here at the human base. The unobtanium refinery had ceased production well over a year ago, ceased pouring noxious gases into the atmosphere. Even so, they still had well over 200 tons of refined unobtanium on hand. Jake smiled wryly. A business man he was not, but Jake did know a thing or two about physics - and he sure as hell could recognize a lever when he saw one.

As Jake watched, Kyle crouched down to speak with Roger Oros, no doubt discussing matters pertaining to the final putting to rest of Kyle's Valkyrie. Kyle must have sensed Jake's observation, for when he stood back up his eyes instantly settled on the Olo'eyktan. The silent communication between the two was clear: there was still business to attend to.

Jake dipped his head in response to Kyle's motioned greeting. "How'd the flight go?" he asked when Kyle drew up to him.

The other man shrugged. "Pretty well, all things considered. I'm glad to be back on solid ground, though." He looked back over his shoulder at Tanhi. "I know she is, too," Kyle finished.

Jake nodded in agreement. "All the uploads went okay?" he queried.

Kyle nodded.

"Outstanding," Jake murmured to himself with an almost imperceptible grin. "Kennedy has done some fiddling down here on our end for the last couple of days," Jake said as though thinking aloud. "Just for kicks he tried to instigate a mock refueling mission from Hell's Gate. From down here it looks like everything is normal, but any commands regarding maneuvering the harvesters run into an 'Access Denied' error. It asks for an administrator's password. Miles tried everything to hack his way inside."

Kyle's ears swiveled curiously. "Did he get in?" he finally asked.

"He did not," Jake replied succinctly with a small smile. Kyle had locked things down tight. "What's the passcode?"

Kyle blinked twice before he answered Jake's question with a question. "Who else will have that knowledge, Jake?" he asked, his tone deadly serious.

"Myself, Dr. Patel, and Hoshiro Tanaka," Jake replied. "That key will not be handed around casually, trust me. I will see to that."

Kyle nodded, satisfied with Jake's response. "Eywa s'ilivi mas'kit nivi," Kyle finally said in precise Na'vi. "Capitalize the first letter, use proper punctuation and spaces between words," he admonished.

One of Jake's eyebrows climbed fractionally. "I didn't know you were one for poetry, Kyle," he said.

Kyle merely smirked in response. "I'm not," he said. "I meant that literally."

"Hoshiro would like one of harvesters moved into Pandoran orbit right away," Jake said in a casual voice. He discreetly observed Kyle's response, and he watched the other man stiffen slightly. "What do you think of that?"

"Honestly?" Kyle asked. Jake nodded - he would not wish it any other way. "It would raise suspicion, something like that being so out of place. An ISV would detect it within a single orbit. They would wonder why it's there."

"We could just say it was moved there to refuel the _Enterprise Star_ and never returned," Jake countered. "And besides, there's nothing they could do about it, right?" he asked.

Kyle smirked again. "Oh, no, trust me. I saw to that. It would be next to impossible for the RDA to regain control of those machines." Kyle spoke with utmost certainty, and Jake could hear the cold confidence in his voice of a man who was infinitely sure of his work. "And if you did decide to go kamikaze on their ass, they wouldn't be able to get out of the way. An ISV is basically an interstellar train, Jake. Not a whole lot of room for moving around."

Jake nodded, and he frowned thoughtfully as he pondered Kyle's words.

"I take it you are going to be discussing all of this with Dr. Patel and Tanaka?" Kyle asked.

With a sigh and another nod, Jake said, "Yes. We just need to see what all of our options are. Weigh the pros and cons and all that. These next few weeks are going to go by in the blink of an eye."

"That may well prove to be the understatement of the century," Kyle replied dryly. After a moment, Kyle asked, "You really want to know what I think?" Jake merely inclined his head for an affirmative response. _Of course._ "Knock the frickers right out of the sky."


	33. Chapter 33

**Okay...rather than write one huge, ginormous chapter I decided to break it up so that I could publish quicker. Please somehow find it in your heart to forgive me. :-) You aren't being short-changed, I promise! On the one hand, I have a (pretty) good grasp on what is coming up, so I hope to write relatively rapidly. On the other hand, I don't want to rush anything and forget a detail or three.**

**To Matt87: While I don't think I'll go so far as to say, "Your wish is my command," I did chuckle a bit to myself as I wrote a certain part. I'm sure you'll figure it out. ;-) Perhaps we can chalk it up to great minds thinking alike.**

**Read on, friends! Let me know if you enjoy it!**

Chapter 33

Kyle had begged Tanhi's forgiveness. There was still much to do concerning taking care of the Valkyrie after its mission. While Roger had graciously offered to take care of the post-flight inspections, Kyle had insisted on helping. It just did not feel right to him to walk away from this, not until everything was done.

_"Please, Tanhi," _he had pleaded. _"I need to help with this. I cannot leave my friends to shoulder my work alone."_

Tanhi's hands squeezed his waist possessively, even as she smiled faintly with tiredness and weariness of her own. _"It is good not to abandon your responsibility, Yawne," _she admitted to him. She leaned in close, as though to kiss him, and Kyle's eyes drifted closed with anticipation. Unfortunately, her lips only brushed against his in an infuriating tease. _"I can only hope that your attention will return to me when you are finished," _she whispered.

_"Believe me, you will be the only focus of my attention," _Kyle groaned as he leaned forward and tried to close the distance between them.

Much to Kyle's frustration, Tanhi pulled back from him and turned her head away. _"Later," _she said simply as she watched him through shyly lowered eyes.

_"I trust you will make her wait worth her while," _Mal'ek muttered dryly from where he stood just behind and beside his daughter.

Kyle had forgotten that Mal'ek was there for a moment, and his unexpected statement brought a surge of heat blooming to his face. Just like the stereotypical shotgun-toting human father, Mal'ek had been the oddest mix of mostly threatening and slightly encouraging to Kyle before Tanhi and he had bonded. But now that they were a mated pair, Tanhi's father had no qualms about encouraging them along in all activities that couples were to engage in. It must have been one of those cultural things that the Na'vi were much more open with, and it clashed rather starkly with Kyle's human mind.

Thus, to say that it was slightly disconcerting to Kyle would be something of an understatement. Of course, Tanhi instantly picked up on his discomfort, and it amused her greatly. _"Do you think he does not know what we do?" _she asked him through a brief fit of giggles.

Before he could stop himself Kyle glanced over at Mal'ek, who simply stared right back with a rather wolfish expression; clearly he found Kyle's embarrassment to be just as humorous as Tanhi did. "Um...," Kyle hedged, not quite sure what to say.

Tanhi took pity on him; she gently gripped his jaw in her hand and turned his head so that she could softly press her lips against his. _"Do what you need to do here," _she said softly as she released him and stepped away. _"And come to me when you are done."_

"Oel ngati kameie, Tsamsiyu," Mal'ek murmured as he placed an affectionate, fatherly hand on Kyle's shoulder and squeezed once. _"I will see to it that what you have done for the People is not forgotten. Finish what you must. It is good that you are home safe again." _With that Mal'ek released him and turned to place his arm around Tanhi's shoulders, and together the two of them walked away.

Kyle blinked as he stared after them. Mal'ek had just called him "Warrior."

* * *

It was dusk by the time the Valkyrie was ready to be put to bed in its hangar. Kyle had been all over the place, working inside the cargo bay and around the outside of the craft as best as he could. Roger rightly commandeered the main cabin so that he, Serina, and Robbie could work inside - in any event, Kyle had no burning desire to spend any more time breathing Earth atmosphere, so he was more than happy to conduct the exterior inspections.

The stale, recirculated atmosphere from the field module had nothing on the clear, crisp Pandoran air. Kyle found all of the natural smells that he was sensing for the first time in over a week mildly distracting; he kept pausing his work as he stopped and pondered each scent, both new and old, as though for the first time.

Kyle also suspected there would be much to discuss concerning this new bargaining chip for the Na'vi and Hell's Gate. Post-flighting a shuttle was nothing new to him, and Kyle shamelessly retreated into the familiar comfort of the duty. Jake correctly sensed that Kyle wanted some space after being cooped up for so long, and he was quite willing to give the man some extra breathing room. Kyle had, if anything, more than earned it.

There had been a scene of momentary terror and excitement when a seemingly wild ikran decided to land right there on the tarmac. Its massive size, fiercely snapping jaws, and ferocious snarls sent panicked people scurrying for any kind of cover as the creature landed hard on the squat aircraft tug that was parked near the front of the Valkyrie, causing the sturdy vehicle to creak and rock on its suspension. The ikran's claws squealed against the metal, leaving deep gouges in the tug's hood as the animal hopped the short distance down to the ground, its dinosaurian head swiveling to and fro as it hunted.

Several of the former Sec-Ops troopers that were present dove for shelter behind whatever was available, at the same time bringing their CARB rifles to bear on the threat. Thankfully, at least two people recognized the ikran. Thom Collins saw what was about to happen from his place behind a maintenance cart, even as he lowered his own rifle, and he frantically lunged for the gun of the man next to him. "Wait!" he cried as he pushed the rifle's barrel down.

Kyle heard the commotion and was desperately trying to extract himself from the wheel well of the shuttle's main landing gear. "Don't shoot him!" he yelled frantically as he tumbled out into the open.

The ikran whirled as soon as Kyle appeared and began to scrabble awkwardly across the pavement in his direction, hissing ominously like a snake. Those present, except for Collins, watched in horror as Kyle sprinted straight for the monster.

Kyle wrapped his arms right around the creature's head, and instead of snapping the Na'vi in two like nearly everyone was expecting the ikran cackled almost happily from deep in its chest as it curled its wings forward in a protective gesture. "You damned impatient lizard," Kyle muttered fondly as he rubbed the beast's neck. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?"

Txopuluke chortled joyfully, clearly not sorry in the slightest.

Collins' eyes darted towards the Valkyrie's open cargo ramp, where the third trooper was still aiming down his rifle's sights at the ikran. "Turner!" Collins hissed. "Hey peabrain! The banshee belongs to Kyle! Lower your weapon!"

The pilot's words finally penetrated the haze of poor Turner's fear, and he glanced guiltily in Collins' direction. His eyes were wide as saucers behind his exopack as he lowered his CARB rifle fractionally. "Sorry," he squeaked. "Scared me," he said, quite unnecessarily.

After a quick glance to check again on the trooper next to him, Collins was finally positive that every weapon present was safely accounted for. Not that he held any of the men's reactions against them, though - who would have thought that Kyle's giant banshee would have dropped right out of the sky, almost on top of them all? Apparently Txopuluke's eagerness to see his hunter again overruled his abhorrence for all things human.

Collins shoved back on his own fear as he peeked ungraciously over the top of the cart that he was hiding behind. "We cool, Fischer?" he asked, trying to keep the quaver out of his voice.

The ikran's body shifted to a more comfortable position, and now Collins could see that Kyle's braid was linked to one of the beast's neural antennas. "Yeah, we're cool," Kyle confirmed as he continued to lovingly stroke the brilliantly colored crest that adorned the ikran's lower jaw. Kyle finally looked around, and only now did he realize that every other person present was watching with terrified, awed expressions from their various hiding places. Kyle smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, guys. He, uh, just couldn't wait to say, 'hi,' I guess."

It amused Kyle to no end that Txopuluke was so happy to see him that he was not forming coherent thoughts. The fierce ikran was filled with a goofy, bubbly happiness that was completely at odds with his normally more reserved personality. The source of Txopuluke's joy was not only Kyle's return, apparently.

Kyle jerked his head back and gasped. _Been busy, have we? _he asked, his mental voice tinged with amusement. _I bet a tough guy like you could pick any girl he wants, eh? Will I get to meet this gal of yours?_

Rather than form a cohesive answer with thought-speak, Txopuluke merely snorted and reared his head back to briefly nibble and preen at his wingtips, as though he had suddenly become very self-conscious about his appearance. _She...has no hunter, _Txopuluke excused. _She is with the rest of Children of the Sky, _he said, using the ikran mental word for their kind.

Kyle laughed out loud and nodded. Jake had warned him several weeks prior that it was coming up on ikran mating season. While the bond between a Na'vi and his ikran was unbreakable save by death, it was not above...distraction, especially during this time of year. _Fine, but you can't make fun of me for being infatuated with my own mate._

Txopuluke snorted in agreement and licked at Kyle's face, who sputtered and objected quite vocally to being coated with ikran saliva, which admittedly did not smell the best.

Once everything seemed to be under control, Collins allowed himself to slide down to the ground and he leaned wearily back against the maintenance cart as his heartbeat finally began to slow back down to a sane rate. "I hate that fucking pterodactyl," he muttered to himself.

He never realized that Kyle had heard his comment, and he never saw the Na'vi smile. He also did not know that the cackle that Txopuluke had emitted at that moment was one of amusement when his hunter translated Collins' statement for him.

* * *

It was late afternoon, almost early evening, when Kyle finally trudged up the stairs to the avatar cabin, quite eager for his first real chance to get clean ever since leaving Pandora. Also, oddly enough, Kyle realized that he was actually looking forward to changing out of these restrictive clothes and back into his loincloth. He smirked to himself as the phrase "going native" took on a new meaning in his mind.

One of the avatar drivers was seated on a cot and in the process of pulling off his boots when Kyle walked in. "Hey, welcome back, Kyle!" he said. "Everyone around here is really excited about the opportunity that you've given us. Really, thank you!"

Kyle dipped his head in acknowledgement and gave a mumbled "You're welcome." He racked his brain for a name, but much to Kyle's embarrassment he kept coming up empty. The man had no doubt been part of the blur of faces and names that had passed by Kyle during his limited time at Hell's Gate.

He was not the first person to thank Kyle in one way or another for what he had done. "Do you...do you really think that we would have to destroy the ISV?" the man asked. Kyle tilted his head and looked at him strangely - in reality they had tried to maintain a low profile for the whole plan, and _that _part in particular. "Small base, word gets around fast," the scientist explained as his feline ears flicked back with sheepishness.

"If necessary," Kyle replied solemnly. He had almost said, 'I hope not.' But that would have been a lie, he realized. Kyle pondered for a moment his former employer. Was it the company, or only the zealots that the RDA seemed to hire who could be so crazy as to, say, shoot a coworker and try to bring down an entire Valkyrie? For Kyle the answer was conspicuous in its absence.

"By the way, your mate is in the shower, just so you know," the man offered, changing the subject.

Kyle had been balancing on one foot as he removed his own shoes; he froze at this, his tail held out rigid behind him to keep him from falling right over. The look he gave the man was almost accusatory, and Kyle squelched his warning-growl back until it was only a slight wheeze. He had heard the shower running and had simply given a mental shrug of mild disappointment - he never thought it might have been Tanhi.

To his credit the scientist instantly picked up on Kyle's train of thought, and he quickly held up his hands. "Whoa, I didn't peek," he confirmed. "She came in several minutes before you did. I was going to shower, but I'll do it tomorrow. No one else is out, don't worry."

Kyle sighed as he began unlacing and removing his last boot. "Thanks," he said. "Sorry for getting a little riled up."

The avatar driver shrugged as he reclined back on his cot. "Can't say I blame you." He quickly added when he noticed Kyle's single raised eyebrow, "And on that note, I'm off to put my other half to bed."

Kyle rolled his eyes as his hearing confirmed that the avatar was breathing deeply and evenly as it slept on in dreamless rest. His right ear twitched as he turned his focus to the sounds of running water, and a faint smile formed on his face. "This could be fun," he murmured to himself. Especially if they were indeed alone for the evening. His tail flicked excitedly behind him in agreement as he carefully stalked forward. The feeling of being without the responsibilities of command, of being safe from the inherent hazards of space flight, was profound enough that Kyle felt he just might float across the floor, rather than walk.

He crept silently through the changing room and paused at the doorway to the shower room proper, entranced as he was by the image of his nude mate underneath the running water. Tanhi was art in motion, beauty personified; she moved gracefully even in this, the mundane act of taking a shower. Her tail was undulating gently back and forth behind her in contentment, and Kyle's eyes settled shamelessly on her pert behind. As tempting as it would be to simply stay and watch, Kyle decided to press forward.

Tanhi let out a strangled shriek when she felt a pair of hands intimately caress the curve of her bottom, and she whirled in place with one arm raised in preparation to strike whomever was behind her, even as she thought to herself that there was only one person on Pandora who would be so bold as to do such a thing.

Kyle caught her wrist before her blow could land home and he grinned, flashing his canines as he took in her wide, golden eyes. "Got you," he purred. His own gaze flickered down briefly to Tanhi's heaving chest and his eyes flashed in appreciation for what he saw.

Tanhi forced herself to relax from her scare. She had to admit, Kyle had indeed gotten her good - and she would put up with such an action from no other being. She freed her wrist with a huff of annoyance before wrapping her arms around Kyle's neck in a tight hug; neither Kyle nor Tanhi particularly cared that Kyle's clothes were beginning to get wet at this point. _"I do not like waiting," _she growled as she pressed firm kisses against Kyle's lips.

She could feel him smile at this, then groan as she pressed her body flush against his. "Well, to make up for it I thought - whoa!"

Tanhi was being more than provocative when she smoothly slid one of her legs between her mate's and rubbed up against him. She was gaining leverage, and when she was sure of her position she gripped Kyle by the shoulders and pivoted. Kyle's tail whipped about as he nearly tripped over Tanhi's foot, and she used his momentary lack of balance as an impetus to sling him around against the shower wall.

Kyle was caught completely by surprise, and before he knew what had hit him he found himself pinned up against the wall, soaking beneath the shower's stream, as a very intense looking Tanhi stared him down. The smack of his head against tile was borderline painful. He gulped, and his ears drooped in hesitation as the running water plastered his hair down around his face - had he taken things a little too far with that one? What Tanhi lacked in brute strength she more than made up for in the lithe, powerful musculature that came naturally to the Na'vi, and Kyle was well reminded of that now.

_"And I do not like being snuck up on," _Tanhi growled as she leaned in close to touch her forehead to his. It was quite satisfying to catch her mate off-guard like this, especially considering the fact that he had just startled her. She allowed a small chuckle to escape her, if only to reassure her suddenly skittish-looking mate, and brought her hands down to the hem of Kyle's shirt. _"Take this off," _she commanded. _"Now."_

"Yes, ma'am," Kyle murmured in a mix of appreciation and relief as he raised his arms to help Tanhi shuck off his soaked shirt. Everything else quickly followed, each article of clothing landing haphazardly on the floor with a wet _plop._

_ "When will...we return...Oh! To Kelutral?" _Tanhi asked between various pants and whines, the last exclamation coming from when Kyle nipped at the side of her neck, just below her jaw. He held her close, just the way that she loved, so that both of them were underneath the hot shower stream.

Kyle growled in annoyance, the noise deep and almost animalistic; Tanhi fairly tingled with arousal at the sound of it. _"Tomorrow, after we talk with our friends here," _Kyle muttered. _"We need to plan. Plot. Scheme." _He nuzzled against the side of Tanhi's face as his hands slid down her trim flanks to settle at the base of her tail, and he pulled her even tighter against himself, making sure that she felt exactly how ready he was for her.

_"Tsaheylu," _Tanhi said to him as she reached behind her mate for his queue; her motions simultaneously tender and sure as she grasped her mate's braid, for in this she knew Kyle as well as he knew her. She did not flinch when Kyle gently gripped her own sensitive queue.

Both of their ears pinned back against their heads as they became accustomed to the feeling of the other. It always seemed like Kyle's stomach would do a little flip whenever they bonded; it was something that he hoped he would never simply "get used to."

The changing connotations of his word choices along with his dark thoughts plainly conveyed his irritation towards the matter. _"It is important that we...are prepared for the evil Tawtute," _she groaned out as she ran her hands lower down Kyle's strong form, her fingers mapping out every inch of his cerulean skin that she could manage to touch. The physical manifestations of their love for one another had been stifled for far too long, and now the rush of it all broke forth with a suddenness that almost swept the both of them away.

_"I know that," _Kyle muttered. _"But I have done my part, for now. I am ready for tonight to be just about us." _He hissed through clenched teeth as Tanhi's skillful hands found yet another spot on him that almost made him weak-kneed with pleasure. _"No,"_ he growled as he none too gently smacked her hands away. Tanhi objected to this with a hiss and bared teeth of her own. _"You have been too good to me. This will be about you, my Tanhi," _he promised.

Tanhi nipped the skin of Kyle's jaw just a little bit harder than necessary as she felt him hoist her up so that her legs were locked around his hips. Kyle turned them and pressed Tanhi up against the wall, making her yowl from the contrast of cold tile behind and hot body in front; he felt a phantom chill against his own back, and he shuddered with delight.

Kyle slid into her in one sure, smooth motion, making Tanhi arch with pleasure and dig her fingernails into his shoulders. _"Only you," _Kyle panted beside her ear.

The bond of tsaheylu made much more sense to both Kyle and Tanhi after that evening. It was a good, and necessary, thing to share one's emotions with another, especially when they became too much for a single body to contain.

* * *

The next morning saw a discussion that needed to happen, but that none looked forward to having. Jake, Kyle, and Tanhi met with Max, Norm, Hoshiro, and Miles out in the avatar cabin. The cabin was empty and would offer them privacy for as long as needed since all of the drivers had already linked up for the day.

"One of the harvesters should be moved into Pandoran orbit right away. It needs to be here before the ISV arrives," Hoshiro stated firmly. "We cannot afford to have it out of position, should it be necessary to utilize the ship as a weapon."

Miles groaned upon hearing this statement and rubbed at the back of his neck beneath the straps for his exopack.

Jake's eyes darted in the officer's direction, but he did not say anything to him. "I agree with that," Jake confirmed as he folded his arms over his chest. He stood tall in the room; while he was not overtly trying to intimidate anyone, standing 10 feet tall lent him a rather imposing presence, anyway.

The Olo'eyktan glanced in Kyle's direction. He was sitting on a cot beside Tanhi, who had her arm wrapped possessively around his waist. Both of them appeared exceptionally comfortable and quite happy to be back in their native clothing. Kyle simply nodded grimly, his lips set into a tight line.

"Would we really consider using...?" Miles began.

"Yes," several voices interrupted, and more than a few glares were directed towards Miles.

Kyle looked towards his cousin. "What are people's feelings about this next ISV? How is everyone holding up here?" he asked Norm.

Norm glanced at Max before he shrugged noncommittally. "No one's overtly excited about it. Especially considering the hostile vibes we've already been getting. Those of us who stayed behind knew the risks, knew the difficulties that we would face." He reflexively glanced over towards Miles. "As for everyone else..." He trailed off, unsure of what he could or should say.

Miles Kennedy was the perfect picture of inner conflict. "Why is everyone staring at me like I'm going to sell you all out? Do you think I don't know what's happened here, what's at stake?" He looked at Norm, Max, and Hoshiro each in turn. "Have I done anything to betray your trust?"

Max was quick to confirm in a soft but sure voice, "No, you have not."

And Hoshiro was quick to offer a counterpoint. "But there are those who came on your ship that are not of the same mind."

"How many exactly?" Jake demanded. Everyone at Hell's Gate had been coexisting quite well, much to everyone's relief. With the exception of a certain Dr. Dryers, of course. But Jake was not willing to have the nearness of the next RDA ship tempt anyone else to further betray them.

Max opened his mouth to answer, but Miles cut him off. "You're right, a few people don't appreciate at all seemingly being held here against their will. But I'll tell you now what most of us have already decided, even though _you _all haven't bothered to mention this little issue to any of us yet."

Jake glanced at Max, Norm, and Hoshiro with a puzzled expression, but received no real response.

Miles rolled his eyes. He probably would have slouched back in his chair with annoyance, if said chair had not been designed for someone twice his height. "None of us are really going to go home on this ship, are we?" he asked the group. "You're just going to tell these guys to turn around, just like you wanted us to do. The passengers shouldn't even be awoken from cryo." Miles paused, then finished with, "Thus, there will be no room for returning passengers."

Max sighed. "We were wondering when and how to bring this up to everyone," he muttered guiltily. Norm looked similarly chagrined, whereas Hoshiro did not seem phased in the slightest.

Miles snorted with derision. "Well, I'll save you all the trouble. We're all content to stay for the time being. Except for -"

"And those people are being watched," Hoshiro interrupted, his dark eyes flashing with a sudden surge of emotion. Not many people could fully understand how fanatically serious he was about protecting this place. Any risk to Pandora was an affront to his very being.

Jake nodded, satisfied with Hoshiro's assurance, as he gazed at Miles with renewed respect. For a while Jake had thought the man to be slightly deficient when it came to possessing a backbone. Perhaps he had been pleasantly mistaken. "We'll find a way to get you guys home," he said softly. Somehow...

"What will happen if the Tawtute do not wish to leave?" Tanhi asked, speaking quietly from her place where she rested against Kyle's shoulder.

"Then we direct one of the refueling drones to take out the ISV," he answered.

"Fine, fine!" Miles suddenly blurted. "I see the need to be prepared. But is there any way, any way at all, that we can try to talk these people down?" He glanced back and forth between Jake and Hoshiro, rightly realizing that these were the two men that he would need to convince. "Please," he said again, "I know these people. I know Captain Silva."

Jake and Hoshiro locked eyes, silently conversing on the matter. Kyle broke in. "Is the base capable of repelling a shuttle landing, should it come to that?" he asked.

Hoshiro nodded in agreement. "The turrets would be more than capable of such a task. So would even the limited amount of gunships that we have in our possession."

A Valkyrie was completely unarmed, a cargo hauler. Jake had brought one down with only two well placed grenades, after all. "And there is no chance that they will try to set up shop somewhere else?" Kyle asked.

"No," Jake provided. "They have no resources, no shelter. They need Hell's Gate."

"You all are banking everything on the hope that the Sec-Ops won't be able to land some 200 troops on the ground here," Miles said softly. "What happens if they do manage to get past the defenses?" He glanced around at the others who were present.

Jake growled; whether it was in irritation towards Miles or towards the very legitimate question remained to be determined. "They won't," he declared. "And do not forget that the Na'vi have as much to lose should the base fall as you do."

"Then it is decided," Hoshiro said. "We will begin the process of moving the drone into orbit over Pandora."

"And after that, we wait," Max added glumly. The _Commerce Star _was speaking to no one. Communications of every type had been ignored thus far.

"I suppose I'd better help," Miles muttered as he hopped down from his chair and followed Hoshiro towards the exit.

As everyone else filed out, Kyle placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder to gain his attention. Just outside the cabin's steps, Kyle crouched down and asked in a low voice, "Norm, how do you _really _feel about what's going on? No bullshit."

Norm chewed his lip as he formed his answer. Finally he shrugged and replied, "It's like Jake said. We turn them around and send them home. If not, we destroy them. It shouldn't be that complicated."

Kyle nodded slowly before he asked another question. He could tell that Norm was more worried than he was admitting, even if his cousin did not have ears and a tail at the momemnt to broadcast his emotions. "Norm... Jake didn't say you would be one to know the access code." Kyle's ears rocked back with uncertainty. "Why is that?"

"It was Hoshiro's plan," Norm answered with a faint smile. "He said he didn't think it would be a good idea for me to know, seeing as how we're related and all that."

Kyle frowned, clearly not understanding Norm's thought process.

"Think about it, Kyle," Norm replied. "If... I were to be questioned, let's suppose, I can say that I do not know the code and be absolutely truthful about it."

This answer did not satisfy Kyle in the slightest, and he did not like where this train of thought was going at all. "So why the worry if everyone is saying that we're going to just turn the _Commerce Star _around?"

Norm offered his cousin that thin, unamused smile again. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best," was his response.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Look how well that turned out last time," he muttered.

"I'd say it turned out alright," Norm replied as he knocked Kyle in the shoulder with his fist, fully aware that he could do no real harm to his cousin in this body. "I think you should enjoy this interim time while you can. Marauding ISVs aside, we're coming into the rainy season. You'll probably be spending a lot of time under Kelutral's branches in a couple of weeks or so."

The mention of the Omaticaya's home made Kyle sigh and close his eyes. "Damn, I can't wait to get back there," he murmured. Friends. The beauty of the forest. Hunting. Tanhi and his nivi. He missed all of it terribly.

Tanhi had been waiting patiently behind her mate while he conversed with his cousin. She heard the longing in his last statement, and she padded silently up beside him so that she could fondly rub his shoulders. _"My father and I will leave for Kelutral shortly, Yawne. You and Jakesully will follow soon after. We will spend tonight back at home, with our People. I promise."_

Norm smirked as he watched Kyle's eyes almost flutter closed, and he leaned noticeably into his mate's touch. "Kel'rey has been asking about you," Norm informed Kyle. "I think you owe him a new game."

Kyle grinned at this, and Tanhi laughed as well. She had an idea of what Kyle would be teaching Kel'rey next, and no doubt the rest of the younglings. "Good, because I've got just the thing for him!" Kyle chuckled.

* * *

It was true - Kel'rey almost pounced on Kyle when he caught sight of him. Kyle and Jake had flown their ikrans back to Kelutral that evening, and after the two of them had descended down to the communal areas the young boy had bounded up to Kyle, spouting out questions about where he had been, what he had done, and what it was like as fast as his young mind could come up with them. And Kel'rey had an exceptionally quick mind, to say the least.

Kyle could greet no one else - he could only wave in passing at Tsaro and Sìlpey, and his own mate only received a quick nod of recognition. Kyle struggled mightily to keep up with Kel'rey's rapid fire Na'vi. _"I would tell you everything, if you would let me speak!" _Kyle laughed.

Kel'rey clapped a hand dramatically over his mouth, though his silence only lasted about two seconds. _"Tanhi says you brought me something!" _he spouted, changing the subject right before Kyle had been about to explain what it was like to fly a tawsìp.

Kyle sighed dramatically before he shot his mate an annoyed glare. Tanhi had arrived earlier with Mal'ek via pa'li, and she was catching up with Sorewn a short distance away. Both women laughed at Kyle's predicament. _"I may have...," _Kyle began.

_"Yay!" _Kel'rey squealed at the top of his lungs.

From across Kelutral's central chamber, Va'ru shouted at his son to keep his voice down.

Kel'rey's ears drooped, and in an only slightly more subdued voice he whispered loudly, _"What is it?" _His tail wagged furiously about behind him in anticipation.

Kyle snorted with ill-contained laughter as he hedged, _"I will show you tomorrow." _Kel'rey opened his mouth to object, but Kyle swiftly interrupted. _"I cannot show you in the dark!" _he said as he pointed out towards the waning light of the day. _"Tomorrow, I promise." _Besides, he thought wryly, I'll have to get Tsaro to help me with this one.

Kel'rey let out a little growl and stamped his foot in frustration, and Kyle had the faint fear that the child might just burst with anticipation before he had a chance to explain things. For a moment Kyle pitied Va'ru and Sänume, for he highly doubted that the young boy would sleep a wink that night.

_"Are you glad that we are home?" _Tanhi asked him later that night as they were resting side by side in their nivi. Her delicate fingers played and fiddled with the locks of hair that hung around Kyle's ear.

_You know I am, _Kyle thought as he chuckled aloud and kissed his mate on the cheek. Tsaheylu for any reason was always an experience to be looked forward to, and Kyle sighed in contentment and held Tanhi close.

* * *

The next morning Kel'rey practically inhaled his breakfast, despite his mother's warnings to take it easy. A bout of hiccups within the hour proved the validity of Sänume's unfortunately ignored instructions. _"Okay!" _Kel'rey declared as he dashed into one of the archery clearings on the forest-side of Kelutral. _"What - did you bring?" _he asked, his statement punctuated by one of the aforementioned hiccups.

Kyle was waiting for him, absently playing with a brightly colored disk in his hands. _"We are going to play with this," _he declared as he offered Kel'rey the object.

Kel'rey accepted the thing with a rather dubious expression. It was a flat-ish disk of bright, neon yellow, and it was made out of some kind of material that only the Tawtute knew how to craft. The boy examined the object curiously as he tried to figure it out; at last he looked up at Kyle, his nose scrunched up in confusion. _"What is it?" _he blurted, managing a complete sentence around his body-shaking hiccups.

_"It is called a 'frisbee,'" _Kyle offered through a broad smile. _"We can play many different games with it. All of them involve throwing it around, and a good deal of running as well. I think you will like it." _Kyle gestured across the clearing to where a somewhat irritated Tsaro had been begrudgingly posted. His arms were folded across his chest; he practically radiated impatience. _"Go ahead and see if you can throw it to him," _Kyle said as he pointed.

Kel'rey glanced at Tsaro and frowned doubtfully. He was very far away... Still, Kyle had never led him wrong in the past. Maybe the "frisbee" harnessed some hitherto unknown Tawtute technology.

Kel'rey's strongest overhanded throw caused the frisbee to tumble ungracefully through the air, and his effort only gained him a distance of about 15 feet. Across the clearing Tsaro groaned and rolled his eyes. Why, oh why, had he let Kyle talk him into this? He could be doing any number of other useful things right now. Spending time with Sìlpey was at the top of his short list.

Kyle chuckled as Kel'rey shot him an accusing glance. The frisbee was clearly broken.

_"Like rock skipping, there is a certain way to throw a frisbee," _Kyle explained as he walked forward to retrieve the disk. He returned to Kel'rey and knelt by his side as he showed the boy how to grip the frisbee along the edge, his fingers curling up beneath the lip that ran around the disk's perimeter. _"Are you watching?" _he asked.

Kel'rey nodded vigorously.

Kyle stood back up and squinted across the clearing. _"Ready, Tsaro?" _he shouted.

Tsaro held his arms up in a shrug before he let his palms slap back down against his legs. Even he could not fathom how Kyle expected to get the frisbee to him. It was just too far away. He watched as Kyle drew his arm back, then snapped it forward in a move that was quite reminiscent of skipping stones. To Kel'rey and Tsaro's complete amazement, the frisbee shot straight as an arrow through the air.

_"Wiya," _Tsaro grunted as he realized that Kyle was going to do more than cross the distance between them. Tsaro began to walk backwards, then he turned and outright began to run as the frisbee soared by at a respectable height over his head. His jog increased to a sprint as he chased after the yellow disk, and just before it reached the edge of the clearing he leapt up and snatched the frisbee out of the air with a single hand, his tail working wildly to help him maintain his balance. When he turned back he could see Kel'rey gaping in amazement. Kyle, on the other hand, simply had his arms folded smugly over his chest.

At Kyle's urging Tsaro trotted across the clearing, bringing the frisbee with him. While he was certainly not as vocal about it as Kel'rey, even he had to admit that he was intrigued as to how that had worked.

Kyle's golden eyes were flashing with amusement, and Tsaro merely bared his fangs in friendly challenge. Tsaro could see that this was an activity that was not just for the younglings, and he definitely wanted to learn more.

_"How - how did you do that?" _Kel'rey demanded through another hiccup.

Kyle accepted the frisbee from Tsaro and turned it over so he could show them the way the lip on the edge curled down. It only took about three sentences to show his friends how to hold and throw a frisbee. For something seemingly so simple, Kyle assured Tsaro and Kel'rey that there were many more advanced techniques that could be mastered with time.

_"Okay, now you try, Kel'rey," _Kyle said as he handed the disk down to the youngster. He helped him position his hand and then stepped back. Kel'rey's first throw resulted in the frisbee keeling over in the air and then bouncing along the ground like a wheel. Tsaro charitably ran off to retrieve the disk.

_"You have to keep it flat," _Kyle urged as he demonstrated with his hand. _"That is the most important thing."_

_ "But what if...you wanted the frisbee to turn?" _Tsaro asked as he studied the disk, his tactical mind already mulling over numerous implications from this one simple toy.

One of Kyle's eyebrows rose. _"Then you would indeed put a little tilt into it as you threw it. There are some games that even an old man such as yourself might appreciate." _Tsaro scowled darkly at his friend. _"But first we have to be able to throw the disk where we want to. Your turn, Tsaro."_

Tsaro's pride was not so great as to prevent Kyle from teaching him anything, and he paid close attention to Kyle's words and demonstrations. Tsaro's throw wobbled significantly on release, but it straightened out admirably as it flew through the air. That is, until the breeze that had been formerly confined to the treetops took a foray into the clearing and sent the frisbee off course and into the weeds on the edge.

Tsaro growled in frustration. _"That was a good throw, really!" _Kyle assured him. _"And it also showed us yet another thing - you have to take into account the wind, just like when you are flying an ikran." _This time Kyle was more than willing to take off and retrieve the wayward frisbee.

Kyle's words made Tsaro's eyes grow wide. He was right! Tsaro was amazed that something that seemed so simple could have so many intricacies. _"Can I try again?" _Kel'rey begged with wide, wonder-filled eyes.

With a friendly laugh and a nod Kyle turned the frisbee back over to the youngling. This time he coached Kel'rey through the entire throwing motion, from the draw to the release. _"Keep it flat the entire time, and remember to flick with your wrist," _Kyle said. Then he ran a short distance away and said, _"Here, just aim for me."_

Kel'rey's eyes narrowed and he stuck out his tongue in concentration. Kyle was impressed when Tsaro noticed that Kel'rey was not holding the frisbee level, and he gently corrected him on it before he threw. This time the frisbee did fly straight, but not straight at Kyle. He had to take two leaping bounds to the side to snatch the disk out of the air. Still, just like the first time that Kel'rey had managed to skip a rock, Kyle heaped praise upon the boy.

Thankfully no more gusts of wind decided to come in and throw off anyone's aim, and soon the three Na'vi were positioned in a loose triangle that slowly grew bigger as Kel'rey and Tsaro's confidence and skill increased. Even if he lacked the strength for a ranged shot, it was not more than fifteen or twenty minutes before Kel'rey became more than passably accurate with his tosses. Soon Kyle and Tsaro were launching deep throws at one another from across the clearing, laughing and cheering as they leapt and dove to make impossible catches.

How fortunate that the avatar-sized frisbees that had been stuck inside a footlocker with various basketballs, jump-ropes, and other fitness games at the avatar cabin had appeared unused. Both Max and Jake had been swift to grant Kyle permission have them, and he took three of the frisbees back to Kelutral with him. They were made out of tough ballistic plastic, so short of being chomped on by a thanator they should hold up well to strenuous use. Even Jake had eyed the toys with barely disguised anticipation. If there was ever a break in his Olo'eyktan duties he would probably find the time to play with one as well.

* * *

Tanhi purposed to herself to spend some quality time with Sìlpey. The young woman was still viewed in a somewhat mysterious light due to the fact that she was the daughter of another clan's Olo'eyktan. Indeed, by virtue of his initial devil-may-care attitude, only Tsaro had sufficiently drawn out the tender young woman beneath the refined, professional exterior. And if this was someone who could potentially be the life mate of one of her best friends, Tanhi wanted to know her a little better.

Thus Tanhi had the idea of inviting Sìlpey out to the archery fields for a combination of practice and a little friendly competition. Sìlpey had been pleasantly surprised. _"It would be a privilege to practice with you" _she had said.

Tanhi graciously replied, _"It is I who should be honored! Tsaro has said that you are one of the best hunters he knows. And coming from him, that is a high compliment indeed."_

Sìlpey blushed and looked down for a moment, even as she smiled. She had thought the same thing of Tsaro. His focus during the hunt was almost otherworldly.

Unfortunately, the two women found that the archery range had already been co-opted by two men and a youngling who were all playing a game that neither Tanhi nor Sìlpey had ever seen before. While Sìlpey was pleasantly surprised to find Tsaro here, she gaped in wonder at the strange object that was flying through the air between the three Na'vi. _"What is...?" _she began to ask before she trailed off.

Tanhi laughed softly to herself and shook her head in wonder. So that was what those strange, brightly colored circles that her mate had brought back with him did. Leave it to Kyle to make the most unlikeliest of objects fly.

* * *

Jake felt distinctly...outnumbered. And vulnerable, like he had suddenly landed on some kind of endangered species list. Outmaneuvered? Yeah, that's a better word for it, he thought. Neytiri had quite handily outmaneuvered him - and it was not the naughty kind of outmaneuvering that she would do to him in their nivi, or in the privacy of a romantic interlude in the forest. No, Jake would certainly not have minded that kind of activity one bit, red-blooded male that he was.

Of course, the position he found himself in now was no doubt a result of Neytiri outmaneuvering him at one point or another. Or maybe it had happened when he had outmaneuvered her... Jake shrugged - he would probably never know, but right now he had more pressing matters to attend to.

The Olo'eyktan now found himself in Kelutral's nursery. It was a quiet - from external disturbances, anyway - place where new mothers could rest and bond with their infants. It was not as if the equally new Na'vi fathers were not permitted here, but right now to Jake this location had the distinct appearance of a women's club, and his ears were subconsciously lowered in discomfort.

Neytiri, of course, fit right in. She oohed and ahed over each new baby as though it were her own. She would be playing a vital role in these children's lives, certainly - she was to be their tsahìk, so of course it was important for her to know them. She would be a mother to them all, in a way, just as Jake as Olo'eyktan would be a father to them.

Neytiri's motivation for bringing her mate here was twofold. It was their duty in the coldest sense of the word to interact with even the youngest Omaticaya, but that was not their main motivation for being here. In a whispered, private moment, Jake had confessed that he had no idea in hell how to take care of a young, brand new life.

She had stared blankly at him when he had said this. _"Jake. You will be a fine father," _she reassured him.

"That's fine, I'm sure I will!" Jake said with a huff before an embarrassed expression descended over him. "But Neytiri, the last baby I held was the son of a friend from the service, _years _ago," he had informed her. He had noted way back then with no small trace of irony that wheelchair-bound Jake had made an exceptionally stable, if slightly unwilling, baby-holding platform. "I don't even know how to change a diaper," he muttered. It was the logistics of fatherhood that were looming scarily over him now.

Neytiri had blessedly realized the vulnerability that her mate was showing her, and did not laugh at him. Still... "Do the Sky People not teach one another how to take care of their younglings?" she asked him. Surely this was the most basic of life skills.

Jake lightly bit his lower lip as his ears fell slightly back. Of course I remember how to change a diaper! But I meant... "Sky People don't have tails," he reminded her.

Now Neytiri let out a small giggle, and Jake rolled his eyes. Apparently it was not the thought of being a father that gave the great Toruk Makto pause...it was the thought of being a Na'vi father that did it. _"I will teach you," _she murmured as she kissed him on the cheek. And though she did not say it, she knew that Moat would be more than willing to help Jake as well. She had thought of this before Jake had, after all.

This was the biggest reason why Jake now found himself shifting on uncomfortable feet in the Omaticaya's nursery in a visit that really had very little to do with him being Olo'eyktan. The three mothers who were present with young babies all giggled softly and cast knowing glances at him, as if the reason for his visit had been published ahead of time in a clan-wide memo. _I told myself I could pass any test a man can pass. _"Outstanding," Jake muttered under his breath.

Neytiri was ushering him forward, having just accepted a baby girl in her arms from a woman that Jake recognized as one of the clan's weavers. _"Hello, pretty," _she cooed as she let the child gently gum on one of her fingers.

Jake had to admit, the baby was adorable. Her little pink ears were just starting to stiffen up, but one was still slightly floppy like a newborn's. "Hey, cutie," he whispered as he carefully stroked the girl's head, smoothing back her wispy strands of dark hair. There was not enough hair yet for her mother to make the child's first queue braid.

The infant's happy gurgles quieted as she regarded Jake with huge, golden eyes. A small, chubby hand reached out and grasped for him, and behind Neytiri the girl's mother smiled. _"You may hold her, Olo'eyktan," _she quietly whispered.

Jake gave the weaver a surprised expression. _"Really?" _he asked reflexively. Thankfully he remembered to speak in Na'vi, and he studiously ignored Neytiri's own fondly exasperated expression.

The mother - Newey, Jake suddenly remembered her name - laughed softly and nodded. _"If you wish. She does not seem to mind you."_

Jake swallowed nervously and nodded; Neytiri carefully transferred the precious bundle into Jake's arms. The young girl began to squirm a little and coughed ominously as she nuzzled into Jake's chest as if she wanted to nurse, but soon she sensed that Jake was not mother and she quickly stilled. Jake none too subtly let out a sigh of relief. _"What is her name?" _he asked.

_"Tìrey'way," _Newey answered.

_"It is a beautiful name," _Jake said sincerely as he stared at the infant in his arms.

No one spoke for a while after that. Jake simply stared, enraptured by the infant. Neytiri watched him with growing pride - and with a swelling desire to see him like that, but with their own son in his arms.

As Jake watched the baby went slightly cross-eyed, then began to squirm again as she started to hiccup and cough. "Hey, it's okay," Jake murmured as he shifted her into a more upright position and rubbed her back with his fingertips.

_"She fed a while ago, so she might...," _Newey began, but before she could finish her warning the baby coughed some of her latest meal up on Jake's shoulder. _"I am sorry, Olo'eyktan!" _she quickly apologized.

Jake simply smiled in resignation and shook his head as he continued to comfort the child. _"It is not the first time a woman has thrown up on me," _he excused as he gave Neytiri a wry look. Her ears drooped in a faintly embarrassed expression as she swiftly took up a warm, wet cloth and began to clean her mate's shoulder.

The adults' noses wrinkled as Newey took her daughter back in her arms. _"It would seem that an upset stomach was not the only thing ailing you, 'Ite," _she cooed as she brought Tìrey'way over to a horizontal rack that was strung with a stiff animal skin and set about changing and cleaning the baby.

Jake's arms settled around Neytiri's waist and his hand began rubbing her bulging stomach almost automatically. Neytiri nuzzled the side of Jake's head and whispered into his ear, _"Are you watching and learning, Love?" _Her tone was equal parts teasing and sincere.

With a small smile Jake nodded, and he gently patted Neytiri's stomach.

Jake Sully, former United States marine, Sixth Toruk Makto and now Olo'eyktan of the Omaticaya tribe, nearly leapt out of his blue hide right there in the nursery when he felt something bump his hand through his mate's skin. The sensation was so unexpected, and quite frankly weird feeling, that it was all he could do not to shriek like a girl in surprise. Neytiri herself gasped as well and held her belly, though it was more from the feeling of being kicked from the inside out than from Jake's own muffled exclamation.

Suddenly oblivious to their small audience, Jake and Neytiri stared at one another with wide-eyed expressions that were equal parts amazed and startled. "Neytiri, did you just feel...?" Jake asked breathlessly, as if only he had been the one to notice what had just transpired.

Neytiri swatted Jake on the hip and gave him an exasperated look. "Of course I did, skxawng!" she replied. The three other women present dutifully held in their expressions of amusement as they observed the couple.

Jake placed his hands on Neytiri's stomach again, and Neytiri settled her own palms over his. Together they waited with bated breath to see if their son would kick again. Tommy did not disappoint, and Neytiri gasped again as she felt the odd sensation of her child moving a second time. _"He has not done this before," _she breathed.

Jake was simply beyond words. He could only laugh softly as he nuzzled his forehead against Neytiri's and marvel at this blessing to him, his own family. "Thank you, Neytiri," he murmured softly through a broad smile. "Thank you so much."

Neytiri smiled as well and brushed her lips against Jake's. "You are welcome, my Jake," she chuckled as she reached up to run her fingers through his hair. "You did help, after all."

* * *

Several weeks passed, and for the Omaticaya life continued on in a rhythm that the Na'vi had known for tens of thousands of years. Neytiri was noticeably filling out, and Tommy was beginning to perform his own interior acrobatics with growing frequency. Sometimes he kept Neytiri up at night, and Neytiri found that the only reliable thing that would get her son to calm down was tsaheylu with Jake, who was more than happy to oblige her. Tommy was apparently quite demanding of his father's attention, even before he was to make his entry into the world.

Tommy also made Moat light up in a way that Neytiri had rarely seen since the fall of the Omaticaya's first Hometree, and the death of her mate. It was not uncommon for mother and daughter to be found sitting in a quiet place, arms around one another, as they contemplated this new life growing within Neytiri. Jake had found them together like this once, perched on a fallen log by the river during a particularly beautiful sunset, both of their eyes shining with tears of joy.

Jake was once again struck by the way that life could come full-circle, by the way that something good and worthwhile could come out of something horrible. His unborn son bore the name of his murdered brother - if Tommy had not been killed, Jake would not have ever come to Pandora. He would never have met Neytiri, never have had the chance to live this life.

By the same token, Jake's presence had led to the destruction of the home that the Omaticaya had inhabited for thousands of years. So many had died that day... And yet, it could also be argued that Jake had saved the Na'vi, though he would never claim that as a point of pride. _One life ends, another begins... _That phrase was true in so many different ways.

Kyle's frisbee soon became a hit with more than just the clan's younglings. Kyle's hunter friends took notice of the toy rather quickly, and soon most of the clan's young men and women were all interested in this new activity. It really was amazing how such a simple thing could be tailored to the interests of such a wide age group.

Thus, the game of Ultimate Frisbee was introduced to the Na'vi for the first time ever. The game worked much like American football or rugby, and had been a favorite of Kyle's back on Earth. The rules were simple: Essentially, a team of five could advance the frisbee up or down the field only by throwing it; turnovers happened upon an interception or a fumbled catch. Points were awarded when someone made a catch in the opposing team's end zone.

While the arriving rainy season made such necessary activities as hunting and gathering a little more difficult, it also managed to turn a game of Ultimate Frisbee into an absolute spectacle. Whether one was playing or spectating, it was a complete riot to watch the players slipping and sliding through the wet earth that was formerly a dry playing field. It was not uncommon for Kyle to return from a game almost totally covered in mud, looking like some kind of ten foot tall swamp creature.

It only took one disgustingly filthy hug from her mate for Tanhi to learn to give Kyle a very wide berth until he had cleaned himself after a match. Kyle had thought that event to be quite funny; Tanhi, not so much.

A far-off storm front was passing by to the east one evening. Distant rumbles of thunder could be faintly heard, and the air was pleasantly damp with the possibility of gentle rain. The waning rays of Alpha Centauri, slowly dipping below the opposite horizon, highlighted the clouds and made them appear solid and almost mountainous. Two more of Polyphemus' moons were in view overhead, making the landscape appear all the more surreal in Jake's opinion.

Neytiri may have been used to such sights, but Jake could not help but marvel at it. Even after living here for almost two years, there were still sights to see that would take his breath away. He stood with Neytiri on the tiny plain between Hometree and the river, simply watching the day slowly wind itself down. Jake wondered if Kyle was watching the same thing, if he was equally as amazed as Jake himself was.

Kyle and Tanhi were seeing the same thing, in fact. They were seated side-by-side in their crow's nest at the very top of Kelutral. Tanhi had her head on his shoulder; his head was resting against hers, and their tails were looped gently around each other's waists.

Someone gently cleared their throat from behind Neytiri and Jake, politely announcing his presence. Jake's ears flicked in surprise, and he turned to find Tsaro standing there with an odd, almost nervous expression on his face. His nervousness had done nothing to betray his quiet footsteps - if anything, it made him move quieter. _"Forgive me for disturbing you this evening Olo'eyktan, Neytiri," _he said in a formal voice.

Jake chuckled quietly. _"Please, Tsaro. You may address me by name," _he said. He always felt better when someone called him by his name, rather than by title. Even if it was the inevitable "Jakesully," rather than just "Jake."

_"As you say, Jakesully," _Tsaro acknowledged. He let out a deep sigh before drawing himself back up to his full height. _"There is a question I would ask of you," _he said, his shoulders square as his confidence asserted itself over his hesitancy.

Jake traded a look with Neytiri before he waved his hand and said in an easy tone, _"Ask it, Tsaro."_

_ "I would wish for Sìlpey to be my mate," _he declared. Tsaro fought back the urge to swallow the lump in his throat as both of Jake's eyebrows climbed.

Jake chewed on the inside of his cheek as he mulled over the question. He discreetly squeezed Neytiri's hand in his own and caught her eye. They gazed at one another, having a wordless conversation. Jake had no issue, none at all with Tsaro's choice - but he knew he was missing something cultural. It did not escape his recollection that Sìlpey was the daughter of the Olo'eyktan. How did that dynamic play into things? He also vividly recalled Tsaro's Uniltaron, and Moat and Neytiri's warning to him. Jake felt like he had the pieces in his hands, but he did not quite know how to fit them all together. One corner of his lip twitched up in the tiniest of smirks that he knew only Neytiri would catch. _Help a skxawng out here, _he silently begged.

Eywa bless her, for Neytiri heard his wordless plea. She smoothly turned and said to Tsaro, as if she had always meant to, _"Have you and Sìlpey discussed what such a union would fully entail? It is expected that she will succeed her mother as the Ikran Clan's Olo'eyktan." _Neytiri gave Tsaro a shrewd look. _"Are you prepared to leave the Omaticaya and become their next Tsahìk?" _she asked.

Tsaro looked distinctly uncomfortable with this proposition. His tail took a single measured flick before stilling, and he remained silent.

There was another option for them. Neytiri would be remiss if she did not point it out, for it was one that she had been prepared to take herself. She smiled slightly and said, _"Or is Sìlpey willing to give up her place among her people, forsake her lineage and live here, with us?" _She and Jake were still holding hands, and this time she gently squeezed his palm and traced her thumb over his knuckles. _I would have done this for you, Love._

Tsaro was silent for several long seconds. _"We have spoken of this," _he said at last, speaking so quietly that Jake had to strain to hear him. _"She wishes to stay here."_

Neytiri nodded solemnly. _"Then it is the decision of the Olo'eyktans," _she said in a final sounding voice as she turned away.

Jake correctly picked up on his cue, as well as the hint that the decision was not just up to him, but to Trr'ong as well. He thought long and hard before he gave Tsaro his answer. _"You must travel to the Ikran Clan to gain the permission that you need. You are to abide by their customs, and represent the Omaticaya well."_

Tsaro nodded vigorously in agreement as he clearly tried to restrain the excitement that he was feeling. _"Yes, Olo'eyktan -" _he said. _"Jakesully," _he quickly amended.

But Jake was not finished yet. _"You have my blessing, but it comes with this one limitation." _Jake paused to make sure that he had Tsaro's full attention. He most definitely did - Tsaro stood rigidly, almost at attention, his fists clenching at his sides without him meaning them to. _"You may only do what we have just spoken of, and take Sìlpey as your mate, after we have evicted the next Tawtute ship."_

Tsaro blinked slowly, and Jake watched his adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed.

_"Is this understood?" _Jake asked, his voice gentle but still firm with authority.

_"Yes, Jakesully," _Tsaro murmured as he nodded stiffly.

Jake took pity on the young man, and he stepped forward to close the distance between them and placed a comforting hand on Tsaro's shoulder. Jake could feel the muscles bunched tight with tension, and he squeezed once before letting his hand drop back down. _"I have not said 'no,' Tsaro. I have only told you to wait." _Jake glanced at Neytiri, who had been quietly listening the whole time. Her expression was one of subtle pride. _"We are both happy for you, Tsaro, happy that you have found someone to love and to love you. You must exercise patience. Nothing good comes quickly. Or easily."_

Tsaro dipped his head in acceptance a second time, and Neytiri and Jake watched as his tension bled off, if only slightly. _"Thank you, Jakesully. It will be as you say." _With that, Tsaro motioned a goodbye with his hand before politely bowing away. Even in his disappointment he was respectful, and this did not go unnoticed by Jake.

After Tsaro had walked back towards Kelutral, Jake stepped up behind Neytiri and set his arms around her waist. He sighed as he pressed his nose into her hair and inhaled her smell as his thumbs rubbed gentle circles against Neytiri's taut skin. _"You did well, my Jake," _she complimented him.

Jake smiled against her hair. "Thank you for bailing me out," he countered.

Neytiri did not bother to grace him with a response. She simply rolled her eyes and rubbed his forearms where they rested against her stomach. _"I do not disagree...but why are you requiring Tsaro and Sìlpey to wait?"_

Jake's eyes drifted shut. _"I want to make sure that Tsaro stays alive in the coming weeks," _he replied bluntly. He had seen too many newlywed widows in his time. Oh, how he truly hated war.

* * *

Jake often wondered to himself how he would find out. Where would he be, what would he be doing? Would they reach him by radio, or speak to him in person? It had been determined ahead of time that Jake would wait for Hell's Gate to make initial contact. He did not consider himself their leader, after all. If Hoshiro or Max told them to fuck off and they actually listened, then Jake had no desire to waste his breath or his time on needless conversation. He had a clan to lead, after all. A pregnant mate to take care of.

Word came to him on a dreary, misty, overcast day. For a short spell Jake was simply "one of the guys" as he sat together with several other Omaticaya hunters, including Kyle, around a small fire just inside the den, sharpening arrowheads. They traded hunting stories and wisdom, and they boasted good-naturedly of slightly exaggerated deeds.

"Olo'eyktan," a voice spoke from behind where Jake sat. He tensed instantly. The tone that was burdened with bad news sounded the same to Jake's ears; it mattered not to him if the voice spoke English or Na'vi.

Jake stood and turned, and he was surprised to see Max Patel and Hoshiro Tanaka standing before him. He had not heard their Samson approach the meadow LZ, and was thus quite surprised to see two of the border scouts escorting in the two humans.

Hoshiro's hand sketched out the Na'vi greeting, and several of the hunters around Jake wordlessly returned it. "Forgive our intrusion into your home," he said softly. "Electrical interference from the storms prevented a radio call."

Jake made a negating motion with his hand. "It could not be avoided, then," he replied simply.

Max sighed and hung his head dejectedly. "The _Commerce Star _is vectoring into orbit over Pandora. They'll be situated within a day. They are...ignoring our demands to simply return home."

Jake's jaw muscles clenched beneath his skin. "Have you informed them of their imminent destruction should they refuse?" he asked. He could feel everyone who was within earshot staring at him, as though their gaze held physical weight.

"Not yet, Olo'eyktan," Hoshiro said. "It was my call. I do not wish to inform them of their disadvantage too early, should they develop a means to counter it."

Kyle snorted with derision from behind Jake. "Unlikely," he muttered.

"So they are insisting on opening up communications on their terms," Jake mused. "Pity. I think I might feel a little bad for destroying them with no warning."

Max flinched slightly at this, but otherwise showed no reaction.

"Fine, guys," Jake said in a hard-edged, determined voice. "Let's get this done."


	34. Chapter 34

**And...here it is. It almost didn't happen. A sudden onset of some serious uploading issues almost sidelined this whole thing. I won't go on about that too much, lest I dredge up more traumatic memories for myself. I'm just glad this is finally ready...one way or another!**

**These next few chapters will be pretty compressed in terms of the timeframe of the story. I'll try to be as detailed as possible with things, trust me. Publishing issues aside, this has been some of the funnest writing I've gotten to do in a long time! It's my hope that you'd say the same about reading it. *Squints* Is that a total of 200 reviews I see coming over the horizon...? :-)**

Chapter 34

Jake swept through Kelutral towards his and Neytiri's quarters to gather the few things that he needed to take with him. Any Na'vi that he met along the way instantly stepped aside and flattened against a wall to let him pass by; his dark scowl and purposeful steps ensured that no one blocked his way.

Neytiri was with Moat in the Tsahìk's alcove when she heard a firm rap against the passageway. The sound was uniquely a Tawtute noise - only Norm, Amber, Kyle, or her mate would knock like that.

But only Jake Sully, Olo'eyktan, would enter without waiting for a response. And even then, he would only do so if it was for something extremely urgent. _"Forgive my interruption, Mother,"_ he said to Moat, who swiftly rose from her kneeling position with a speed that belied her age. _"Neytiri, they are here,"_ he said to his mate. _"I must go to Hell's Gate."_

The "They" was unmistakable. Neytiri and Jake had been dreading the arrival of this day for some time now. _"Then I am coming with you, Love,"_ Neytiri replied firmly. Jake was already wearing his weapons harness, and his bow was slung back behind him. It would not take her long to get ready and to join him.

"Kehe," came the firm response that froze her in place. Jake's tight grip on her upper arm helped as well, and Neytiri cast an incredulous look at her mate, whose golden eyes flashed warningly. _"I want you to stay here, Neytiri. The clan will need you. It will not take me long to return to you, I promise."_

Neytiri hissed and yanked her arm free. _"No, Jake!"_ she said. _"I am going with you."_

Jake ground his teeth together as he growled, and he cast a quick look in Moat's direction. His mother-in-law remained silent as she watched them. _"You are not going,"_ Jake managed to say stiffly in Na'vi. He fought to say what he wanted to in the language of the People, but he could not seem to make the words come out right. He placed his hands on Neytiri's upper arms again and held her tight. "I can't stand to have the two most precious things to me in the world be at that base right now, Neytiri. Please," he begged her.

Neytiri bared her teeth in disagreement and switched to English as well. "But have you not said that you will not allow the Sky People's feet to even touch the ground? Where is this danger that you speak of, Jake?"

"Damnit," Jake muttered. "Yes, you're right. And no, that does not change anything. You're staying here, Neytiri." He thought for a moment and then added in no uncertain language, _"It is decided."_

Neytiri jerked back from him, her eyes wide in shock. Those words were not to be tossed around lightly. _"So this is how it will be,"_ she said in a low, dangerous voice that Jake sincerely hoped he would never hear come out of her again. _"Do you think you can order your own mate around, Olo'eyktan?"_

Jake's hands clenched into fists, and he had to force them to unfold. "Yes, it is, Neytiri. And no, I don't."

Moat stepped forward and placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder. _"You are not above the Olo'eyktan,"_ she said in a soft voice. _"This is his choice. For gain or loss,"_ she added. Moat might abide by Jake's decision, but that did not mean she had to like it. In some ways her daughter still needed to learn this.

Neytiri rounded on her mother. _"Neither is the Tsahìk below the Olo'eyktan!"_ she said hotly.

_"You are correct, daughter,"_ Moat said. _"And you are not the Tsahìk,"_ she reminded Neytiri.

In that moment Neytiri despised both her mother and her own mate in a way that she had not thought possible. She snarled out a wordless, disagreeable noise that Jake thought sounded an awful lot like the one she had made when she realized that she was to be stuck teaching a blind dreamwalker how to be Na'vi. "I was with you the last time," she reminded Jake, her tone doing a complete about-face to become urgent and beseeching.

Jake nodded in acknowledgement. "You were, Neytiri, and I wish you could be with me again." He reached forward to rub the back of his hand against her swollen belly. "But now you're taking care of two, not just one. I want my son to stay here, with his people, where I know that he is completely safe."

"We will be lonely at night," Neytiri said in a forlorn voice, and her ears drooped in a way that Jake found difficult to resist.

Jake tenderly cupped Neytiri's jaw and kissed her quickly on the lips. "And it will only be for a couple of nights. I promise."

"Do not be a, a...liar, then," Neytiri murmured, pausing over the not often used word.

"You are in charge with Moat," Jake told his mate as his gaze flickered briefly towards the Tsahìk, who nodded solemnly. "Remember, Neytiri, you are my heart and my voice here. You know there is a radio on my rack. You may call me anytime, and I shall try my best to answer. I promise."

Neytiri nodded, and the tell-tale glimmer of moisture around her eyes tugged at his heartstrings, and he had to turn away. "Eywa ngahu," she murmured before she moved back to stand beside her mother. Their arms settled naturally around the other's waist as they held one another.

The Olo'eyktan did not say anything else, and he disappeared out of the Tsahìk's alcove without making a sound. Jake winced as soon as he was back outside. That had been way more painful than he would ever care to admit.

It was a matter of less than a minute before Jake was back on the ground, striding swiftly back to where Max and Hoshiro waited. Kyle and Mal'ek were with them, discussing things in low voices. Good, Jake thought. I didn't want to have to hunt either of those two down. "Mal'ek. Kyle. You two are coming with. Let's go," he said. He wanted Mal'ek's tactical mind to back him up, and he wanted Kyle's knowledge of the orbital perspective.

Kyle quickly looked up, his brow creased in doubt. The sky was overcast, and the cloud ceiling was coming down. It was not a good day for flying. "Will the ikrans mind...?" he began.

Jake shook his head. "We'll ride in the back of the Samson. Our ikrans will follow when they are ready, when they realize that we have left. They won't mind, and it'll be dryer, anyway."

Kyle and Mal'ek both nodded as they each took up their own bows. The Na'vi's bow was so much more than a mere weapon - it was a means of providing for one's self. Despite the presence of the avatar gardens, none of the Na'vi liked to travel unprepared, even for a short hop to Hell's Gate. Tanhi was absent, and after leaving a request with one of the hunters to let her know where he had gone, Kyle was ready.

The trip through the forest to the meadow did not go as fast as Jake would have liked it to. Of course, Max and Hoshiro could not walk nearly as quickly as the Na'vi could. Jake did not think they would appreciate being picked up and carried, though, so with a small, wry smile Jake reminded himself to be patient.

Collins was standing outside of the Samson, looking nervous and impatient. He offered his typical salute by way of greeting as he pulled open the cabin doors for Max and Hoshiro. "We all set here?" he asked as he glanced between Jake and Hoshiro for confirmation.

"Yes, Lieutenant, we are ready," Hoshiro replied as he slung himself into the copilot's seat on the left side of the Samson, and Jake nodded as well. "Hurry, please."

Collins glanced sharply over at his boss before he turned and peered back through the clear polycarbonate bulkhead door to make sure that their passengers were buckling in. Hoshiro seldom instructed the obvious to his subordinates. He knew damn well that Collins would go as fast as he could.

The engines roared and the helicopter shot off of the ground so fast that Jake thought he may have left his stomach behind by mistake. Even Kyle had been caught by surprise, and he abandoned trying to put on a headset and settled for tightly gripping his flight harness. All three Na'vi craned their necks to catch one last glimpse of Kelutral before Collins pivoted the Samson away. The nose of the aircraft dipped sickeningly and then they were off, making for Hell's Gate as fast as the chopper could take them.

* * *

The rain caught up with them just as they set down on the tarmac. Minutes later all six people were safely dry inside the main building. Norm met them just inside the airlock. "Status, Dr. Spellman?" Hoshiro asked in a clipped voice as he hung up his exopack against the wall.

"Nothing's changed," Norm reported. His eyes darted in Jake's direction and he said, "The Colonel would like to speak with you in person, Jake."

The Olo'eyktan growled in annoyance. "I'd rather not," he muttered.

One of Norm's eyebrows rose in morbid amusement. "She insists, Jake," he said.

Jake froze. "She?" he repeated.

Norm nodded. "Colonel Samantha Barnes, the relief for one Miles Quaritch." Norm snickered. "I've been reading some of the archived emails between the two of them that we've managed to dig out. Apparently Quaritch did not appreciate having a woman take over his job."

At least Jake could find a small amount of humor in that fact. "Figures," he grumbled. Tough as nails Quaritch probably did not like the fact that a chick could do his job. "The RDA would not send the second-string out here. Woman or not, she's probably a damn good officer if she was chosen for this post."

Norm traded a look with Max and nodded again. "That's probably a given, Jake. She's been amicable enough with Max and myself, all things considered. But she is demanding to speak with you as well."

"I'm not in charge here -" Jake began to object. He had made it patently clear, years ago, that he trusted Max, Norm, and Hoshiro to run things here. After all, Jake was not human anymore. And he would really rather not explain to the enemy why he was addressing them in his "avatar."

"I know that," Norm interrupted. "But like it or not, you kind of played a high-profile role in kicking the RDA's ass off of this moon." Norm's expression darkened. "It's not been easy explaining your absence."

"When will they be in orbit?" Kyle interrupted.

"Only a few hours from now," Norm said as he turned to glance up at his tall cousin.

Max spoke next. "When will they need to refuel the ISV, Kyle?" he asked. "How long will it take them on their own to figure out that something's not right?"

All eyes turned to Kyle upon hearing this question, and he held up his hands defensively. "Whoa, I have no idea," he hedged. "Normally refueling would commence after the ISV has offloaded all her cargo, after the pilots are finished running ferry trips. Now, with this situation going on...it might take them a while to get around to it. I'd say you have time." He paused, and then added, "But don't quote me on that."

Hoshiro's eyes narrowed in concentration. "I would agree with this assessment," he concurred.

The sound of running feet came to everyone's ears, and seconds later Amber came tearing around the corner of the passageway up ahead. "Norm!" she shouted. "Need you in the control room again!" She stopped short, momentarily surprised by the three massive figures who were standing, though hunched over, in the hallway. "Oel ngati kameie, ma oeyä eylan," she said in greeting. "I wish I could say I was happy to see you here, in any event," she added under her breath as she brushed some wayward strands of blond hair out of eyes.

Jake smiled humorlessly. "The feeling is mutual," he said. "Is the _Commerce Star_ on the radio again?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said as she glanced down at her watch. "They've been calling every two hours, right on time. It's becoming irritating as hell. Bastards won't take a hint."

The scientist's feistiness was a pleasant discovery, in Jake's opinion. "Well, let's see if we can change the course of the conversation, shall we?" he said.

To Jake, the control room seemed pitifully understaffed when they arrived. The half-dozen people present seemed woefully inadequate to handle what was bearing down on them; even still, expressions were merely tense rather than despairing. Norm slipped into what was formerly Parker Selfridge's office and took the video call there.

His muted conversation sounded tense and though Norm tried to keep his expression neutral, anyone who knew him even marginally well could have determined that he was becoming upset. Like Kyle, he would nervously tap the thumb of his left hand against the rest of his fingers in sequence. Only a few sentences were exchanged before Norm slapped his palm on the desk in frustration and stepped out of view of the camera.

Norm shook his head at Jake as he stepped out of the office. "Your turn, buddy," he muttered as he plopped himself down at an unused workstation.

"You should not have showed that much emotion," Hoshiro quietly murmured. Norm remained silent as he stared at something on the wall that only he could see.

A distinctly sick feeling began to form in the pit of Jake's stomach as he entered the office and his mind began to contemplate who he was about to face. He slid the door shut firmly behind him, and without further ado Jake grabbed the desk chair by its back and lifted it out the way; he sat down on the floor in its place, and he still had to adjust the monitor for a proper viewing angle.

An admittedly attractive woman, despite her short hairstyle, stared back at Jake. Even before she opened her mouth, Jake was analyzing what he saw. The RDA generally kept whatever rank a security specialist had obtained from their military service; if she was a Colonel, that meant Army, Air Force, or Marines. Whatever branch of service that she may have been from, it spoke volumes of Samantha Barnes that she was able to obtain that kind of rank at her age.

This confirmed what Jake already knew: she was very good at her job.

If Colonel Barnes was surprised to be suddenly addressing a Na'vi, she did not show it save for the way that her eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly. "To whom am I speaking?" she asked. Her tone and enunciation were crisp, professional.

"Jake Sully," Jake responded succinctly. "I understand that you wish to have a chat with me. I regret to inform you that I have nothing else to say to you that hasn't already been spoken. So you are wasting both yours and my time, and I do not appreciate that."

Barnes appeared unfazed except for a faint twitch at one corner of her mouth that could have been a smile. "You don't even want to hear what I have to say, Corporal?"

Jake grit his teeth at the mention of his own former rank, though he chose not to comment on it. "I already know your sales pitch, and I'm not buying. Take us off your mailing list," he growled.

Colonel Barnes laughed softly at this. "I'm afraid it doesn't quite work like that, Sully," she said. "At least let me ask this: I want to be able to speak with you, and Norm Spellman and Max Patel, in person. A phone call is rather...impersonal. Can we start with that?"

"No," Jake responded instantly. "You will be shot down if you attempt a landing here. That's a promise, not a threat."

The Colonel looked appropriately disappointed. As if Jake had any intention of ever letting Pandoran dirt become stuck in the lugs of her boots. "I see," she said slowly. "I imagine this reaction is a result of the RDA's most recent operations on Pandora. Am I right about that?"

Jake's lip curled, revealing a sharp canine, and he leaned fractionally closer to the camera for emphasis. "You imagined right," he said in a low voice that trailed off into an almost animal-like hiss.

Colonel Barnes bit back on her own discomfort and leaned in closer as well, her lips compressing into a tight line as she spoke. "Let me tell you something, Jake. I understand why you are angry. What happened was horrible. It was poor business and poor tactics. Quite frankly, I'm impressed that the Na'vi did not outright kill every single human being on Pandora. I certainly wouldn't blame them for that."

Jake cocked his head to the side and narrowed his intense, golden eyes. You don't know shit, he thought. "Then you can't blame me for telling you to shove off," he countered.

"I don't blame you for that," Barnes agreed. "And right now, I simply ask that we discuss some facts together. I hope you won't blame _me_ for that. This very second a boardroom full of suits is wringing their smooth, uncalloused hands over the loss of their employees, their property, and yes, their profits. They want it back."

"You can tell them they're fucked," Jake replied bluntly.

Colonel Barnes offered Jake a wide, genuine smile. "I've already told them that. I used different words, of course, but that was the gist of it."

"Good," Jake said. "Then we're finished." He reached forward, his finger mere inches from the "End" button on the screen when Barnes spoke again.

"Everyone else who stayed behind is free, Jake," she said. Jake's hand froze just before he pressed the button. "No charges, no consequences. Contracts will still be paid in full - as if money mattered, but hey, that's there for you all anyway. The RDA knows it fucked up when they destroyed the Omaticaya's hometree."

Now Jake actually snarled, making a noise that Barnes truly did not expect, his ears flattening back against his skull as he spoke. "You're damn right they did! And your silver tongue has a snowball's chance in hell of fixing it. So, once again: Shove off, before I _make_ you."

Colonel Barnes arrested Jake's attention a second time before he could terminate the conversation. "You can't stay there forever, Jake. You know that. You may not want the RDA, but you need Earth. Think about it."

"I'll mention it to them," Jake gritted out.

"Good. That's all that I ask," the Colonel replied. And then she hung up on him.

* * *

Samantha Barnes leaned back in her chair and stretched her legs as best as she could in the cramped space of the _Commerce Star's_ radio suite. She tried, and succeeded, in suppressing the shudder that ran through her body. Major Elias Link was crammed unceremoniously into the corner, out of sight of the video camera. He had been watching the entire conversation.

"What do you think?" Barnes asked after she yawned. God, this business was tiring, she thought.

Link frowned, his mind silently processing the question. "Why was he in his avatar?" he finally asked.

"I'm not sure," Barnes admitted. She had been wondering that, too. "Sully's dossier says that he is paralyzed from the waist down. Took some shrapnel in the spine while serving in Venezuela. Maybe he uses the avatar to get around more comfortably." And she had to hand it to him, it had lent their conversation quite the element of dramatic flair.

"The RDA got kicked off of Pandora by a paraplegic?" Link snorted, his disdain obvious in his voice.

One corner of Barnes' lip turned up in a quick smirk, but she otherwise remained expressionless as she continued to stare at the blank video screen. To be honest, she did not find that train of thought to be too terribly amusing - she did not like Sully for all of the trouble that he had caused, but she would not dishonor his service, either. And unfortunately, she felt that Link was missing the bigger story in all this.

"The company wasn't kicked out by a paraplegic," Barnes corrected. She turned and shot Link a pointed look. "They were kicked out by a marine. And a corporal, no less." That was the fact that she _really_ took notice of. That idiot Quaritch had been outwitted by a plain-Jane, jarhead, dirt-stomping grunt, and that fact made her respectfully wary of what the man might be capable of.

Link chewed his lip in thought. "Fine, boss," he relented. "Still doesn't explain why he didn't even speak to you from his real body, though." If Link had been in Barnes' place, he would have taken such a move to be an insult. Link frowned, and then asked, "Would we really let everyone there off the hook, just like that?" The disappointment in his voice was tangible.

Colonel Barnes shrugged. "You read the email. That's what we were told," she answered bluntly. Before Link could say anything else, Barnes cut him off. "And if that's what the company wants, that's what we will do. Clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Link responded quickly.

Colonel Barnes nodded her head. Good. "Check in with Captain Silva, Major. We should be maneuvering to enter orbit sometime soon. I need to think about what I've heard today."

Major Link straightened. "Yes, ma'am," he said again as he pushed the door open and slipped out into the bridge. Barnes motioned for him to shut the door behind him as he left.

Alone with her thoughts, Barnes allowed herself to slump in her seat in a most unprofessional manner. Of the three people that she had managed to talk with, Dr. Max Patel seemed to be most reasonable. Dr. Norman Spellman was clearly emotionally involved - he got angry too easily, even though he tried to hide it. So, too, did Corporal Jake Sully, but he had no qualms about telling her exactly what was on his mind. He wasn't much of a negotiator, Barnes thought wryly. Then again, anyone could say, "No."

Still, why did he speak to her in his avatar? Patel and Spellman were not wearing exopacks, thus they were somewhere inside the base. Was it really easier for Sully to move around inside Hell's Gate in a ten foot tall body that was not even designed for that atmosphere? A body that he had taken to dressing in the manner of the Na'vi, no less. Gone native, she thought. Clearly. Selfridge had written in no uncertain terms what side the former marine had taken.

This was why he would need to be made an example of, Barnes thought grimly. If not for Jake Sully, none of this would have happened, nothing would have gone wrong. Barnes meant what she said: Everyone else would be pardoned - at least, that was what the initial communication from RDA Central seemed to be stating. Who was she to argue differently? But not Jake Sully. No, Barnes thought grimly, he would not be getting off easy.

Samantha sighed and rubbed her temples as the pounding of a stress headache began to increase. Whatever had happened in the past at Hell's Gate, or was going on in the present, one thing was clear: they were dug in deep, and had no intention of moving.

If the job was easy, they would have asked anyone to do it, she silently reminded herself.

* * *

Jake slid open the door for Selfridge's office and took a step out, and he noticed that everyone in the control room seemed to be staring at him. Miles Kennedy had arrived while Jake had been in the office, and the Olo'eyktan mentally braced for another conflict with the man. Miles had no intention of being contentious, though; he simply leaned against a console, quietly observing the bustle around him, his expression neutral.

"Um...how did it go?" Max finally asked in a lighthearted tone that was clearly forced.

A long moment passed before Jake answered. "In here," he commanded with a jerk of his head before he stepped back into the office and folded himself into the corner. Max, Norm, and Hoshiro joined him inside, spacing themselves out as best as they could in the small space. Kyle and Mal'ek were talking in low voices with some of the staff in the control room. Both of them gave Jake a knowing look; they would not have fit inside the office, anyway, but with the acute hearing of the Na'vi, that did not mean that they could not listen.

"What have you and Max told Colonel Barnes?" Jake asked Norm directly.

Norm and Max traded looks. "Only what we've all agreed upon, Jake," he said. "'Go home.'"

Jake nodded slowly as he listened, and for a long while afterwards he was silent. Max, Norm, and Hoshiro all traded curious looks, but they did not interrupt Jake's thoughts. At last, he spoke again. "Colonel Barnes said that everyone was free to go. She said nothing about consequences, or anything about charges that would be brought against anyone. She even said that everyone would still receive their pay, per contract."

Norm straightened in his seat. "Just like that? What's the catch?"

"She didn't say the catch, but I'm sure there is one," Jake mused. "The RDA wants their base back. We all knew that one was coming."

"We can't stay out here forever," Max murmured, almost to himself. Even though many of them would be perfectly happy staying here permanently, they all realized that such an existence would not be easy.

"Barnes picked up on that, too," Jake said, his eyes focusing on something beyond the office's walls. "She realizes that we have the upper hand right now, in the short-term..."

"But she also has an accurate grasp on the realities of the long-term," Hoshiro finished.

Jake sighed as he wearily pinched at the bridge of his nose. "Guys, I'm not gonna lie. The next couple of decisions should be made by you. My opinion on the matter is biased by virtue of my position here," he acknowledged.

"What would you do?" Norm asked softly anyway.

"Take her out," Jake quickly responded as he looked Norm, Hoshiro, and Max all in the eye in turn. "Take her out now. That ship is like a guillotine poised over all of our heads. I don't like it."

Norm nodded in agreement, but he did not say anything. Was it really so easy to play God with people's lives like this?

* * *

Jake was still deep in discussion with everyone else inside. Kyle, on the other hand, found himself becoming claustrophobic again - not to mention that the stink of terran air was beginning to irritate him much sooner than he thought it would. All of this, combined with Jake's gracious permission, conspired to find Kyle back outside.

Thankfully it had stopped raining. Rays of sunlight were actually managing to cut through the overcast as well, as if the day was bent on proving that it could still be pleasant. Kyle wondered how long the meager sunshine would last. A passing conversation with Collins had made Kyle aware of a growing storm system to the west. The single resident meteorologist at Hell's Gate (who also doubled as the base's most experienced plumber) had already issued a precautionary SIGMET, which in layman's terms translated to "significant meteorological information," which was a fantastically underwhelming description of the storm that was brewing.

It had been found that the weather, like most things on Pandora, tended to operate more on the extreme side of human perception. Hell's Gate may have been in existence for only a little over 30 years, but even in that short time it had seen at least a few storms that would make hurricane blush.

"It's been a bitch of a rainy season for flying," Collins had complained. Last year the worst thing that had happened was the one storm that had ultimately been no more than a nuisance for Kyle and Norm, who regrettably had to endure it while stuck up in a tree, 75 feet off the ground.

Kyle stretched out his back and rose up to his full height of a little over ten feet tall, his nostrils flaring as he breathed in deeply. Almost automatically his brain began to parse apart the scents in the air. For the most part, all he smelled was the rain. That, and the steamy smell of the wet tarmac. It was a scent that reminded him of Earth, of the few times when California would manage to get enough rain to beat back the smog in the air. For a brief but sweet couple of hours, the air actually seemed fresh.

As pleasant as it was outside, for now at least, Kyle's business did not entail him remaining there. With a weary sigh he turned and walked silently across the ground back towards the avatar prep room. He reached up and rubbed above his right eyebrow, almost without thinking, and he reflexively ducked beneath the door frame even though it was one of the few passageways at Hell's Gate that had been designed for someone of his size.

The interior airlock was just opening when Kyle arrived, and Janelle Huxley appeared, decked out in her lab coat along with the obligatory exopack. "Max said you wanted to see me?" she said, craning her neck so that she could look up at Kyle's face.

Kyle swiftly knelt down to rest on his haunches, easily adopting the Na'vi pose that was relaxed while still being poised for quick movement. "Yeah, I'm sorry to bother you...," he began.

Janelle rolled her eyes and waved her hand dissuasively. "Don't worry about it," she said sincerely. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering," Kyle started to say before he swallowed nervously. His ears dipped back once before deciding to remain upright and alert. "What would happen if a Na'vi...or an avatar...breathed Earth atmosphere for too long?"

One of Janelle's eyebrows rose, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Why do you ask?"

Kyle grimaced a little before answering. "I guess I just feel a little short of breath," he said. More so than I should be, he thought to himself. Kyle jerked his thumb in the general direction of the rest of the base. "I didn't think I was inside for that long."

Janelle hummed thoughtfully in that way that seemed universal to doctors everywhere. "Did you notice anything on your space flight?" she asked him after a moment of thought. The tilt of her head and the set of her hands on her hips reinforced her direct and to the point question. No bullshit.

This time Kyle's ears folded back and stayed there, and Janelle had to smile to herself. Ears like that were great for expressing the emotions of their owner. "I noticed what felt a little like chest congestion perhaps four or five days in," he admitted. He placed his hand above his sternum and added, "I wasn't going to say anything, but Tanhi listened to my breathing and picked up on it, too."

"Smart gal," Janelle murmured in appreciation as she walked over to a cabinet and drew out a stethoscope. "Take off your weapons harness, please, and go ahead and stand by that gurney. Don't sit, you're tall enough as it is," she ordered.

Janelle hoisted herself up onto the gurney until she was perched somewhat awkwardly on the edge with her legs dangling off of the side. Kyle obligingly stepped closer so that she could place her stethoscope against his skin, just below his shoulder blade. As Janelle listened to his steady breathing she allowed herself to examine the scars that ran down his back as well.

"Wow, those healed amazingly well," she complimented. "Truth be told, I thought they would look much worse than this. That plant sap must have absolutely amazing healing properties."

Kyle nodded in agreement. "It's not even that stiff anymore," he said. "I guess I was more than a little fortunate," he finished with a nervous chuckle.

"You don't know the half of it," Janelle muttered. When Kyle turned to give her a questioning look she prodded some of the thickened skin of the middle scar along his spine. "That thanator didn't take it easy on you, Kyle. The wounds were deep enough that I could see vertebra and rib bones in some places."

Kyle swiftly turned to face forward again. Perhaps, in some strange way, it had been a good thing that Tanhi had not stayed by his side for long, then. Kyle wondered what his own capacity for sane thought would be if their positions had been reversed. On second thought, let's never ever test that, he silently added with a grimace.

"Have you noticed any other times when you were short of breath since you've been back? Tightness in the chest, trouble breathing...?" Janelle asked. Kyle shook his head. "Even when you've been exerting yourself? Running, flying, hunting?"

Again, Kyle shook his head. "Tanhi kept me inside the trailer pretty much for the entire trip back, except for when I had to fly us down to the surface. I haven't breathed Earth atmosphere since then - I thought that would have fixed it. Everything's been fine back at Hometree."

Janelle hummed absently in response again as she moved the stethoscope around to listen at several different locations. "Kyle, I'm not gonna lie to you, I heard some rasping in your lungs when I first started listening." When Kyle shot her an alarmed look she quickly added, "But even during the short time that we've been talking, it's nearly faded away."

"Did I permanently hurt myself?" Kyle asked worriedly.

"I don't know, Kyle," Janelle admitted with a sigh. "I just don't know. Maybe it was the extended amount of time that you spent breathing Earth air. Maybe it was the fact that said air was being constantly recycled. I'll admit, I don't think an avatar or a Na'vi has ever done anything like that before." Janelle frowned thoughtfully before asking, "What about Tanhi? How does she seem?"

Kyle's eyes narrowed as he struggled to remember. Now he felt more than a little guilty... "She seems fine," he said slowly. "But she didn't spend as much time outside of the trailer as I did."

"That could have something to do with it," Janelle conceded. "She's also a full-blooded Na'vi. You're an avatar. There could be differences there that can't be accounted for."

Kyle balled up his fists and growled softly to himself in frustration. Great. Fucking great. I haven't even had this brand new body for a year yet, and I've already managed to scar my own lungs.

Janelle could tell that Kyle was silently yelling at himself, and she placed a comforting hand on his arm as she said, "Kyle, none of this is for sure. Yes, you're having trouble breathing Earth air right now. Nothing says it's a permanent problem, though. There are some tests that I can run that would give me a much better idea of what's going on with your lungs. All that you need is some patience - we can solve this."

"How soon can you do something like that? How long would it take?" Kyle asked quickly as he glanced back at Janelle.

Janelle offered him a wan smile and pointed her finger upwards. "Maybe we'd better wait for a little bit so that things can cool down around here." Kyle looked less than convinced, and Janelle laughed softly and reminded him, "Your own mate is one of the best Na'vi healers I've ever worked with. I'm sure she'll look out for you."

Kyle's lips quirked into small grin upon hearing this. "Yeah, you got that right," he admitted. Kyle pushed away from the gurney and reached for his palulukan skin weapons harness. "Thank you for your time, Dr. Huxley," he said.

With a roll of her eyes, Janelle replied, "You don't have to thank me. I'm glad to help. And I'll talk to some of the other scientists around here, see if they have any ideas. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that your body just needs a little more time to recuperate. I can't imagine that running a mission like you did was easy on you. And remember, if you aren't feeling well, talk to your own mate. She probably knows more than I do, anyway."

Someone new interrupted before Kyle could say anything. "What would you talk to me about?" an unmistakeable voice asked.

Kyle whipped around to face the exterior door where Tanhi herself stood, watching him curiously.

* * *

"Tanhi!" Kyle gasped between kisses. Once he said his goodbyes to Dr. Huxley, his mate had dragged him bodily back outside. Kyle did not mind - to be honest, he really did not want to be "sucking face" with his mate in front of an audience. "What are you doing? When - _kiss_ - when did you get here?"

Tanhi leaned back, finally allowing both of them a chance to breathe. "Did you think I would stay behind?" she asked as she stroked the side of his face.

Kyle's brow furrowed as he responded. "Well, no, but this isn't exactly the most pleasant of times here. We were planning on being back in a day or two, at most."

Tanhi's hands slid down to hold Kyle's shoulders, and she sighed in semi-serious exasperation. "I was there with you when we went beyond the embrace of Eywa'eveng. Journeying to this place is not too far for me. Not when you are here."

A crooked smile formed on Kyle's face. Kyle was inordinately grateful that it was daytime, lest Tanhi see his pattern of bioluminescent spots brighten with embarrassment. Damn, if she starts wording all her arguments like that, I'll never be able to say 'no' to anything, he thought wryly.

To answer his other question, Tanhi pointed over to the avatar gardens where a single massive pa'li was happily grazing. At least, it appeared massive next to the human scientists who were out taking advantage of the break in weather to do some research amongst the Pandoran plants. The minuscule people kept eyeing the huge, horse-like creature warily, as if it might suddenly turn predatory and switch its diet from flower nectar to Sky People.

Both Kyle and Tanhi had to chuckle at the scene. Tanhi had ridden her favorite pa'li from the Omaticaya's herd. The gentle mare was the most easygoing creature you could ever meet. It was the same one that had carried Tanhi so willingly out into the forest at night, almost a year ago, to rescue the man who was now her mate from spending the night stuck in a tree.

"You didn't have to ride too hard to beat the weather, did you?" Kyle asked, spitting the thought out right after it had formed in his mind. He felt rather guilty that his trip had been quick and dry, something he knew could not be said of Tanhi's journey.

Tanhi's eyes flashed as she skimmed her fingers down Kyle's stomach, and she smiled when she felt his abdominal muscles flutter beneath her touch. She slipped her fingers beneath the straps of Kyle's loincloth and tugged coyly. "I have ridden harder, Yawne. Do not worry for me," she deadpanned.

"Right," Kyle managed to get out as he struggled to quell the way his body was reacting to having her hands so close to his groin. He swiftly took Tanhi's hands in his own, just in case she got the urge to try and pull something really embarrassing on him in public.

An affectionate purring noise came out from Tanhi, and she nuzzled her head beneath Kyle's chin so that she could place a kiss against his neck, just beneath the choker that she had made for him. One of her hands broke free from his grasp and slid up Kyle's back so that she could run her fingers through his hair. In her mind Tanhi recalled the time a couple of weeks ago when Kyle had gone out on an extended hunting trip that had kept him away from Kelutral for two evenings. That absence had been much more difficult than Tanhi had ever anticipated._ "Besides, I do not want to spend another night away from you,"_ she admitted in a thick voice.

Kyle tried not to shiver with pleasure as Tanhi's fingers caressed the base of his queue and her lips brushed his throat. For whatever reason, it had been very difficult for both of them, but for Tanhi in particular, to fall asleep without being joined in tsaheylu. Not that Kyle minded too terribly much... He had been meaning to speak with Jake, or perhaps Moat or Neytiri about it, but had never quite gotten around to it yet.

"What were you speaking with Toktor Huxley about, Yawne?" Tanhi asked as she pulled back to look at him, her words interrupting Kyle's train of thought.

"Oh...?" Kyle said, reflexively glancing back in the direction of the ambient room. Tanhi noticed the way his ears flicked back with uncertainty.

"My Kyle," Tanhi said slowly, the levity leaving her voice as her tone dropped a notch to indicate that yes, she did have him pegged, and no, she would accept no bullshit.

Kyle pulled Tanhi back into another hug, which she readily returned. "You were right, back in the Valkyrie," he admitted with a weary sigh as he rubbed Tanhi's back. "I spent too much time breathing Earth air. Just now when we were all inside I...I felt like I gave out too quick. I wanted to talk with Janelle about it."

Tanhi reflexively settled her hands on Kyle's broad chest, over the pair of lungs in question._ "What did she say?"_ Tanhi asked carefully.

It truly was a sign of how far Kyle had come with the Omaticaya that the words of his mate in Na'vi caused him to relax so much. "She did not immediately know," he said as he nuzzled his cheek against Tanhi's. _"It is something that she said we could look at later, after things here have calmed down."_

Her smile was unseen by her mate. Accent or not, his voice simply sounded right to her, no matter what language he spoke. But there was always something special in hearing him speak the language of the People. Tanhi could sense the worry in his words. _"We will find out, then, in time,"_ she reassured him gently.

A new voice intruded on the couple. "Tanhi," Jake said, his eyebrows raised in surprise as he and Mal'ek exited the ambient room. "I did not expect you to make the trip out here."

Tanhi glanced at the Olo'eyktan, and at her father who was smirking noticeably at her, before she turned back and shyly tucked her head beneath Kyle's chin. _"It was worth it,"_ she excused.

Kyle cast Jake and Mal'ek a goofy grin and shrugged helplessly.

Jake smiled as well, showing as much positive emotion as he felt he could manage, considering the circumstances of the hour. He squinted thoughtfully as he peered out towards the west. "We all may be stuck here for a while," he mused.

"How are things going inside?" Kyle asked.

Jake's expression grew hard. "We will need you inside in about 15 minutes, Kyle. It has been decided that unless the _Commerce Star_ places all of her passengers back into cryo within 12 hours, the refueling drone will be used to bring her down."

Kyle's eyes widened in alarm, and Tanhi tightened her arms around him, for she knew what this news entailed. He did not realize just how much he had hoped he would never hear those words. "Are you sure, Jake? There's nothing else that we can do?" he asked.

Jake bit his lip as he looked away for a brief second. He opened his mouth to reply, but Mal'ek answered first. "It is the only way, now," he said simply as he rested his hand on Jake's shoulder in an effort to offer the man support. "The decision has been made, and agreed upon by all."

"We'll meet you inside in a bit, okay?" Kyle said as he placed an arm around Tanhi's waist and took a step back towards the gardens. He wanted to stay outside for as long as possible.

Jake nodded and waved his hand dismissively.

Mal'ek waited silently for a moment after Kyle and Tanhi had left, observing his friend closely._ "This is not an easy thing for you,"_ he noted aloud.

"No shit," Jake muttered in response.

While the English terminology may not have fully registered with Mal'ek, he could still hear Jake's derogatory agreement. _"You did not show such remorse when you dispatched the Tawtute's evil Olo'eyktan,"_ Mal'ek offered.

Jake barked out a short laugh. _"Ha! Do not forget, Mal'ek, that it was my mate who landed the killing blow. Not me!"_ I was busy choking on Pandoran air in the field module, he grumbled internally.

Mal'ek smiled wryly. _"So it was,"_ he admitted. _"In all that I have heard and that I saw of you during the Time of Great Sorrow, I cannot say that Toruk Makto displayed hesitation or remorse."_

Jake rolled his eyes. He could see where Mal'ek was going with this. _"It was...different. I knew my enemy, knew what he was capable of. I would have gladly killed Quaritch myself, if Neytiri had not beaten me to it."_ Jake frowned thoughtfully before he continued speaking. _"This new enemy...I cannot say the same things about."_

_"I did not know that a woman could be a war leader,"_ Mal'ek mused. Jake shot him a surprised look - the Na'vi really had no qualms about the role a man or a woman might take in society. Jake had seen female Olo'eyktans and male Tsahìks, after all. _"I did not know that the Tawtute were so...civilized,"_ Mal'ek finished, clarifying for Jake exactly with whom he thought the imbalance rested. He grinned as he observed Jake choke back on a retort. _"Does it bother you to fight a woman?"_

Jake sputtered for a moment before he found traction again. _"No, it does not bother me. I was merely...surprised,"_ he said. _"But no, it does not change anything."_

_"Is this woman trustworthy, Jakesully?"_ Mal'ek asked, growing serious again.

Jake closed his eyes as he thought about the question, thought about all that Colonel Barnes had said and promised. _"I cannot tell,"_ he said at last.

_"Why would trustworthiness be hidden, if a person does indeed possess it?"_ Mal'ek inquired.

It was just like with Neytiri, Jake thought. She always managed to tease out the simplest solution from what he thought was a complex problem. _"I do not think I can give an adequate answer to that question,"_ Jake replied.

One corner of Mal'ek's lip twitched up in a humorless, but ultimately aborted smile. _"Then do not feel bad about killing her,"_ he advised.

* * *

Captain Silva greeted them when Colonel Barnes and Major Link stepped into the _Commerce Star's_ bridge. "Hell's Gate has established contact again," he informed the Colonel. "I've placed the call in the communications suite for you."

Barnes nodded her thanks, and without missing a beat she changed course and stepped into the small, private room. Link made to follow, but he had to slam on the brakes at the last second to avoid running headlong into the door that the Colonel had shut immediately behind her. Apparently, she wished this to be a private conversation. Link could feel flustered heat blooming on his cheeks, and he reflexively checked around him to see if anyone had noticed.

Much to his chagrin, Captain Silva had indeed noticed, and Link found him grinning broadly at his expense. Silva dutifully turned away when Link shot him a murderous glare. At least the bastard Captain kept his damn mouth shut, Link thought as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall.

Colonel Barnes was aware of none of this, of course. She took her seat at the cramped console and thumbed on the monitor. Jake Sully's blue, Na'vi face peered back at her, and every now and then the video feed would distort slightly from some kind of interference. "Have you given any consideration to -" she began.

Jake cut her off. "No, I have not," he replied curtly. A blur of movement behind Jake momentarily distracted Barnes. She realized with a bit of a shock that it was his tail, thrashing angrily back and forth. "But I have something to tell you. And the Captain. So if you would be so kind, please include him in this conversation."

Barnes' jaw muscles spasmed. She had not expected, and did not appreciate, being issued orders. From a fucking blue monkey, no less. "This conversation will remain between us, Sully," she said in a low voice.

Jake merely grinned, baring two pairs of sharp, inhuman fangs. "I don't think that would be a good idea. Get the Captain." Jake had to admit, it was sick fun making the Colonel squirm like this.

Colonel Barnes remained still for a moment as various thoughts raced through her mind. Then, without a word, she rose and stepped out of view of her camera. But at least she didn't hang up, Jake thought.

The communications suite door slid open, and Major Link immediately straightened. The boss did not look happy. But rather than speak to him Barnes said in an emotionless tone, "Captain Silva, please join me for a moment."

Silva had been reviewing diagnostics from the cooling matter-antimatter engines when the Colonel's voice interrupted him. He glanced up, surprised, his expression clearly asking _who, me?_

Barnes tilted her head as her eyes flashed with irritation. _Yes you, you dumb ass,_ her look conveyed back.

Captain Silva nodded and handed his data pad to another crew member. As he stepped past Major Link he purposefully ignored the gloating leer that the man shot his way.

Once he was inside Barnes slid the door shut, giving them privacy. She sat down in front of the video conference screen and motioned for him to do so as well. Captain Silva visibly jumped at the sight of a blue-skinned native man staring back at him with golden eyes. "My name is Jake Sully," the Na'vi said in excellent English. Come to think of it, he had a very American sounding name, also. "And you are Captain...?" he trailed off, clearly waiting for Silva to introduce himself.

What the hell was going on? A quick glance at the Colonel provided no clue. She merely shrugged and tilted her head towards the screen. Nervously clearing his throat, Silva replied, "Captain Anthony Silva." Thank God my voice didn't crack, he thought.

Jake nodded. "I wish I could say it was a pleasure to meet you," he said dryly. "My words concern both of you, so please listen carefully. Captain Silva, you have 12 hours to recommit all personnel that are not involved in shipboard operations back to cryo sleep. After that, your vessel will be refueled and you are to return to Earth. Is this clear?"

Barnes could not help herself. "Or what?" she retorted. "Exactly how far can you shoot an arrow, Sully? You must have a hell of an arm for that."

Jake did not appear offended in the slightest, and his eyes shifted to stare directly at her as he replied. "Or the refueling drone that is currently in orbit with you will be directed into an intercept course with your ship. I understand that such a collision would be rather...disastrous for you. Those are my terms. I will expect a reply with your acquiescence shortly." Jake then terminated the transmission with a vicious movement.

Colonel Barnes and Captain Silva sat side-by-side, uncomfortably close in the cramped room, in stunned silence. Barnes finally tore her gaze away from the dark screen and stared hard at Captain Silva. "What the fuck is he talking about?" she hissed. "Is there another ship in orbit with us?"

Silva was still staring at the screen, frozen in shock as he tried to digest what had just been told to him. He blinked rapidly and shook his head when Barnes elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Um, yes, one of the harvesters was in orbit when we arrived. It should have been posted there to refuel the last ISV. I didn't think anything of it...I thought it was malfunctioning, honestly."

Barnes was livid. "Why would you think that?" she almost shouted. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Galvanized by an imminent threat to his vessel, Captain Silva shot out of his seat and lunged for the door with Barnes hot on his heels. Both of them ignored the curious glances that everyone was giving them. "Archer!" he shouted to one of the watchstanders. "Pull up the replenishment procedures and start the process with the harvester in orbit with us," he commanded, even as he yanked his own data pad back and began frantically digging for information.

"What is going on, Colonel?" Link whispered in Barnes' ear as they both watched the ISV crew spring into action.

Colonel Barnes' fists were tightly clenched at her side. "Wait, please, Major," she said. "We'll see what the Captain comes up with here." Silva was deep in conversation with one of his crew, and his expression did not speak of good things.

Five minutes passed, and still Silva ignored them, and Link was getting testy. "Wait, soldier," Barnes intoned. "Give the man time to work."

Link nodded in unwilling acknowledgement.

Finally, Silva stepped up to them. He did not appear pleased. "We cannot establish control over the drone," he reported. "The systems aren't talking with one another like they should. We keep running into an error, and we need an administrative password to clear it."

Barnes swallowed back her anger. What the hell had Sully done? _How_ had he done it? "What could have caused this?" she managed to ask in a level tone. Her anger should not be directed at the Captain, she reminded herself.

"I'm not sure," Silva responded in a low voice. "This type of thing should not have occurred. The system is supposed to be hardened, foolproof." His eyes unfocused for a moment, and Barnes could tell that the man was thinking. "It is possible that someone could have physically altered the hardware aboard the harvesters. I don't know why someone would do that, though...there's no reason to."

Her patience thinned dangerously, and it was all Barnes could do not to slap the man. "Well, clearly someone did it. And they did it so that _we_ would be dependent on _them_ to get our asses back home. You heard the man, Silva. If we do not comply with his demands, he'll knock us out of the fucking sky!"

Impressively, Silva found some steel in his spine. "Well, what would you suggest that we do, ma'am?" he asked, trying not to sound too contemptuous. He knew what _he_ would do: he'd freeze her ass, and every other Sec-Ops trooper aboard, just like Sully had asked.

"You said this was a hardware problem?" Barnes inquired. Silva nodded stiffly. "That means that we can send one of our own shuttles over to the drone and fix it with the proper application of force, does it not?" she snarled in a tight voice.

Silva's lips twisted into a sneer. "It's not that simple," he replied. "The harvester is tumbling on all three axes," he explained. "That is why I thought it was malfunctioning. It would be impossible for a person to board her and attempt a repair."

Now it was clear to Barnes that the drone had been tampered with, and then rigged to prevent someone from correcting the issue afterwards. "What about the reserve harvesters?" Barnes asked.

The Captain had anticipated this question, though unfortunately he knew he could not give the Colonel a satisfactory answer. "Same thing," Silva replied grimly.

Now Barnes was really getting angry. "Fuck!" she snarled.

* * *

Norm found Amber in the Hell's Gate link room. The room was empty, save for her - she was sitting, balancing her folding chair on its back pair of legs as she rested her right hand against the bed. Her right hand was kneading the soft gel mattress like it was the world's most expensive stress ball.

"Hey...," Norm said softly, so as not to startle her.

His caution was needed, though unfortunately he still ended up startling her. Amber jumped at even the quiet sound of his voice; she lurched forward, the front two legs of the chair coming back into contact with the floor with a tinny bang. Her scared eyes snapped to his face, and Norm's heart melted at the sight of her.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Why yes, I often sit on a folding chair in this room, alone, looking as if an ax murderer is after me, his mental voice answered rhetorically. Why do you ask?

Thankfully Amber herself did not respond with much, if any sarcasm. Her eyes turned away to look at something else, anything else, and she silently shook her head.

Norm nodded. Right. "Can I sit with you?" he asked carefully.

This time Amber's head bobbed up and down. Norm looked around for another chair, but upon finding none readily available he simply settled onto the floor and leaned back against the link bed. Amber looked down at him, a funny expression crossing her face. "That can't be comfortable," she observed.

"Yeah maybe, but the company's fantastic," Norm countered, causing Amber to roll her eyes. "What's going on? Tell me what's wrong, please," Norm murmured as he placed his hand on Amber's knee.

Amber shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. She looked at the link bed with undisguised longing. "I'm just...scared right now, I guess. I want to go back to her. She's my better half. I want to be anywhere right now but here, in this God-forsaken metal box." Amber laughed nervously and drew her knees up to her chest. "It's stupid...," she muttered to herself.

"No, it's not stupid," Norm responded quickly. "I'm nervous right now, too. Yeah, I'm scared. There's no shame in admitting that."

Amber chuckled again and shook her head as a rosy blush tinged her cheeks. "No, I wasn't talking about what's happening here," she said. "I was still thinking of the avatar. It's stupid," she said again, briefly meeting his gaze, her own blue eyes lighting up with a smile for a second before she looked away again. "I can smell you better in my other body. Your clothes kind of stink...but when you're wearing your loincloth, you smell damn good."

Norm blinked in surprise as he mentally changed gears. Then, he laughed.

Amber's expression darkened, and she took a swipe at him. "Don't laugh at me!" she blurted sourly.

Norm shook his head, still chuckling. "I'm not laughing at you!" he said quickly. "I'm just laughing at myself." Amber gave him a funny look, her nose crinkling up in puzzlement. "I've been disadvantaged this entire time, Amber. You've never dressed native - you've been denying me this entire experience," Norm informed her in a serious tone of voice.

His words had the desired effect, and despite herself Amber groaned and rolled her eyes. "God, Norm!" she complained. "I've told you a thousand times, I will never fulfill your sick fantasies of wearing a native thong and a leafy necklace. It will never happen! Get over it."

"Fine, fine," Norm said with a wave of his hand. He leaned forward and squinted as if he were looking intently at something. "I'll just keep picturing it in my mind..."

This time Amber leaned forward far enough to smack him on the side of the head. "Knock it off, sicko!" she said. But at least she was smiling now.

The two sat in companionable silence for a little while longer. The heaviness in the atmosphere began to weigh down on them again, and Amber's smile slowly faded. Norm scooted across the floor until he was beside Amber's chair, and he leaned his head against her hip. "You don't have to be alone," he said. "I'm right here."

Amber sighed and rested her hand on his head, gently tangling her fingers into Norm's longish hair as she massaged his scalp. "I'm not used to having someone to lean on anymore," she admitted.

"Neither am I," Norm countered.

Amber bit her lip and winced, and she was glad that Norm was unable to see her expression. "You've gotten used to it pretty quickly," she replied, but instantly regretted her words as soon as they were out.

"Hey," Norm said sternly as he looked up at her. "It's us, now. Together. Deal with it. I am," he said. "And I'm glad for it, Amber."

Amber lightly gnawed on her lower lip and nodded in agreement. "Okay," she said softly. "I'm sorry."

Norm wrapped his arms awkwardly around her waist and gave her a hug. "There's nothing to be sorry for," he said gently. "Why don't you come with me up to the control room? Keeping in the loop of things might be a good idea."

Amber nodded again. "Alright, Norm. You're probably right. Thank you for...for...," she trailed off, blushing as she looked away for a moment.

"For what?" Norm asked, smiling gently. "Being with the woman I love? Don't mention it. It's not that much trouble, really."

Amber snorted cutely with amusement and lightly smacked Norm's arm. She made to stand up and Norm released her, rising as well. As soon as they were both on their feet, their arms automatically settled around the other person's waist. "Alright, let's go face reality," she said.

Norm lovingly squeezed her waist in a silent, affirmative reply.

* * *

A short time later Amber and Norm slipped quietly into the control room. Outside, the waning rays of slanted evening sunlight had lost their battle with the cloud cover, and it had begun to mist. Even though it was not outright raining yet, runnels of water were slithering down the control room windows, gathering up more droplets of water as they went until it appeared that the glass was weeping.

Jake stood with Max, Hoshiro, and Miles at the holo-table, his head uncomfortably jammed into a gap between the conduits, ducts, and lights that populated the ceiling. Mal'ek was behind him, his discomfort from his cramped surroundings masked as he silently took in the conversation around him.

Kyle and Tanhi were seated against a wall by the door, arms and tail wrapped tightly around one another. Resting against the floor as he was, Kyle's head was almost at eye level with his cousin. "Hey, Norm," was his subdued greeting.

He did not sound the best, but that may well have had something to do with the current state of events. "Hi back, cousin," Norm responded, and he nodded at Tanhi as well. "What's the news up here?"

Kyle jerked his head in the Omaticaya chieftain's direction. "Jake just laid down the law a little bit ago. If the _Commerce Star_ doesn't wave the white flag and return all her passengers to cryo, we destroy her." Kyle shrugged. "Simple as that, I guess."

"Simple as that," Norm repeated softly. In a day this should all be over, one way or another.

An ominous rumble of thunder outside caused most of the people in the room to glance at the windows. "Collins is saying that it's going to be a big one," Kyle said quietly. "I hope that Txopuluke, and that Mal'ek and Jake's ikrans will be okay," he added. The Omaticaya's aerial mounts had taken to roosting on one of the main communications towers at Hell's Gate. Kyle did not think that a giant metal pole would be the safest place to stay in a storm.

"I'm sure they'll find cover in the forest when it gets bad," Norm responded.

"I hope everyone at Hometree will be safe," Kyle said in a softer voice.

Tanhi briefly tightened her hold around her mate. _"The People have seen storms before. And our home is strong. They will be safe,"_ she assured him.

Kyle nodded wordlessly as he continued to stare with a fixed gaze outside. He was rather ashamed that a part of him was glad that he was not back at Kelutral. Somehow the metal human base seemed...sturdier to him than a tree. He thought of Kel'rey and Lrrtok, no doubt snuggled closely with their parents in their nivi as they rode out the coming tempest.

"Radio!" someone shouted, and the atmosphere in the room noticeably tensed.

"I got it," Jake said and turned for Selfridge's office. "Shit," he added under his breath when he accidentally whacked an overhead light with his head. Ducking appropriately low this time, he entered the office and shut the door behind him. It's show time.

Jake sat down on the floor and shifted into a semi-comfortable position. Once settled he turned on the video screen, and the grainy image of Captain Silva greeted him. "Do you have an answer for me?" Jake asked, diving right in without any care for a greeting.

Silva appeared to be alone, though Jake knew that was no guarantee of anything. The thin man looked tense, which Jake could understand completely considering what he had threatened him with. "We've agreed to your terms, Mr. Sully," Silva said in a tight voice. "But please, these things take time. You can't slam someone into cryo sleep without preparation. Is there any way that -"

Jake bared his fangs and hissed, and Silva cringed and closed his eyes. "No, damnit! What kind of fool do you take me for?" Jake spat. "I know it takes time," he said, his voice becoming dangerously smooth, almost gentle, like he was speaking to a child. "That's why I gave you 12 hours, instead of 30 minutes. You do not need an extension, Silva. Don't try to pull that kind of shit on me."

The Captain nodded quickly. "Yes, of course," he replied, his voice garbling for a moment as the picture flickered. For a second Jake thought they would lose the connection entirely. The electromagnetic interference from the growing weather was getting bad. "We're preparing the passengers now. When this is complete, what kind of guarantee do I have that my ship will be safely replenished?"

Jake offered an unfriendly smile, and the other man visibly squirmed. "You have my word, Captain," Jake replied succinctly. "You will hear from me 12 hours from now. If I am satisfied that all is well, we will direct the refueling process from here, and you will be free to return to Earth. If I am unsatisfied..." Jake trailed off and shrugged. The unspoken threat was clear.

Captain Silva compressed his lips into a tight line and swiftly nodded. "Understood," he replied in a fractured, shaky voice that was no fault of his own.

"12 hours, Silva," Jake repeated with a snarl. "Be ready." Then he terminated the call.

Jake had no sooner hung up when there came a quick, blinding light from outside, like a camera flashbulb. The answering report of thunder came almost immediately afterward and it sounded like someone had fired off a cannon right behind Jake's head. The crash rattled the windows in their frames, and the overhead lights flickered for a brief moment. One of the women in the control room let out a startled shriek before she could help herself, though no one could really blame her considering the intensity of what had just transpired.

Jake opened the office door, blinking owlishly as he tried to make the ringing in his ears stop. Mal'ek, Kyle, and Tanhi looked similarly stunned. "Hot damn," Jake muttered. "The lights are still on. That's a good sign, right?"

Max was peering over someone's shoulder at a computer terminal. "That was a lightning rod on the refinery," he said. "Thank goodness it's not up and running right now. The buffers absorbed all of it, so we're fine."

"Fried ikran, anyone?" Jake heard Kyle mutter.

"They know what's coming," Jake reassured the other man. "They would have sought shelter in the forest by now." An odd sound caused Jake's ears to twitch curiously - a bang, then a scraping and grinding noise, like someone was playing soccer on the roof with a giant ball bearing.

"One of our comms antennas probably just got carried away," Max muttered. He squinted at something on the screen, then turned and peered out the window. "Winds are gusting up to 70 miles per hour. We're flirting with a hurricane, here."

Hoshiro, true to form, appeared completely unfazed by the weather. "Are we agreed on a timeframe, then? 12 hours?" he asked. Storm? What storm?

Jake offered him a wry grin. "Eager, are we?" he asked in a distinctly dry tone of voice.

"Only eager for all of this to be over with," Hoshiro murmured in reply, speaking so softly that only Jake could hear him.

"I'm with you on that one," Jake agreed. His expression hardened for a moment as another thought crossed his mind. "Are the defense turrets active right now?" he asked.

Hoshiro nodded. "They have been set to only target any aircraft not currently domiciled at the base. Any Valkyrie attempting to land will be shot down before it gets any closer than three miles," Hoshiro assured him.

"I hope the storm will work to our advantage, then," Jake grunted as he folded his arms over his chest and stared outside. It was full-on raining sideways now, and it was sure to get even more intense as time went on.

"Still, I think it would be wise not to leave anything to chance," Hoshiro replied.

Jake snorted once in response. "That's fine by me, trust me," he said.

* * *

Kyle was glad that Jake and Mal'ek let Tanhi and him lock out of the building first. He was currently leaning against the wall inside the airlock, coughing hard enough that he feared he might spit up a lung. Tanhi rubbed his back comfortingly as she worriedly looked on - there was not much else that she could do at this point.

It was infinitely easier to breathe once the gaseous transition had ended. The burning in his chest ceased after Kyle pulled in a few deep breaths of his now native atmosphere. "Yawne, if you must be inside -" Tanhi began.

"I'll use an exopack, alright?" Kyle panted. This time he completely agreed with her. He did not resist when Tanhi gently grasped his upper arm and encouraged him to step out of the airlock and into the ambient room; she closed the door behind them so that Jake and Mal'ek could take their turn. "I'm fine already, see?" Kyle said in an easy tone that was probably forced. "Just a few seconds, and I'm back to normal."

Tanhi pursed her lips together, but she did not voice her disagreement aloud.

The airlock opened and Jake and Mal'ek stepped out, both men looking relieved to be back outside as well. "We're gonna get soaked," Jake grumbled as he walked past everyone and peered out though the window in the final door. Still, if that was the worst thing that happened to anyone, Jake would count himself blessed. He cracked open the door, letting in swirls of misty air that ruffled everyone's hair. "You guys ready?" he asked over his shoulder, raising his voice against the wind.

Everyone nodded, and Jake pushed on the heavy metal door and stepped outside into the tempest.

Just as Jake had predicted, everyone was indeed soaked to the bone by the time they had obtained the shelter of the avatar cabin. Earlier in the day the avatars had placed storm shutters over the windows, ensuring that the sturdily built cabin would remain safe and dry.

Kyle and Tanhi were both laughing and giggling like youngsters who were having the time of their lives. Jake shared a quick, subtle look with Mal'ek, who simply rolled his eyes like, well, like an exasperated father. Oh, the giddiness of youth. At least they could smile, Jake thought. He did not think he would be able to truly laugh again until that damned ship was gone and Neytiri was safely in his arms again.

"Should I get everyone some towels?" Kyle asked with a none too subtle wink in Tanhi's direction. Kyle's mate blushed fiercely, her tanhi brightening noticeably in the darkness.

Jake sighed and nodded - that was probably a good idea.

After handing a dry garment off to Jake and Mal'ek, Kyle stepped up behind his mate and draped a clean, dry towel over Tanhi's shoulders, gently rubbing her arms through the soft cloth as he did so. "It's too bad we can't take another shower," he whispered in her ear.

Tanhi glanced over her shoulder at him with wide eyes. "Shhh!" she hissed.

Kyle smiled despite her objection as he felt Tanhi's tail brush against his legs before looping gently around his left knee. He chuckled softly and nuzzled the side of Tanhi's head and brought his other hand up to gently sift wet strands of her hair through his fingers. "They can't hear me over the rain," he murmured, the breath from his speech making Tanhi's ear twitch.

Tanhi deliberately bumped her elbow against Kyle's stomach. _"Even so, your behavior is obvious!"_ she retorted in a quiet, strangled voice. _"Do not act like this in front of my father and the Olo'eyktan!"_

_"So?"_ Kyle retorted, speaking lowly in Na'vi, knowing full well that he could often get a little farther with Tanhi when he spoke the People's language. _"Is what I am doing now inappropriate? And you have said so yourself: it is not as if they do not know what we do."_

Tanhi elbowed him a second time, this time with more force. No dice, Kyle thought with a smile. _"That does not mean they need to see it!"_ she hissed.

"You two okay over there?" Jake inquired, his voice laced with amusement. All of the bioluminescent spots on Tanhi's body lit up, and Kyle laughed softly.

"We're fine, thanks for checking," Kyle answered for them as Tanhi muttered something no doubt unflattering at him under her breath in her native tongue.

"Everyone try to get some sleep," Jake suggested. The wind howling outside seemed to stand in disagreement, but the building was well built from strong Pandoran timber. It gave nothing to the storm. "Things should hopefully clear up by morning. We'll have more work to do, then," he said as he gave Kyle a pointed look. As he spoke there came another flash of lightning and crack of thunder from outside, and Tanhi flinched in Kyle's arms.

Kyle sobered and nodded in agreement as he gave his mate a reassuring squeeze around the waist. He would either be working on the refueling process for the ISV...or setting about to destroy her. Come what may, by tomorrow evening everything should be resolved. Then he and Tanhi could go back to Kelutral, back to their friends and the rest of the clan. Life would be normal again.

The concept of beds and mattresses did not bother Jake or Kyle at all. True to character, Mal'ek made no comment or complaint about the strangeness of their sleeping arrangements. Quite frankly, he was appreciative of the simple blessing of having a dry place to sleep.

Kyle pulled two cots together to make a crude double bed. The night was comfortably warm, though quite humid from all of the precipitation. As Kyle scooted up against Tanhi's back he draped a thin sheet over them, more out of force of habit and modesty than any need for warmth. "Do you think you'll be able to sleep alright?" he softly inquired.

He felt Tanhi nod wordlessly in front of him. After a while she murmured sleepily, _"It helps that you are with me."_ It more than helped - it made the impossible possible for her.

Kyle smiled behind her. "Glad to be of service," he gently retorted.

Tanhi's only reaction was to roll her eyes, the motion unseen by her mate. She rested in silence for a while, simply enjoying the feeling of Kyle chastely stroking his fingers against her stomach, of his breath against the back of her neck. Even these familiar comforts proved unsuccessful in helping Tanhi sleep. "Tsaheylu," she murmured after a while. Yes, Kyle was right behind her, but she wanted to truly be with him.

She felt Kyle shuffling around behind her, and a second later the end of his queue was resting in front of her, the intricate nerve tendrils already uncovered and questing about for her own; they both sighed together when the bond was made.

The simple feeling of him, of his own sleepy mind preparing itself for rest, was the last incentive that Tanhi needed to give herself over to her own slumber. The storm continued on outside, nothing more than a faint distraction to her now.

* * *

Kyle jerked awake when a particularly loud thunderclap sounded out - he checked in front of them and discovered that his queue had separated from Tanhi's in the night. Tanhi squirmed and mumbled on the cot next to him, but impressively she remained fast asleep and Kyle gently stroked her arm and whispered soothing words into her ear. It took a minute for Kyle to gather his bearings, his unfamiliar surroundings and the storm that was still going on outside conspiring together to keep him from gaining awareness with his normal speed. A quick glance at a wall-mounted communications panel revealed that over eight hours had passed since everyone had bedded down - it was still early morning.

Kyle stealthily slid out of bed, taking great care not to cause additional disturbances to his still sleeping mate. Jake was already up; he was sitting cross-legged on his cot with an avatar data pad in his lap, where he had been reading updates that Max had emailed to the device. At the moment he was staring curiously at something outside, but he turned and nodded in greeting when he noticed that Kyle was awake.

"That was odd," Jake mused as he tilted his head in the general direction of the outdoors. "Most of lightning had moved on at least an hour ago." Indeed, the overall intensity of the storm had lessened noticeably.

Kyle puzzled over Jake's words, as well as the fact that Mal'ek's cot was vacant. Just as Kyle was wondering where Mal'ek could possibly have disappeared to, the man in question emerged from the washrooms at the back of the cabin wearing a very peculiar expression. A wide smile formed on Jake's face when he caught sight of his Second as the unmistakable sound of a toilet flushing could be heard in the background.

_"That is a very strange way to...to...,"_ Mal'ek trailed off when he noticed that his son-in-law was awake and staring at him. _"Good morning, Kyle,"_ he said stiffly.

"Were you able to figure everything out alright?" Jake asked with a completely straight face.

Mal'ek's ears flicked back and forth as he debated how to answer Jake's question. Eventually, the impulse to retain at least a shred of dignity asserted itself. _"I was successful,"_ Mal'ek replied in a tight voice as he crossed the room to sit down on his cot by the door.

"Any news?" Kyle asked as he motioned towards the data pad that Jake was holding.

Jake shrugged and shook his head. "Not really," he grumbled. "There hasn't been any more communication with the _Commerce Star._ The storm has been interfering pretty heavily with a lot of the electronic systems here."

Kyle glanced upwards. "We've got a little over three hours before we either gas them up and send them back to Earth, or..." He trailed off. Or they killed them.

Jake nodded grimly. "That about sums it up," he said. Come this time tomorrow, I'll be back at Hometree, smothering Neytiri and Tommy with overdue affection.

It was more Kyle's absence than the quiet conversation that woke Tanhi up. She sat up, placing her feet on the ground as she sweetly clutched the blanket across her lap. Kyle could not help but grin at the sight._ "Did you sleep well, 'Ite?"_ Mal'ek asked.

Tanhi nodded as she rubbed at her eyes. _"I did...,"_ she said. _"But now I am hungry,"_ she added with a cute pout. Come to think of it, none of them had really eaten anything since yesterday. Tanhi looked at Kyle and asked, _"Do we have anything to eat here?"_

Kyle glanced at Jake, who shrugged noncommittally. "I didn't bring anything in," he admitted. That was a rather foolish move. The only nearby food was...

_"Some fresh fruit would be wonderful,"_ Tanhi mused aloud. _"Or some Pxorna' seeds. Those would be best."_ A corner of Mal'ek's mouth twitched up in a smile as he covertly watched Kyle for his reaction.

Kyle groaned and rubbed at his face. Almost every kind of fruit, seed, or vegetable that a Na'vi could want was available in abundance from the garden outside. Kyle had been mated long enough to hear Tanhi's unspoken request. She knew that he hated trying to gather Pxorna' seeds! The damn seed pods could explode if one did not take enough care in gathering them, and Kyle had been splattered more than once with the plant's sticky sap. And to top it off, though it was no longer hurricaning outside, it was still definitely pouring.

Tanhi knew that all of these thoughts were racing through her mate's mind - tsaheylu not required. She put on her sweetest, most alluring smile, lightly nibbling on her lower lip as though to convey, _yes, I know it is a lot to ask..._

"I'll go out and get some for you," Kyle said in a distinctly defeated tone of voice, his ears drooping in surrender.

Jake held in his chuckle until after Kyle had slunk out the front door. He possessed enough intellectual honesty to realize that he would probably stroll gladly through a hellfire wasp swarm if Neytiri asked him for some honey. Thank God that had not been one of her cravings...

The cabin door slammed back open 30 seconds later and Kyle came stumbling backwards back inside, much too soon in everyone's opinion to be returning successful with his mate's request. "Kyle, I don't think -" Jake began. He clipped his sentence off when he noticed Kyle's utterly terrified expression.

Kyle's wet feet slipped on the floor as he whirled around, almost causing him to fall over. Tanhi quickly stood up, frowning as she tried to figure out what had gotten into her mate. She let out a startled "Eep!" when Kyle practically leapt on her, wrapping his arms tightly around her body without any regard to him being wet and her being dry.

Four tall, dangerous figures were right on Kyle's heels, and Jake's mind locked up for a fraction of a second from sheer incredulity. Then he was nothing but pure training and instinct, half marine and half Na'vi warrior, moving without conscious thought.

They were avatars, that much was clear. And they were RDA. Why else would they be dressed in military fatigues, wearing custom-fitted body armor, and be holding assault rifles? The thought of where the _hell_ they came from was shoved back in Jake's mind and replaced simply with _fight!_

Jake struck first, his right hand automatically sweeping up along his back to gather one of the throwing knives out of its sleeve in his weapons harness. He flung the blade away from him with a snap of his wrist just as the first avatar drew a bead on him with his rifle; the hand-sharpened stone blade sank into the avatar's neck, bringing the man down to the ground in a tangle of arms, legs, gun, and tail as he emitted a strangled, pained cry.

Mal'ek struck out of the darkness from his position by the door, moving swiftly and silently. The second avatar soldier did not see him until it was too late, and he grunted in surprise as Mal'ek's large hand closed over his own. A primitive, dumb savage Mal'ek was not - he wrapped his hand around the rifle's pistol grip, over the avatar's own hand, and shoved his finger behind the trigger so that the gun could not be fired.

Tanhi's father viciously twisted the rifle, striking the man in the face with the butt of his own gun first, then with his elbow secondly. A well-placed kick at the back of the leg brought the avatar down to the ground and Mal'ek was on his back in an instant, a knee wedged between his shoulder blades as he viciously yanked on the man's braided queue, bending the man's neck back in a painful fashion. The press of Mal'ek's blade against the sensitive neural braid made him go quite still.

A second knife was already in Jake's hand as Mal'ek subdued his own opponent. Jake's underhanded throw sent the blade on a true course, right for the third avatar's neck.

The avatar was quicker, though, and it turned away with a savage snarl as it reflexively raised its rifle as a shield, causing Jake's knife to glance off the firearm's foregrip with a sharp _ting!_ Jake's assailant continued the motion, whirling around in a vicious spin. Finding itself too close for a shot, the avatar whipped the rifle around with the intent to use it as a club.

Jake hissed, his ears flattening furiously as he caught the heavy gun in his hands and deflected it down and away, sending the weapon clattering across the floor. The thought that the avatar had released the rifle far too easily occurred too late to Jake - he froze as surely as if he had struck a brick wall when he felt an unmistakable sharp, cold press against his throat that could only be a handgun. _Fuck, _he thought simply.

All of perhaps three seconds had passed since the fight had started.

"Freeze! Don't fucking move!" someone was shouting.

Jake was breathing heavily through clenched teeth as he glared at the furious, golden eyes of his opponent. It took a second for him to register that the avatar holding pistol to his neck was a woman, and his own eyes widened fractionally. How the hell...?

The woman jerked her head to her left, motioning to where Mal'ek was now poised with his knife against his own prisoner's neck. "Tell him to let off, Sully. Right now," she growled as she bared sharp fangs. The woman's unique pattern of tanhi blazed bright in the dimness, and a feral grin turned up the corners of her mouth. "I've got three targets. He has one. Do the math."

Jake's gaze darted to his left to where Kyle still stood with his back to everyone, shielding Tanhi with his own body. Kyle's eyes were clenched tightly shut, a silent cringe as he waited for the strike of bullets that thankfully never came. Tanhi's eyes were wide open, filled with terror, and her breaths came in sharp, desperate pants. No one had had time to pick up a weapon - it was only fortunate happenstance that Jake had been wearing his weapons harness and had his own throwing blades readily available.

"Mal'ek...," Jake said slowly.

The warrior snarled and yanked back harder on his captive's braid. Mal'ek was holding his knife right against the man's throat, and a trickle of blood seeped out from the tiny cut that was forming on the avatar's neck. He let out a pained wheeze as he clenched his eyes shut.

The fourth soldier's rifle was trained on Kyle and Tanhi to make sure that neither one of them moved, his stance firm and his gaze steady. "Ma'am?" he asked calmly.

"Hold your fire," the woman ordered. "Sully, hands out to the side slowly," she commanded as she carefully backed away from Jake, her two-handed grip on her pistol complementing her perfect Weaver's stance.

_"Mal'ek, let him up,"_ Jake said through gritted teeth.

Mal'ek's furious amber eyes darted around. Jake was right - even with the first man that Jake had taken down, they were still at a disadvantage. He saw his daughter and son-in-law being held at gunpoint as well, and he snarled. To express his immense displeasure at the entire situation Mal'ek roughly slammed his captive's head hard against the floor, eliciting a pained and surprised yelp. Mal'ek then sheathed his knife and stood up, all in one smooth motion as he glared murderously at his opponent.

"Better," the woman said through a fangy grin. "Stoltz, you okay back there?" she asked.

The man that Jake had knifed in the neck groaned and rolled over to slowly sit up. He reached both hands behind his neck and unfastened the kevlar throat guard. The guard, knife still embedded, fell away and he rubbed his neck in relief. Jake's throw had been strong enough that the blade had nearly gone all the way through - the tip had pierced his skin just to the right of his adam's apple. "We're good," he panted as he gathered his rifle and rose to his feet, shooting a nasty glare at Jake as he did so.

"Excellent," Colonel Barnes purred, her tail flicking back and forth behind her in satisfaction. "Now, Sully, are you ready to have that conversation in person?"


	35. Chapter 35

**Hey, look! Longest Chapter Yet! Hopefully that will mollify any ill feelings in regards to the length of time between updates. Also, I will offer the disclaimer now that BOTH of my jobs become insanely busy during this time of year, so please forgive the wait.**

**Hehe, the reaction to the last chapter was so great that for a moment I toyed with the idea of having Chapter 35 simply read, "The End." You know, as a joke, as a funny! Alas, wiser heads prevailed, and I did not do that. Perhaps you can think of this as unfair retaliation on my part against all you innocent readers for the number of cliff-hanagars that I myself have had to endure. Do I get a sick thrill out of doing that? Kinda... Will there be more? Yes. Does that make me a horrible person? If so, I think I can live with it. :-)**

**It's so cool to see the review count top 200! Thank you guys for all your support, and kind and constructive words. So, without further ado, read on, and I hope you like it!**

Chapter 35

Captain Silva emerged from his ship's tiny communications suite, looking quite pale after his conversation with Jake. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, he thought grimly. He did not know what was worse: the furious Na'vi on the moon's surface, or the cold, calculating Colonel before him on his own ship. He did not particularly care much for either one.

Colonel Barnes and Major Link were waiting for him on the bridge. Barnes had stilled herself with near inhuman swiftness after her single enraged outburst. Now she was calm, cool, collected, and calculating. "Did he buy it?" she demanded, her blue eyes glinting like twin marbles of ice.

"Yes, ma'am," Silva responded, even as doubt creased his brow. "If they demand proof -"

"They won't ever get that far," Barnes interrupted, her voice silky smooth with the certainty of someone who knew they were betting on a winning match.

Silva nodded. What she was suggesting was pure madness, plain and simple.

"Good. The storm on the surface -" she said.

"Makes any suborbital trips impossible!" Silva blurted.

Colonel Barnes glared at him. "Actually, it presents us with an opportunity, most timely and unique, that I refuse to pass up," she responded as she pointed to several holoscreens that were currently displaying the massive storm cell that was inching across the continent where Hell's Gate was located. "Get your two Valkyrie pilots. I need to speak with them. And instruct the med techs to thaw out all of the passengers. We need to be off this ship as soon as possible." Having said this, Barnes spun on her heel and left the bridge with Link close behind. There was work to get done.

The sound of the bridge door sliding shut reached Barnes' ears. Then, "I will not let you risk my crew and my ship in this insane scheme of yours," came Silva's voice after her down the short corridor.

Barnes and Link both stopped and turned back to face the Captain. Barnes was torn between irritation and respect. On the one hand, Silva's flagrant disregard for RDA protocols in this type of situation was most unprofessional. On the other hand, his care for the people under his command was quite admirable. Indeed, he had taken the regrettable death of Tyler Hall quite hard. So when she decided to respond to the Captain, it was not with the full force that his insubordination could have warranted.

"Captain Silva, please do not forget your place in the grand scheme of things here. Or mine," she said, her words laced through with rigid, unshakeable authority. "Please try to keep the bigger picture in view. Everything will go according to plan, I promise you. Your ship and crew will be perfectly safe. Now, go do your job. And let me do mine."

The sound of clomping footsteps reached everyone's ears just as two men stepped off of the steep stairs that led up to the ship's central shaft. "Captain...?" one of the men said slowly, glancing warily between Silva and Barnes. You could have cut the tension in the air with a knife.

Silva was still staring hard at the Colonel, weighing the sincerity of her words in his mind. Without looking at the two crewmen, he said, "You two will be assisting the Colonel with whatever she needs. See to it that it gets done." Silva looked like he wanted to say more, but his discretion finally caught up with him, so with no more than a stiff nod in farewell he turned and reentered the bridge.

"Major, please see to the proper loading of the men and any further supplies," Barnes said quickly. "Take care with the avatars," she added, the faintest chords of tenderness creeping into her voice as she mentioned their other halves.

"Yes, ma'am," Link responded swiftly, his dark eyes shining with excitement. Quite frankly, it was high time that justice be meted out to those that deserved it. If vengeance belonged to God - or at least the RDA - then he was to be the instrument. And that was fine by him.

As Link practically flew up the ladder, Barnes turned to address the two men who were staring at her with dubious expressions. The name patches on their flight suits read "Jeffries" and "Finlay." "Are the two of you aware of what has happened at Hell's Gate?" she asked.

The two men exchanged guarded looks before Jeffries spoke up. "We've heard," he confirmed. "Word travels fast." His eyes narrowed and he asked almost as an afterthought, "So are you gonna tell me why you cut up my ship?"

Barnes ignored his question. In this case the speedy propagation of information did not bother her at all, and Jeffries' curiosity was understandable, but ultimately irrelevant. "You'll find out," she said primly. "We need to take Hell's Gate back. Now, the survival of everyone on this ship is tied to that fact. It will not be easy, and I need your help to do it. This will be some of the trickiest flying that either of you have ever done. Can I count on you two?"

Finlay's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Tricky how?" he asked.

"Ever been hurricane hunting before?" Barnes replied as the corners of her mouth turned up in a slight grin.

"Shit," Finlay muttered as he shook his head. The woman was clearly off in the mind.

Jeffries' reaction was decidedly different. "Sweet," he murmured as a grin slowly formed over his features.

It was at that moment that Barnes heard Silva call out to her again. She repressed an unprofessional exclamation of disapproval and simply replied with a tight sounding, "Yes, Captain?"

Silva ignored her tone. "Ma'am, you need to see this," he stated. He did not elaborate when Colonel Barnes quirked up an inquisitive eyebrow.

"What do you have?" Barnes asked as she followed Silva back into the bridge.

The ISV captain handed her a data pad. "The ISV automatically communicates with the various satellites in orbit over Pandora. It's kind of an electronic 'Marco Polo' so that we don't bump into anything. The pings from one of the two geographic survey satellites is corrupted."

"Are you telling me that the satellite is going to try to kill us, too?" Barnes deadpanned.

Silva merely smiled thinly. "Not quite. That satellite isn't transmitting its location. It's a looping message. We did not realize that until now. I informed you immediately after I figured it out. Thought you might be interested."

There was something unsaid in Silva's tone that made Colonel Barnes' sense of danger prickle, like something big was sneaking up on her. It was from Dr. Dryers, who had been a plant aboard the previous ISV who was unwaveringly loyal to the RDA.

The very presence of a message from that man was in and of itself a revelation. It had been assumed that the _Enterprise Star_ had succumbed to some kind of tragic interstellar misfortune when all communication, all traces of its existence, had winked off of the proverbial map. Such a loss was highly regrettable, but ultimately not unbelievable. A lot could go wrong in deep space, after all. So she had indeed made it to Pandora, Barnes mused to herself.

That changed things a bit.

Dryers had been imprisoned in the brig for some time apparently. As a geologist, he possessed enough knowledge of the geo-mapping satellite to somehow manage to at least get this crude warning out to the next RDA ship - Barnes silently thought that she would have to congratulate the man on his resourcefulness as soon as they sprung him from jail.

Then the actual verbiage of the message connected with her, and Barnes swore softly to herself as she reread it, just to make sure that there was no misunderstanding. Some way, somehow, Corporal Jake Sully had moved his consciousness permanently into his avatar. There was no longer a frail, crippled human being in a wheelchair at all. There was only the massive, ten foot tall Na'vi warrior. So _that_ was why he never spoke with her in his human body. He did not have one anymore.

That changed things a lot.

* * *

Link was an effective task master, especially when properly motivated, and some of the logic behind Barnes' demand for a mid-flight "stop" became clearer and clearer. There were several not-so-subtle comments about Barnes' ability to predict the future - how else could she have known to have everything set up ahead of time? Troopers Smith, Stoltz, and Thiele proved to be quite the able-bodied help for Major Link. Along with Keyes and Faison, who were the first to be brought of out cryo, they were Barnes' most trusted soldiers - and the final members of the RDA's pilot program to give avatars to a select few of the security personnel at Hell's Gate.

It did not take long to thaw out the _Commerce Star's_ passengers. Everyone emerged unscathed from cyrosleep, an impressive testament to the millions of dollars of equipment and ingenuity that made their suspended animation possible. Barnes wished that she had more time to let the men recover, but time was one of the more important things that they were short on right now. Stim shots would have to suffice.

Right on schedule, Barnes found herself in the jump seat behind Jeffries in Valkyrie 38, listening to the crew completing their final preflight checks. The pilot had given her a headset, rightly guessing that she wanted to listen in on the conversation.

For now, she kept the revelation of her opponent's sudden change in status to herself. That was a concept that she wanted to ponder and ruminate over alone, at least initially.

Her internal musings were interrupted when Jeffries keyed his mic and called the _Commerce Star. "Commerce Star_ control, Victor 3-8," he intoned. "Requesting clearance for departure."

Captain Silva's serious voice answered, and Barnes' respect for him went up another notch. The man had no qualms about staying in the thick of things when the situation got tense. "Victor 3-8, _Commerce Star_ control, actual. Cleared for departure. Roll port, commence standard deorbit burn when ready. Fly safe, Sean."

"Roll port, standard burn," Jeffries repeated back. "I'd never fly any other way, Captain." Jeffries clicked off his mic and added, "Within reason."

The Valkyrie detached from the ISV with a _clunk, _and Jeffries skillfully rolled clear of the ship and lined them up for the quickest path down to the surface. This trip would be the furthest thing from a standard approach that anyone could possibly come up with - and Sean Jeffries loved every bit of it. "Jeffries, can I have the radio?" Barnes asked.

Jeffries was intent on his flying and never answered, but the copilot tapped out some commands on his console and then flashed her a thumbs-up.

"Finlay, Barnes, do you copy?" the Colonel asked.

A second passed before the pilot for Valkyrie 40 answered back. "Barnes, Finlay. Reading you loud and clear."

"Please channel up a frequency and put Foucault on," Barnes ordered.

Finlay never acknowledged the command, which was probably the nonverbal equivalent of flipping the Colonel the bird. Even still, Tobias Foucault's voice came over the radio in a timely fashion. "Ma'am?" he said simply.

Barnes' speech was only slightly less formal while on the private line of communication. She still got right to the point, though. They had only a few minutes before they disappeared over Pandora's horizon and line-of-sight radio calls would become impossible. "Everyone settling in alright?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Foucault quickly answered. "I am fairly certain that I speak for all of us when I say that we are a bit jealous to be second string."

"No one is second string on this run," Barnes corrected. "You all know your part in this."

"Yes, Colonel, we do," Foucault acknowledged. "We'll be there as soon as you kick open the front door." Tobias was the commander for the strike team on the second Valkyrie, and he took no pleasure in the fact that they would have a significantly easier time of things than Barnes would.

Barnes smiled. It was a good thing that the second half of her command was raring to go. "That's what I like to hear. See you guys soon. Barnes out."

Jeffries was already shoving the Valkyrie down into the atmosphere, taking the speediest path possible down to the surface; the ride began to roughen as the growing air resistance pushed back at them. They had launched on the far side of Pandora, away from Hell's Gate, in order to avoid the admittedly unlikely chance of being detected by any of the base's instruments. The same storm that would provide cover for their approach would prove to be hell on everyone.

They were chasing the sunset, and as they crossed over from the ocean onto the main continent they finally caught up with the storm front. The bank of dark clouds stood up in a solid gray wall, rising vertically from the jungle-covered earth like a mountainside, and everyone in the cockpit had the unspoken thought that they were flying into a physical obstruction. Grim flashes of lightning could be seen shooting at random through the clouds.

"My God," Jeffries breathed as he finally got the chance to see with his eyes that which he had only been told about by computers. Even Barnes leaned forward in her seat as she stared hard out through the windscreen. Earlier she had almost pitied Link and everyone else riding in the cargo hold for their lack of a view. Her first glimpse of Pandora, all green and blue and so alive, had been perhaps the most beautiful thing that Colonel Barnes had ever beheld.

Now the view of the daunting task ahead of them made even her own stomach clench with trepidation.

"You can follow the flight plan without too much trouble, correct?" Barnes asked.

"I highly doubt that this will be trouble-free, but we'll give'r a shot," Jeffries replied tightly. To the copilot, a young man who now looked almost ill when faced with their coming task, Jeffries ordered, "Keep a close eye on the containment fields for the reactor. We can manipulate our own EMF signature and hopefully bull our way through the lightning."

Barnes was impressed, and she raised a single eyebrow.

Jeffries keyed the PA system. "Prepare for turbulence," he intoned. It was a warning that would prove unwise to take lightly.

The whine from the shuttle's scramjets was a steady comfort, and Barnes forced herself to relax - there were plenty of difficulties ahead, and it would do no good to start stressing out now. Thousands of feet overhead, the cloud bank finally eclipsed the setting sun as the Valkyrie punched into the heart of the storm. In an instant the view outside was rendered useless as an all-consuming, depressing gray surrounded them; most of the illumination came from the shuttle's instruments now, rather than from outside.

The pilots' eyes turned to their instruments, which remained blessedly functional. A fortunate side effect of the Valkyrie's fusion powered engines was a powerful electromagnetic field that made the craft's electronics resistant to the strange effects of Pandora's notorious flux vortex. It was a safety net that tiltrotor pilots could only dream about.

The expected roughness in the air had yet to materialize, and except for some high-altitude rain, the flight continued on with deceptive ease.

That is, until a sharp _crack_ like a gunshot made everyone jump. Jeffries squinted at the windshield where a small starburst of fractures had appeared. "'The hell?" he blurted. Another _crack_ sounded out, and an accompanying pock mark appeared on the copilot's side. Jeffries reached up and scratched his fingernail against the windscreen where the first starburst had marred the glass. "It didn't go through all the layers," he reported, the relief obvious in his voice. Whatever "it" was.

"Sean, radar!" the copilot blurted.

All eyes settled on a dark, solid looking blob that was perhaps a mile down and off to their right. A strange looking contrail followed after the object and their shuttle was just crossing into its path.

He had no sooner spoken when the sharp sound of two more impacts against the hull rang out, and it sounded remarkably like someone was shooting at them. Something grazed one of the overhead panels of glass, leaving a three foot long score mark in its wake.

All of a sudden the explanation for what was occurring coalesced in Barnes' mind and she blurted, "It's gravel!" She jabbed her finger at the holoscreen and said, "It's a fucking floating mountain!" The radar contact was not a particularly dense section of rain, it was solid earth.

How the hell a section of rock had been levitated up to 15,000 feet was beyond Jeffries' comprehension, but the consequences of inhaling solid matter into the engines was not lost; the floating chunk's dust trail was able to ascend to a much greater altitude than its parent and was still very much a threat to them. "Well that just sucks," he muttered as he shoved forward on the control stick. Everyone's stomach made a beeline for their throats as the Valkyrie nosed over - it was too late to navigate around the cloud of dust and debris, and the swiftest path to safety was to go down.

A drop of another 5,000 feet was enough to get them out of the trail of debris left by the displaced mountain. The move only traded one danger for another, however, and now the aforementioned turbulence was battering them back and forth, as if they were driving a car with no shocks over a washed-out dirt road. Conversation fell to a minimum as the pilots' concentration mounted. Barnes could do little more than sit back and enjoy the ride.

The atmosphere became measurably more intense when it came time to switch over to the four poster-lift engines during the last leg of their roundabout flight. At speed the Valkyrie was admirably stable, all things considered, but when Jeffries pitched up to slow them down to the necessary 130 knots Barnes finally understood how ferocious the storm was. If the experience before had been comparable to driving over washboard, now it was as if they were a small boat riding the stormy seas.

And rocky shoals were not far away.

It took all of Jeffries' focus to keep from dropping down to the forest below. The air was frustratingly unstable, and the thrust from each of the four engines had to be individually managed to keep them aloft. Too little thrust and they would crash. Too much thrust and they would pop up over the last ridge of mountains that separated them from Hell's Gate and risk exposure to radar.

"Almost there, almost there," Jeffries breathed. Beads of sweat ran down his face, but he did not dare remove his hands from the controls to wipe them away. "Mine is in sight," he breathed as a relieved smile ghosted over his face and he switched on the landing lights, flooding the path before them with harsh illumination. They would be landing at the staging area on the other side of the mine, right next to the road that led to Hell's Gate.

"Excellent," Barnes said, making no effort to hide the naked relief in her own voice. "Well done -" She was cut off when the Valkyrie crossed over the deepest part of the excavation and suddenly pitched sideways.

"Shit!" Jeffries blurted as he fought the twisting currents of air that swirled around the mine's broken terrain. Alarms began to wail as the shuttle slewed sideways and wobbled precariously, and each unintentional oscillation almost sent them into either the mine wall or the jungle that lined its edges.

Barnes saw a flash of something outside over the pilots' shoulders, illuminated for just a second by the landing lights. It looked like a crane or some other piece of old mining equipment... Jeffries must have seen it too, because at that moment the intensity of his cursing went up several notches. She never heard an impact, but Barnes could feel up through her seat something big strike the shuttle. The impact spun them around hard, as if a giant had grabbed hold of the left wing and given them a quick twirl. An entirely new set of warning bells and red lights that could not possibly mean anything good spread across the control panels.

Throttles were jammed forward and engines howled as Jeffries swung them around, working with the winds instead of fighting them, until they were actually flying backwards for a brief moment. Barnes gripped her armrests, screwing her eyes closed as she resolutely held in any audible expression of fear. She _despised_ feeling helpless, hated having her fate hinge on the skill of another person.

They impacted the ground and bounced up, and Barnes was gripped with a sudden fear that the inorganic womb that held her avatar would break open. The avatars were vital to her plan, and to lose any would be a major detriment to their offensive capability. Not only that, but Barnes would be a liar if she said that she would not miss the chance to experience Pandora as one who was born there. Her avatar had already become more precious to her than she would ever care to admit.

Amazingly Jeffries had kept them level enough that the landing gear's suspension absorbed most of the impact. The pilot played the throttles as one would an intricate musical instrument, and as soon as he felt them touch down a second time Jeffries killed the engines and stood hard on the brakes.

Whether it was the brakes or the relatively soft impact of the wings against the young trees that finally stopped them, either way the Valkyrie finally shuddered to a halt after wedging itself tail first into the road that ran from the mine right up to the front step of Hell's Gate. Barnes' choice of a landing pad had been a stroke of genius. Aside from the airfield at the base, the staging area at the mine entrance and the road itself were the only other surfaces on Pandora that could possibly perform as a stand-in landing pad. The road was paved with compacted bitumen, the crushed rocky byproduct of the RDA's excavations for Unobtanium, and even in the torrential rain it had not washed out.

The console was ablaze with yet more warning lights, and for a moment the only sound inside the cockpit was everyone's frantic breathing, the beeping of various alarms, and the relentless pounding of the rain against the armored windscreen.

Then the copilot moaned, frantically scrambling for a sick bag which, once obtained, he promptly threw up into.

* * *

Barnes slid down the ladder into the mid-deck, not even bothering with the rungs. She swiftly threaded her way through the main cabin - itself stuffed to the brim with supplies and equipment - and through the airlock and into the cargo bay. Here her troopers were already preparing for action, even as they laughed and teased one another in an effort to burn off the stress from the flight in and near crash. A quick check at the front of the cargo bay revealed that all seven tarp-covered amino tanks were still safe and sound.

"Exopacks on, boys and girls!" she yelled. "I'm kicking you out the door in 15 minutes! You all ready for a walk in the woods?" A walk in the woods that would probably be no walk in the park.

"Yes, ma'am!" came the admirably enthusiastic reply.

Next Barnes turned to two soldiers, a young man and a young woman, who each wore expressions of grave trepidation, even though they both would be staying behind in the relative comfort of the shuttle. "Are you two ready for this?" Barnes asked. "The seven of us will help with whatever you need."

The man cleared his throat nervously as he nodded. "As ready as we'll ever be, Colonel," he replied. "With all due respect, you understand that this process is supposed to be taking place in a sterile lab, over the stretch of a day. Not in the back of a shuttle with only a half-hour to work with. This is risky." The avatar-tech training that the two soldiers had received back on Earth seemed to be woefully inadequate preparation for what was about to occur.

"I understand the risks," Barnes replied. "Your concern is noted. Unfortunately, the situation we find ourselves in forces us to shorten the timeframe here. Now - what do you need us to do to help?"

The man sighed in defeat. "Let us check over a few things one last time," he said. "Then we need to open the cargo ramp. The avatars will need to breathe Pandoran atmosphere. Then it's just drain 'em and unplug 'em, I guess."

The half hour fairly flew by. 34 minutes passed, to be precise. All the men were geared up, waiting with something resembling patience at the back of the cargo bay. The cargo ramp had been open for a while, now, giving everyone a clear view of the outside. It was still raining profusely. The very human construction of the road and of the space shuttle that everyone still sheltered in seemed oddly out of place with the alien jungle that awaited them. Much of the plant life was aglow with its own surreal, internal light. It was both beautiful and foreboding.

Colonel Barnes saw none of this. At least, not yet. She was resting on the amazingly comfortable gel mattress of a link bed, listening intently to the soldier-turned-technician's instructions about what to expect when she linked with her avatar for the first time. The six other members of the Sec-Ops avatar team all listened with bated breath - if everything went well with the Colonel, they would soon follow.

The Valkyrie's mid-deck had been gutted. Anything that could be easily removed - and even a bulkhead that had most definitely not gone quietly - had been unscrewed, unbolted, or just plain ripped out to make room for the seven jury-rigged link beds. It appeared that all the frantic work, the heavy-lifting, cutting, and messy rewiring, that had been completed during the _Commerce Star's_ impromptu stop would not be wasted, after all.

"Okay, that's it," the tech finished. He was sweating heavily, and not just from nervousness. The Valkyrie's climate control system struggled to keep up with the heat of so many bodies and so much extra electronic equipment. "Are you ready, Colonel?"

Colonel Barnes nodded as she pulled the neural frame down over herself. "Let's get it done," she replied firmly.

The tech nodded as he pressed the button to close the link bed's lid, and Samantha allowed her eyes to drift shut as the clamshell sealed shut around her like a coffin. She honestly did not know what to expect - all of the literature that she had studied had been less than forthcoming about this moment and the simulations were only that - a simulation. The roaring in her ears came as a bit of a shock - the sensation had snuck up on her somehow, hiding with a strange kind of easiness behind her own excitement. When had things gotten so loud?

* * *

For a timeless moment, the mission did not matter, and her RDA overlords were distant, forgotten masters. Despite the roaring around her, she felt completely at ease. She was utterly peaceful, and everything in the world was right to her. The tumultuous noise slowly changed into something recognizable, like a dream transforming into reality. The roar metamorphosed into a distinct sound as the volume slowly fell off.

Or, more accurately, the noise became something familiar as Samantha became accustomed to hearing a common, simple sound in a completely new way.

She was listening to the rain.

It was... Marvelous. That would be a good word to describe this sensation. Her ears twitched and swivelled as she basked in the sound of falling raindrops. How could something so familiar, so mundane, be so utterly fascinating?

She sighed as she pondered this question, weighing it in her mind like it was the only question in the world left that was worth answering. Her first deep breath brought her another shock: She could smell...everything! The overpowering _stench_ of the shuttle, of people, of metal. But just beneath this first impression she could smell something else, something good. It finally clicked with her that she could _smell_ the rain, smell the plants outside and the wet earth on the eddies of moist air that swirled about in the cargo bay.

In that moment, Samantha Barnes realized that she had not smelled anything that sweet, that pure, in her entire life.

"Colonel?"

A female voice intruded, oh so rudely, upon Colonel Barnes' meditations. Her first instinct was to bare her teeth and hiss in displeasure. So she did.

"Colonel, are you feeling alright?" the voice asked. "Can you open your eyes, please?"

Begrudgingly, Colonel Barnes complied, blinking myopically as her eyes took in light for the first time. The face of the female technician, covered in an exopack, stared down at her. Her brow was creased from stress and worry.

Reality and the direness of the hour came crashing back to Colonel Barnes all too quickly, and she swiftly sat up on the cargo padding that currently doubled as a makeshift mattress for her avatar. The sudden change of position set Barnes' head to spinning, and she groaned and braced herself against the edge of the now empty amino tank as the world seemed to spin around her for a second.

The sight of her blue, five-fingered hand arrested her attention. The back of her palm was covered in a fascinating pattern of dark blue striping. She gaped, utterly amazed, at the way the striping curled down around her wrist and spread out over her hand.

"Well, you're moving around. That's a start," the woman said dryly. "Can you feel everything? Is everything...normal?"

It was a very imprecise question, but Colonel Barnes realized that time was of the essence. But come to think of it, her stomach did hurt a fair amount, right over her navel. She frowned and placed a hand over her belly.

The technician immediately realized what Barnes was feeling. "You're probably sore from where the umbilical was removed. It's not...best practice, to link up so quickly with your avatar. Here, can we perform some quick sensory tests? I want to make sure that all your motor skills are intact."

Colonel Barnes shook her head. "No time," she said as she reached down to the foot of the pallet where her uniform, pack, and weapons had been placed. She was naked. There had been no time, no reason really to dress the avatars in a hospital gown. A tarp had been strung across the Valkyrie's cargo bay to give them some semblance of privacy from where the rest of the Sec-Ops troopers waited.

Colonel Barnes retrieved a massive handgun and the accompanying magazine from her holster - the up-sized weapon fit perfectly in her hand. She narrowed her golden eyes in concentration as she lined up the magazine and carefully seated it into the pistol's grip. Her motions were awkward and halting, like a baby taking its first steps.

But she was getting better with each passing second. Barnes slapped the magazine home and racked back the slide, chambering a round. "Looks like my motor skills are just fine," she said with a fierce smile that revealed sharp canine teeth.

"You're the boss," the tech murmured with begrudging agreement.

"Tell Keyes to link up and get her blue ass dressed," Barnes commanded as she reached for her own clothes. "Then we'll get the boys ready. We need to get moving."

* * *

"I did _not_ expect to wake up into this cluster fuck," one of the soldiers grumbled as he vigorously rubbed his arms through his camouflaged fatigues as though chilled, his voice faintly muffled through the full combat helmet that he was wearing. Outside a flash of lightning illuminated the landscape, throwing the scenery into shades of black and white as if someone had popped a flashbang grenade. The accompanying bang of thunder was no comfort to the men.

"Still a bit cold and stiff?" his friend asked with a sidelong glance. His English carried a bit of a brogue that hinted at European ancestry. The first man nodded in agreement as he shivered and shifted on his feet. "Keep moving. You've still probably got some shitty chemicals in your joints from cryo. It'll work itself out in a bit."

"How the hell'd you get off so easy?" the first man grumbled even as he complied with the second's suggestion.

"Just lucky, I guess," the second replied with a smirk. Luck of the Irish, in fact.

"Do you think the Colonel can pull this off?" The man shifted his rifle into the crook of his arm and clenched and unclenched his fists. "Huh, who would have thought? That does feel a little better," he muttered under his breath.

Irish just rolled his eyes, knowing full well that the comment would be his only thanks. "She's never led anyone wrong in the past," he replied in a low voice. "And look how she's already predicted everything thus far. The bitch must be a freaking clairvoyant." Contrary to the man's word choice, his statement was made with the utmost respect.

A flash of movement from the front of the cargo bay, caught just out of the corner of his eye, made the man flinch and reach quickly for his weapon. Several tall shapes had just stepped out from behind the tarp, and though intellectually he knew to be expecting the avatar team, the sudden appearance of the giant figures still set off primitive alarms in his mind.

"Holy shit," he muttered. It was creepy to see the face of his commanding officer and comrades-in-arms on blue, tail-bearing alien bodies. They were also intimidating as hell. Each avatar shouldered a custom-built rifle, and Irish did not want to think about the size of the bullets that those things would spit out.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" Colonel Barnes' voice boomed out, making everyone jump. "Move out!"

* * *

Thank goodness Hell's Gate was not that far from the mine. God bless the bureaucrats who had sought to minimize the milage imposed on the hell trucks during their daily commutes between the mine and the refinery. The hard-packed road made for quick traveling, despite the torrential downpour.

The men moved swiftly, though not as swiftly as Colonel Barnes wanted. Of course, her sense of spacial awareness was still getting used to existing in her avatar. Fucking-A, this was _fantastic! _She could not help but smile slyly to herself. Even though it was raining cats and dogs, and despite the fact that she was burdened with plenty of weapons, ammunition, and other sundry supplies, Colonel Barnes had never felt better. She could see, hear, _smell_ everything, a hundred time better than she could in her human body. Indeed, the six other soldiers had taken to their new avatars with remarkable ease, and the reasonable fears of first-time clumsiness were never realized.

An ominous hooting noise from the jungle, just off the column's left flank, interrupted her revelry. Golden eyed narrowed in concentration as she swiftly leveled her rifle, her sharp gaze scanning for a threat. Safety off, finger covering the trigger: Barnes did all of this without even thinking. Keyes, who was 15 feet away, reacted similarly. Indeed, the five avatars who had remained with the column all pivoted as one, their heightened senses detecting things that were invisible to the other soldiers.

"Link, Faison, you two see anything up there?" Colonel Barnes transmitted through her throat mic. Her ears flicked to and fro as she strained to hear something, anything. Was the noise ahead something moving in the brush, or was it only the rain?

"No, ma'am," came Link's quick response. Faison and he were running point, several hundred yards ahead of the main group. They might as well have been miles away, invisible as they were in the dark and the rain.

The soldiers had picked up on the avatars' nervousness. "Everything alright, Colonel?" asked one of the squad leaders who paused and stood beside her. His head only came up to her hip.

"We're just fine, Thompson," Barnes murmured in response as she took a step forward towards the edge of the road. The light affixed to the barrel of her rifle was off, for it had been swiftly discovered that the extra illumination was more of a hinderance than a help to the hawklike eyes of the avatars. "Carry on, if you please."

Her words were really not a request. "Yes, ma'am," Thompson replied after a moment before he fell back in with his men, his own gaze flitting nervously back towards the jungle. Barnes could understand his discomfort - the rain splatting against their helmets was making it extra difficult for the men to see and hear.

"Contact," Smith's voice in her earpiece reported from the back of the column.

"Thiele, verify," Barnes rapped out. From her position up at the front of the column she could just make out the hulking shapes of Smith and Thiele covering the formation's rear. She cringed internally, waiting for a burst of gunfire. Noise discipline was of utmost priority, but better to shoot at something than to be eaten by whatever beasties inhabited this damned jungle. As head of security for Hell's Gate, she was well learned of the numerous dangers that Pandora fielded against them.

"Viperwolves, Colonel," Thiele reported, his tone flat and professional. "Saw one of the bastards peeking back through the brush. Damn, he was big."

The plant life 30 feet to Barnes' left suddenly rustled, as if in answer to Thiele, and the Colonel's head jerked to the side as she briefly caught a glimpse of a sleek, predatory shape darting between the trees. Some of her lengthy, no longer regulation cut, hair was plastered down against her face irritatingly close to her eyes, but she did not bother pushing it away. A low growl rumbled subconsciously in her throat, a warning from one hunter to another. Stay the fuck away from _my_ pack_, _she thought.

"All squad leaders, maintain close formation," Barnes ordered, changing radio channels to address the men. The avatar team was communicating on a separate frequency from the rest of the group. "It looks like we have a pack of viperwolves to our left - do not enable stragglers." To the avatar next to her, Barnes motioned with her left hand. "Keyes, help me cover this side. I don't want anyone eaten," she softly ordered.

Keyes' ears were lowered in discomfort. With her new, almost feline features, the woman looked remarkably similar to a wet cat at the moment. She would give her tail a sharp flick every few moments in an ultimately fruitless attempt to keep the appendage free of excess dripping water. "Acknowledged," she said through gritted teeth.

A not so distant thunderclap made both women flinch.

Thankfully, the viperwolves never made a move on anyone; they merely watched balefully from the forest, their eyes shining every now and then with the reflected lights from the human soldiers. Almost before she knew it, Link's voice came over the radio and reported, "Colonel, the front gate is in sight. We're not seeing any activity in the base. Only a few lights are on."

"Thank you, Major," Barnes replied crisply. "We'll be with you in a moment. What is the cover like around the perimeter fence?"

There was a brief pause. Then, "Cover is good. It looks like they've stopped applying chemical sprays," Link reported. "I see two slash cutters beside the gate that appear to have been assigned to lawn duty." After another short pause Link reported, "SAM turrets appear active. We'll have to take those off line before Valkyrie 4-0 makes her approach." He pronounced it, 'Valkyrie four zero.'

Barnes nodded to herself, unsurprised at the need to clear out air defense. Things were going well - she had not been looking forward to trekking her men through old growth forest. A quick check of her watch revealed that things were moving along right on schedule. The avatars had taken longer to decant than she had wished, but fortunately the march up the road had gained them back the time. Perfect. The timepiece said it was early morning, but you would never know it from the way it was still storming. The cloud cover, the rain, the thunder and lightning was thick and oppressive.

The group cut off of the road, turning into the jungle as they began to circle the base. It was muddy off of the main road, but the troopers resolutely pushed through the difficulty. Barnes was proud of her men - this was brutal work, and she would see to it that they were properly compensated for their efforts.

Excitement began to mount and fatigue fall away as they neared their target. They had finally circled around Hell's Gate until they were behind the refinery. The main operations complex was hidden behind the ugly, bulky Unobtanium processing plant. The tall smokestacks seemed to go up forever, their tops hidden in the mist and rain.

And best of all, they had seen not a single soul out and about.

Perfect. Barnes' discerning gaze was already picking out a tree that would suffice for her plan. She clicked on her radio. "All squads, defensive perimeter." Barnes watched in approval as the men circled out, facing away from the base, all but disappearing in the foliage. "Stoltz, Smith, on me." The two avatars jogged easily up, moving gracefully in their new bodies despite their weapons and heavy loads that they carried. Barnes simply pointed to the tree that she had picked out and gave the two men a curt nod.

Two smiles, teeth bared with aggression, was her silent acknowledgement. Stoltz and Smith unslung their packs and swiftly withdrew the necessary explosives, their sensitive eyes enabling their sure movements despite the darkness. Within minutes enough detcord was looped around the tree to ensure a clean cut. "Ready, ma'am," Thiele reported as he handed Barnes the wireless detonator.

Over the last hour the amount of lightning had decreased, but not altogether ceased. Addressing the group as a whole, Barnes said, "Alright people. Clear the blast zone. Stick to your cover. Link, Stoltz, proceed with entry when ready. Keyes, Thiele, Faison, follow and give them cover, but do not fire until directed. Major Link, please direct your cover as you see fit. Maintain stealth."

Affirmative responses came swiftly back and Barnes melted into the cover of the forest, using another tree as a shield. The next flash of lightning happened a scant minute later, and as soon as she heard the accompanying crack of thunder she depressed the detonator's trigger.

The sharp clap of the explosion lined up perfectly with the sound of the thunder, and the tall tree creaked and groaned as it began to tilt inexorably towards the fence. The sound of rending wood was music to Colonel Barnes' ears, and with one final great _snap! _the tree dropped straight down onto the fence, cleaving through the heavy-duty metal like a knife through butter. The squeal of rending metal joined the cacophony of the crunching limbs and branches as the tree settled violently onto the earth.

Barnes smiled when she felt the earth jump beneath her feet as the giant tree landed hard on the ground. She leaned out from behind her cover to survey their handiwork; the stump smoldered and sizzled in the rain, and a flurry of shed leaves swirled around them in a brief blizzard. Link and Stoltz were already moving, their powerful frames bounding silently over the downed tree and miscellaneous debris and into the refinery complex where they swiftly hid themselves amongst the buildings.

It was the perfect spot to create a new entrance into Hell's Gate, and to her amusement Barnes noted that the tree had rolled slightly as it had settled, leaving a gap in the fence beside its trunk large enough to drive a truck through. The RDA facility was no hardened military base; it had been set up more as a fortress against the elements. Most of the security cameras were set up around the airfield and the armory, and with their back door entry they would be relatively easy to avoid. Even still, while there was no stereotypical whoop of alarms or flashing lights, Barnes was quite sure that the new entrance had not gone unnoticed up in the control room. Someone would surely be out to investigate.

Keyes, Thiele, and Faison were seconds behind the first two avatars, rifles up and alert.

For a base that was surely understaffed, the response to the breach in the fence came quickly. "Contact," Link reported. Barnes could hear the eagerness in his voice, even though he was whispering. "Two men. Armed. Orders?"

Barnes only thought about it for a moment. "Let them report what they see. Then remove the threat as you see fit, Major," she replied.

Colonel Barnes did not have to wait long. "Clear," Link reported in a distinctly satisfied tone.

Her blood was surging through her veins now. "All squads, form up. You know the plan, people, now work it!"

Smith and Barnes sprinted quickly through the gap in the fence. It seemed to Colonel Barnes that the rest of the troopers were moving without any regards to stealth, but she had to remind herself that she was hearing the world around her with new, much more sensitive ears. Barnes smelled blood just before she rounded a corner, and she caught sight of two bodies that had been dispatched with knives, apparently.

One man had been stabbed in the heart through the ribs. Quite frankly a knife strike anywhere would have probably ended him, owing to the size of the avatars' blades.

The other man was literally decapitated, with his head resting a couple of yards away from his body. Probably Link, Barnes thought dryly. He always did prefer to go for the throat. But being ten feet tall, apparently he had underestimated his strength. The first two avatars were waiting just around another corner, and Barnes silently reneged her initial impression of the one-sided skirmish after catching sight of her Second.

If the fangy grin that he was wearing was any indication, Link had quite enjoyed his kill.

"Excessive much?" Barnes asked him, one eyebrow quirking up.

Link shrugged. "Thorough," he excused. Stoltz snorted and rolled his eyes.

Their group of four took off at a dead run, weaving swiftly through the refinery's industrial complex. "Colonel," Smith panted, "Is it wise to split forces like this?" There were plenty of other things unsaid that Smith's tone still conveyed. The news that their main person of interest was apparently permanently inhabiting his avatar came as a bit of a shock to everyone.

"The line between wisdom and necessity has always been blurry, soldier," Barnes replied tightly, her tone taking on the familiar hue that was so similar to the color of her human eyes. And that was the end of that conversation.

Even the inkling of conversation between the four avatars died down as they neared the avatar cabin. Barnes continued to marvel at how stealthily she was able to move. Why the hell had the RDA not thought of this any sooner? No wonder the science pukes were so enamored with avatars. What a shame that they wasted their gift poking around in the dirt - no, these bodies were meant for _hunting. _

For better or worse, the windows had been covered against the weather. That meant that they would not be spotted - it also meant that Barnes had no idea who or what was inside. Was it one man? An entire freaking clan of blue smurfs? Damned if I know, she thought grumpily. Still, it was the most logical place to check.

"We have reached the main building undetected," Keyes reported over the radio. She sounded eager, excited.

Barnes tapped her throat mic twice with her finger in acknowledgment.

They reached the front of the cabin, rifles up and ready. Their sensitive ears strained to hear anything inside, but the damned rain conspired to make that task nearly impossible. Through hand signals Barnes directed Stoltz and Link to cover the right side of the entryway; she and Smith would take the left. Colonel Barnes signaled for Major Link to kick in the door; Smith and Stoltz both tensed, tails flicking to and fro with an eagerness that would have been comical had the situation not been so serious.

Then the plan went out the proverbial window when the front door opened on its own and someone stepped out and down the steps, head (and ears) lowered against the rain.

He must have been one of the natives; who else would choose to wear a loincloth? The smurf froze on the steps, tail held rigid behind him, when his senses registered the four avatars. His head snapped up and his eyes flared wide in alarm as he took note of the soldiers surrounding him, of the four weapons leveled at his chest.

Well this is awkward, Barnes thought to herself as she slowly brought one of her fingers up to her lips in a silent _be quiet_ gesture. The man's eyes were the only thing that moved as he followed her action. Then, to Colonel Barnes' surprise, he nodded in acknowledgement.

Barnes' smile was more grim than friendly. "Link," she whispered, her eyes darting over the smurf's shoulder to where her Second was already beginning to unsheathe his combat knife.

Link struck out like a snake, the blade in his hand flashing for the briefest of moments from the lights of the far-off buildings as he angled for the native's jugular from behind.

The Na'vi must have noticed the attack somehow, because he was moving with a speed that almost did not register with Barnes. He grunted in surprise and slipped out of Link's grasp with remarkable ease; one of his hands closed over Link's knife hand and he gave a sharp pinch and twist. Barnes heard Link suck in a quick, pained breath as the blade slipped from his suddenly numb hand.

A swift kick to the stomach sent Link reeling down the steps and the Na'vi tumbling back against the door. The smurf managed to fumble the door open and nearly fell backwards back into the building.

"Shit," Barnes muttered as Smith and Stoltz sprang into motion, her eyes straining to form a picture of exactly what was waiting for them inside. The man that had bested Link almost slipped on the floor before recovering and leaping over to shield a Na'vi woman with his own body. This was heading downhill fast. Stoltz was knocked off his feet by something as soon as he crossed the threshold; Barnes caught a glimpse of wide, surprised eyes and wicked knife sticking out of his neck guard, and of the thrower who was already reaching for a second weapon.

Smith was suddenly grappling with someone just inside, and Barnes found herself getting angry again.

Barnes wanted to line up for a shot at the figure in front of her, but instead found herself turning away and using her rifle as an impromptu shield as the second knife zipped her way; she felt her weapon shiver in her hands as the blade bounced off.

_Fine, let's do this thing up close, _she thought as she spat out a vicious snarl and whirled all the way around, swinging the heavy gun as a club. It was a move that she would have never attempted in her petite human body, but wearing the blue suit did come with certain perks, after all.

The man answered with a hiss of his own, and Barnes could feel his considerable strength as he wrenched the rifle away from her. She chose not to fight him on that one; instead her right hand swiped up her thigh, scooping her pistol from its holster with a speed draw that worked just as well in this body as it did in her human one.

With a snarl of triumph she shoved the muzzle of the handgun against her opponent's neck; she was about to pull the trigger and sever the man's spine when to her great surprise she recognized her enemy as none other than Jake Sully. Colonel Barnes could not help the thrill of satisfaction that made her tail twitch behind her when she saw Sully's eyes widen in shock.

"Freeze! Don't fucking move!" Link was bellowing as he made it inside at last. Finally, the odds were tilting back in her direction. Time to finish it.

"Tell him to let off, Sully. Right now," Barnes growled, baring her teeth for emphasis. She jerked her head to the left to where Smith was being held flat on the ground with a blade to his neck. At the edge of her vision she caught sight of Link covering the final two Na'vi. "I've got three targets. He has one. Do the math."

Sully glanced over her right before he turned back to her, his eyes narrowed in frustrated anger. "Mal'ek...," he said.

Colonel Barnes heard a snarl from behind her, and Smith groaned in pain.

"Ma'am?" Link asked. His voice was calm, but his tail lashed angrily behind him. He was still steamed to say the least over what had happened outside.

"Hold your fire," Barnes ordered. The last thing she needed was Link getting trigger happy, just when things might fully tilt in their favor. Those two smurfs did not look like they wanted a fight, and Barnes was completely fine with that. "Sully, hands out to the side slowly," she growled as she carefully backed up. Barnes wanted the entire tactical picture.

Sully complied as he spoke something in Na'vi, his own eyes never wavering from Barnes'. She heard a bit of a scuffle and a pained yip, but soon Smith was back on his feet and covering the smurf with his gun.

"Better," Colonel Barnes smirked. "Stoltz, you okay back there?"

"We're good," she heard him pant as he too gathered himself up off the floor.

"Excellent," Barnes purred, the word becoming almost sibilant as she spoke it around sharpened canines. "Now, Sully, are you ready to have that conversation in person?"

* * *

"We've reached the main building undetected," Keyes reported.

Two clicks over the comms channel was her only reply. The Colonel's team was apparently too busy to talk.

"I can't wait for this to be over," Keyes muttered to herself after making damn sure that she was off comms. "I hate being wet." Along with Faison and Thiele, she was backed up against the exterior wall of the building that held the control room for Hell's Gate. It had been no small feat to make it this far without straying into the path of any security cameras. Despite her complaining she continued to scan around them, her rifle up and ready in the unlikely event that someone not friendly were to show their face out here.

"You know," Thiele quipped as he worked, "You're actually safe and dry right now. This is all pretty much a figment of your imagination."

"I am _not_ safe and dry," Keyes shot back. "I'm probably drowning in my own sweat, stuck inside that damn link module."

Faison glanced up from his work, his golden eyes flashing teasingly in the darkness. "Don't worry, Tanya," he said. The bioluminescent spots adorning his avatar's face brightened briefly, revealing a surge of feelings that he could have probably kept hidden in his human body. "I still think you look perfectly fetching, even in blue." His eyes traveled overtly up and down her frame. "Hmmm, especially in blue. And especially when you're soaking wet."

Tanya Keyes' own tanhi brightened involuntarily upon hearing Faison's words. Her response was a quick "Fuck you," along with an upraised middle finger to further reinforce the comment.

Faison was not deterred. "Really? Do you think we could give it a shot? We could call it a scientific experiment, if you want."

Keyes' growl was mostly annoyed, even as her ears flicked forward in mild interest.

"Wow, you know just how to get a girl in the mood," Thiele muttered as he put the finishing touches on his own shaped explosive charge.

"It's never scared her off before," Faison replied with confident bravado as he too completed prepping his own compact sticky bomb. The small explosive was just barely powerful enough to, say, shatter a pane of armored glass.

"Hey, boys. I'm right here," Keyes reminded them. "And I outrank the both of you. So shut your traps and get moving. The Colonel says we're on a tight schedule here."

"Yes, ma'am," Faison and Thiele replied in unison. Despite the quiet banter, no one had actually stopped working. They were the best, after all. There was a damn good reason that the RDA had chosen this group of men and women to be avatar drivers out of the pool of hundreds of Sec-Ops candidates.

"Ready," Thiele reported.

Faison said, "Hey Tanya, could you start climbing first? I'd love the chance to check out your -"

Keyes interrupted Faison's lecherous comment by roughly shoving the barrel of her rifle into his ribs, eliciting a quick, pained hiss, even if he never did stop grinning. "Shut the hell up and start climbing," Keyes ordered. She then shouldered her rifle and quickly grasped a handhold on the building's surface. The control room was only a few stories up - it should hardly be a challenge.

Faison informed Thiele in a less than subtle voice, "She's freaking hot when she gets in a dominating mood."

"Handcuffs, the whole nine yards?" Thiele asked.

"Oh, yeah," Faison confirmed, his tail wagging smugly behind him.

"You'll never get laid again if we don't get moving!" Keyes informed Faison as the three of them began to ascend the side of the building, resolutely ignoring the rain and the way that the wind whirled around them.

* * *

Hoshiro Tanaka was not a man given over to nervous fidgets. He did not tap his foot, drum his fingers, or do anything of the sort despite the fact that he was now indeed quite worried. It had been over five minutes since the two troopers he had dispatched to the refinery had reported that a tree had fallen onto the fence. Those two men should have been back by now. Repeated radio calls had been answered with nothing but static. Perhaps this could be excused by interference from the storm. Or perhaps not...

He knew he was tired. Hoshiro had been up for almost 36 hours straight without any sleep. Outside the relentless rain continued, and every now and then a gust of wind would send seemingly gallons upon gallons of water sheeting sideways against the control room windows. There was simply too much going on right now, and rest had not been an option. A quick cycle through the security camera feeds did not reassure him; the only thing of interest was a quick flash of movement on one of the refinery cameras, but it had not been distinct. It could have been anything - an animal, debris blowing in the wind...

The inkling of danger forming in the back of his mind was rapidly growing. Something was off.

Hoshiro took up a phone and dialed the extension for Max's suite. Max picked up after only one ring. "Yes?" he answered without preamble.

"I would ask that you come up to the control room, if you would please, Dr. Patel," Hoshiro replied.

There was a quick intake of breath and then, "Is everything alright?"

"I am not sure," Hoshiro answered honestly. "It appears that a tree blew down onto the fence behind the Unobtanium refinery. The two men whom I sent out to investigate have not yet returned. I would like to check on the situation myself."

"I'll be up in a minute to relieve you," Max said before hanging up.

Dr. Patel was as good as his word. In less than a minute he knocked softly on the door before entering the control room, wearing a rumpled lab coat but appearing quite alert. "How does everything...," Max trailed off when he observed the way that Hoshiro was intently studying one of the security feeds; the door remained open behind him.

Hoshiro tapped one of the pictures on the screen to maximize the view. The camera was mounted up high, covering one of the exterior doors. It appeared that someone was standing half-in one corner of the frame; half of a man's body could be seen, including a rifle that he was holding.

"Is that one of the guys you sent out?" Max asked.

There was a blur of movement as another person briefly stepped into view. The view of his face was blurry through his wet helmet when he glanced up at the camera. Then, both figures quickly stepped back out of sight.

"I am afraid not, Dr. Patel," Hoshiro whispered.

Max glanced sharply at the Japanese man as he felt a cold sweat break out over his body. Who else could it be...?

Then two of the control room windows blew in with a sharp _bang! _that sent shattered glass spraying across the room. The air suddenly turned foggy as the Earth atmosphere vented violently out through the two ruptures, and breach alarms began to wail loudly. All Max could hear as Hoshiro threw him none too gently to the deck was the ear-splitting sirens and the howl of the storm that was suddenly inside with them.

Max's one frantically inhaled breath already made his lungs start to itch, and he caught a whiff of a distinctly unpleasant smell. Their air was already gone, and his eyes were starting to water from the poisonous Pandoran atmosphere.

"Doctor!" Max heard Hoshiro shout beside him as the man roughly shoved a small rebreather towards him, almost jamming it into his mouth before Max had a chance to grasp it himself. "You need to leave!"

It seemed like an obvious statement to make, given the circumstances. Hoshiro gave him no time to think about it though, because suddenly he was being shoved rapidly towards the door. Their exit was being closed off automatically, Max realized, and he watched with a numb fascination as the door began to pivot shut by itself so that the rest of the base's atmosphere did not blow out through the control room.

Max felt his body brush the door and the frame simultaneously as he fell out into the hallway beyond. He turned back, intending to help pull Hoshiro through, but only had time to yank his foot clear before the hatch sealed shut.

Max sucked in foul-tasting but breathable air through his mouthpiece as he stared with wide eyes at the doorway. The whoop of the alarms finally snapped him out of his daze, and he frantically climbed to his feet and sprinted down the hall.

* * *

Hoshiro slumped against the door, nodding in silent relief that Dr. Patel had made it out safely. Something slammed hard into his side, spinning him around and driving from his body the precious breath of good air that he had been holding.

An avatar dressed in combat fatigues and holding a very large rifle towered over him, watching him closely through cold yellow eyes as Hoshiro gagged violently on the breath of foul air that his body involuntarily sucked in. Hoshiro had never heard the man sneak up behind him, not with the clamor of the alarms and the wind.

Hoshiro did not bother with emotions like surprise, even as his mind struggled to comprehend what was happening. His eyes darted to where a rack of spare exopacks hung on the wall, not more than 15 feet away. The avatar followed Hoshiro's gaze to the masks before turning his eyes back on the gasping man. He made no move to retrieve one of the exopacks.

The next breath sent spikes of agonizing pain shooting through Hoshiro's chest as he struggled to stand. He failed when his legs turned to jelly and he collapsed back to the floor. Hoshiro had given his only personal rebreather to Max, and now as he struggled to crawl on all fours towards the exopacks he silently cursed himself for simply not carrying two with him.

Keeping his gun trained on the helpless human, the avatar took a step backwards as Hoshiro managed to crawl by. Hoshiro made it about four steps before every ounce of strength left him and he finally collapsed for good. It felt like it was the most difficult thing Hoshiro had ever done to turn over and look upon the face of the giant avatar soldier, even as his vision began to fade out.

There was not a shred of sympathy on the enemy soldier's face. Hoshiro never really expected any to be there, anyway. The pain in his chest and the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears finally reached a crescendo, and Hoshiro closed his eyes and did not reopen them.

* * *

"Thiele, will you quit playing with the man and slap a mask on him already?" Keyes spoke as she furiously typed away on a control panel. "Barnes wants these people alive. Dead men don't talk."

"Fine," Thiele grumbled as he retrieved an exopack and placed it over the unconscious man's face. He pressed the button at the mask's base to charge it with air and crouched down so he could place his ear near the man's chest. Still breathing. Thiele's eyes settled back on the door. "What about the other one?" he growled. "Want me to go after him?"

"No," Keyes answered. "Stay here. We need to hold this room. Let the squads outside take care of him."

"Have they sent the signal to the harvester yet?" Thiele asked as he stood back up. He flung his braid back behind him with irritation - what the hell was the point of those damn things?

"No, they haven't," Keyes said with a relieved sigh. She quickly glanced up, visually confirming that Thiele was still covering the doorway. She knew that the room would be sealed because of the massive air leaks, but they wanted to be doubly sure that no one would try to force their way back inside. "David, do you have the missile turrets off line yet?" she rapped out.

David Faison nodded from his place across the room at a separate weapons systems panel as he finished his last keystroke with a flourish. "Yes, sugar, we're good," he reported.

"Not now, we're working," Keyes corrected in a distracted voice. Activating her throat radio, she said, "Finlay, Keyes. You are cleared for your final approach." Barnes had left her strict instructions: You get that bird on the ground as soon as it's safe. You don't have to wait for me to call her in.

Far, far above the storm the _Commerce Star's_ second Valkyrie flew in a racetrack holding pattern. "Roger that," Finlay replied tensely, his voice crackling with interference from the weather. "Victor 4-0 inbound."

Keyes changed channels and said, "Colonel Barnes, Keyes. Control room secure, defensive turrets are off line. Valkyrie 4-0 is inbound." Keyes changed channels yet again and addressed their group as a whole. "All squad leaders, go, go, go! Use deadly force only as a last resort. Let's get this done, people!"

* * *

Kyle had never been more terrified in his entire life. The Valkyrie crash, wrestling with a freaking palulukan...he would have cheerfully relived any of those events a thousand times again if it meant getting out of this situation now.

He fully expected to die. First, one of the avatars had tried slitting his throat, and Kyle had no idea how the hell he had gotten out of that one alive. He heard the man move behind him, and some kind of preternatural sense told him exactly what was coming. Then he was on autopilot. It was just like wrestling with Tsaro, or any of his other hunter friends - except this time he would be dead if he lost.

The right motions to slip his would-be killer's grasp came naturally to him, and thank Eywa he remembered how to hit that pressure point on the wrist.

Any internal revelry at his success was overridden by the all-consuming urge to protect his mate. All the questions that were burning in his mind were put on hold until he could answer this one: Have I done everything I can to protect her?

Well, he thought morosely as he stumbled back inside the cabin, the RDA's presence here meant the answer to that question was a heart-wrenching "no."

Kyle waited there, his arms clasped tightly around Tanhi's body, for the end. He had been shot before, so he had an idea of what to expect.

Except the bullets never came. His ears twitched as they took in the sounds of a brief struggle, and for a split second his heart soared with the hope that Mal'ek and Jake would be able to stave off the attack. Any self-berating thoughts of why he had left his knife and bow by the bed never even crossed his mind. What Kyle was doing right now was the most important thing to him in the world.

Then his hopes were dashed into a billion pieces as he heard harsh commands and orders being shouted out in 'Ìnglìsì. They had lost. He felt Tanhi quaking with fear in his arms, and all he could do was squeeze her tighter. _"I am right here," _he whispered in his mate's ear for only her to ever hear.

"Now, Sully, are you ready to have that conversation in person?" the woman, the leader asked.

Jake made no reply, and Kyle heard the woman sigh in exasperation. Colonel Barnes, is that what she was called? Whatever. It didn't matter anymore, he thought numbly.

"From this moment onward, Hell's Gate is returned to RDA control. All of its resources and equipment are to be returned to their rightful owners," Colonel Barnes said in an icy, official tone. Then her next words made Kyle's stomach churn into an even tighter knot, something he did not think was possible. "And that includes your avatar, Corporal. You are in possession of stolen property, and I will be taking that back." There was the ominous click of a weapon cocking. "Now, because you are no longer employed with this company and because the avatar is no longer useful to anyone else, I see no problem with destroying it."

Mal'ek's enraged roar and the sound of the other soldiers yelling and swearing at him seemed to just fade into the background.

Jake's life did not exactly flash before his eyes in that moment. Only certain parts of it did, mostly memories pertaining to Neytiri, and to the son that he never got a chance to hold or see. Everything that he had ever fought for and been prepared to die for, and most importantly to live for, came crashing down around him. His eyes drifted shut and he simply thought, _I'm sorry, Love. I didn't mean to lie to you._

But the shot never came.

As Jake's eyes slid back open he tried to get his mind to work around the fact that he was still alive. Colonel Barnes still had her pistol leveled at his forehead. Her mouth was set in a grim, tight line, her expression calculating, as she watched him closely for a reaction. He realized that he had stopped breathing, and he had to remind his body to heave in another breath.

"What are you waiting for?" Jake rasped out, his voice suddenly hoarse.

One of Colonel Barnes' eyebrows climbed inquisitively, and her ears were flared forward with interest. "It does not surprise me that you would die for this place, not after all that you've already done," Barnes said in an indecipherable tone as she lowered the weapon, though only by a scant few degrees. "You know, it's really not that difficult to die for a cause. That's almost the easy way out." She laughed softly and shook her head, and strangely enough there was no mockery in her next words. "But to live for something? That's another matter entirely. And that tells me so much more about you."

Jake, his arms still held out from his sides, could only stare blankly at her. Did she know...?

"It's over, Sully," Barnes said. Then, to Jake's surprise, she answered his unspoken question. "I wasn't really going to shoot you." She sneered, baring sharp fangs again. "I know you're not human anymore. To be honest, you've further complicated an already difficult situation."

"My apologies," Jake retorted as he fought to mask his surprise.

"Apology not accepted," Barnes shot back. Before she could say more everyone's ears flicked as a growing roar slowly materialized and became separate from the din of the storm. With a sick feeling of recognition Jake placed the noise as a Valkyrie shuttle making its final approach. Barnes tapped her earpiece and said, "That's the last nail in the coffin. We've taken the control room, and as we speak Sec-Ops troopers are storming Hell's Gate. That shuttle contains the rest of our forces. You've lost."

Jake simply shook his head in perverse wonder. "Do you really think you can survive here, Colonel?" he asked. "You've got, what, 200 men at most? It won't last, I promise you."

"I _could_ just shoot you right here, you know," Barnes informed Jake candidly.

"You could," Jake conceded. "But I'm not talking about me. This whole world is against you. Do you think you can just pick up where the RDA left off without a fight?" He fought down the urge to growl, swear, or hit something - or someone. Ultimately all that he had to show for his emotions were a lashing tail and lowered ears, like a cowed dog. The sudden realization that he had _lost, _had just been bested, set his temper on edge. If not for his family, he would have actually been angry that Barnes did not have the balls to shoot him.

It had been a rather emotionally draining process to prepare himself for death in the half-second timeframe that he had been allotted. And to have all that preparation be for not was oddly infuriating.

For a tiny moment Barnes actually looked weary. "I don't want a fight. I meant what I said before, Jake," she said, her voice almost softening. "You will need to answer for your actions. But everyone else is off the hook. I don't want to shed any more blood here today than I have to." Barnes nodded towards Mal'ek, and then towards Kyle and Tanhi. "Tell your people to leave. Right now, out the front gate."

Jake was not the only person surprised by this. For a second Major Link's face contorted into a mask of rage before he caught himself. "Colonel!" he objected. "I don't think -"

Barnes never glanced away from Jake. She kept her eyes on him, watching him warily as if he were a wild animal. "What you _think, _Major, is of no concern," Colonel Barnes hissed. "You read our orders, just like I did. We are not here to make war. We are here to restore order to where it was lost. Am I clear?" Major Link took a little too long to respond, and Barnes practically roared a second time, "Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Major Elias Link replied with most likely forced ease as his avatar's expression calmed and smoothed over. "Crystal clear, ma'am."

"Excellent," Barnes replied. To Jake, she said, "They go. You stay." Her words were clipped, sharp with irritation. Her entire tone was rife with authority, as if she were berating Jake like the corporal that he once was.

This time, Jake did growl.

_"Olo'eyktan, she cannot mean what she says!" _Mal'ek spat out. He was beyond livid, a coiled spring that could snap at any moment.

His voice jerked Jake back into the present. Okay, let's take stock here: I'm not dead. No one else is either, for that matter. I still need to take care of my clan mates - and I need to stay alive for Neytiri.

Jake's eyes widened fractionally, and he resisted the urge to glance to his left. _Kyle. _He had to get that man out of here. _Now. _Mal'ek was still arguing, but Jake cut him off with a hiss and a sharp look. _"No," _he said flatly as he pointed at his Second for emphasis. _"I am not the most important person in this room right now." _Mal'ek's jaw clicked shut, and Jake saw in his expression anger give way to realization. _"Take care of your family. And mine, until I get back."_

Mal'ek's lip twitched up in a subconscious snarl, baring a sharp canine for a brief second. His loyalty to his friend and Olo'eyktan clashed with his own personal protective instincts. _"I hate you for making me do this," _he finally declared.

A short burst of gunfire from somewhere outside made the Na'vi flinch. Barnes did not look too terribly worried though, and she only turned away for a moment to murmur into her radio.

_"It is decided," _Jake shot back. They needed to get out of here before things got too hot.

"Alright, shut the hell up! This isn't a fucking conference," Link growled. He shot a murderous glare at the back of the Na'vi who was still protecting his native chick. If the Colonel wanted to let them go, then fine. It did not mean he had to be gentle with them on the way out.

Before he could take a step he found his way blocked by a certain race-traitor, who did not seem bothered in the slightest by all of the weapons pointed in his direction. Sully's expression was almost chilling in its calmness. "They go unharmed," he said in a low voice. "Or I don't go quietly."

Link did not budge. "Is that so?" he retorted in that smooth, dangerous voice of his.

Jake's fists clenched at his sides as he firmly clamped down on the urge to strike out. He would not be goaded. _"Move it, you three," _he said softly; he never looked away from Link, who flashed an unkind smile as he finally took a step back.

With a final huff of supreme annoyance, Mal'ek crossed over behind Jake and placed a hand on Kyle and Tanhi's shoulder, murmuring quiet instructions in Na'vi.

"Let them through," Colonel Barnes ordered to Smith and Stoltz, who begrudgingly stepped aside.

Link watched the three natives move, heads down, ears lowered almost comically with apprehension. There was something important happening, something subtle, Link was sure of it... It was the way that they moved, like they were protecting someone with an injury or a weakness. But it was not the female, like Link would have initially figured. It was the one that had almost ruined everything when he had stepped out of the cabin. The male kept his head down and his gaze on the floor; he never looked anyone in the eye.

There was something about that one that was subtly...off somehow. Major Link's eyes narrowed as the man passed by, less than an arm's length away. His sharp mind tried to nail down the fleeting observation -

"Hey."

Link growled with irritation upon being interrupted as he jerked his head around to face the prisoner.

"I said leave them alone," Sully commanded.

Major Link merely tilted his head fractionally as he studied the former human. Then, without warning, he punched Jake squarely in the jaw.

Jake saw the blow coming but made no move to block it. He snapped his head to the side to absorb the impact, and he immediately felt blood welling up from a split in his lip.

The big Na'vi heard what happened and whirled around with a snarl. Damn, they sound like animals, Link thought. It was only Smith and Stoltz shoving their rifles in his face that prevented the big native from leaping to Jake's defense.

"Major, he can't answer any questions if he can't speak," Barnes stated as her own ears flattened back with aggression. "While your zeal is appreciated, such action is not necessary. Restrain yourself."

Link shook out his hand and nodded. "Yes, ma'am," he said. "My apologies." He did not sound the least bit sorry.

Even if his hand was smarting, Link had to admit that he felt quite satisfied with himself. He snuck a quick look over his shoulder and watched the commotion as the two troopers shoved the three Na'vi rudely out the door. The woman almost tripped and fell on the steps, but the man next to her quickly grasped her upper arm to steady her. Then the two avatar soldiers blocked Link's view as they forced their charges outside.

* * *

The hallways of Hell's Gate had never seemed so long before, Max thought as he ran. He had only made it down the stairs when the breach alarm was silenced. Max desperately wanted to warn his friends, but the executive suites were on the far side of the complex - hopefully the alarm had been enough to wake them. Lord knows that they had done enough safety drills to the sound of that damned siren.

Max turned a corner - and ran headlong into an armed man in Sec-Ops fatigues.

"Easy, Dr. Patel, easy!" Thom Collins said gently as he took note of Max's utterly terrified expression. "What's going on?" The pilot was cradling a rather large shotgun in his arms - like his paperback novels and lawn chair, that shotgun went with him on every flight out into the Pandoran wild. While he did not exactly sleep with a gun under his pillow, it was nonetheless always within easy reach.

Max recovered his senses enough to relay what had just transpired.

Collins' eyes widened. "Tanaka didn't make it out?" he asked.

Max shook his head. "No, no, I'm sorry! He pushed me through the door first, and when I tried to turn around -"

"No, that sounds like him," Collins said with a firm shake of his head as he cut Max off. "He wanted you out of there. None of this is your fault."

With an utterly dejected groan Max shook his head in disagreement. "Yes, it is. We... We should have just destroyed that damned ship when we had the chance. If we hadn't let them -"

Collins interrupted again as he reached out and tightly gripped Max's upper arm. "Stop it," he commanded. "There's no time for that. The only question worth answering is this: what are you gonna do next?"

The question shocked Max out of his self-loathing. What _was_ he going to do next? "The biolab," he heard himself say. "That's the next best place to reach the avatar cabin from. We have to let Jake know what's happening!"

Collins nodded grimly as the pair took off down the hall. "And we need to get Kyle out of here," he added grimly.

Even with the addition of the refugees from the _Enterprise Star, _Hell's Gate had always been an uncrowded place after the war. Now, that emptiness held nothing but foreboding.

A minute later two men rounded the final corner. At the same time, several RDA Sec-Ops troopers turned the other corner at the far end of the hallway, each group snapping their respective weapons up as they registered the presence of the other. Max's eyes darted towards the entrance of the biolab - it was only a few steps away.

"Lower your weapon! Put it on the floor!" Two men stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their own rifles pointed at Max and Collins.

"You ain't gonna have much time," Collins whispered out of the corner of his mouth. The pilot quickly angled the barrel of his 12 gauge down and fired two fast shots towards the floor. The spread of pellets hit the deck and ricocheted up, slowing down and spreading out to cover the entire hallway. While no longer lethal, the buckshot was still quite painful - the two troopers cried out as they fell backwards, firing off several wild shots of their own.

His ears still ringing from the booming report of Collins' shotgun, Max dove forwards towards the door. He just barely managed to get into the lab when more gunshots sounded out, and he slammed the door closed and locked it behind him.

Hundreds of random thoughts raced through Max's mind as he frantically threaded his way through the lab towards the communications panel. So many vital experiments needed to be taken care of... They had done so much good in these last couple of years - would it all be for nothing, now? Max jolted to a halt beside a link bed that had been cordoned off with yellow safety tape. Only one man had used that link unit. On an impulse Max quickly yanked away all of the tape, which he balled up and tossed into a corner - he had no desire to explain to the RDA what had happened with this particular link bed.

* * *

Collins had no intention of being a martyr; he took cover in an alcove opposite the biolab as several bullets zinged past him. "Shit, shit, Goddamnit," he muttered to himself as he pumped the gun a second time; the ejected shell was still smoking as it tumbled to the floor at his feet. A quick glance into the passageway revealed that the troopers he had shot at had pulled themselves back around their corner.

A small canister was thrown his way. Collins got a quick glimpse of the thing as it tumbled across the floor past his hiding spot, and he swore again as he threw his arm up over his face. A deafening bang rendered him completely deaf, finishing what his shotgun had started.

Despite having covered his eyes, he was still partially blind from the bright flash of light when he stuck his shotgun out into the hall and fired for a third time. Maybe he could keep the soldiers at bay long enough to make it to the biolab...

If that damned flashbang grenade had not deafened him, he might have heard the booted footsteps approaching from the opposite direction. Collins flinched when he felt a rifle's barrel poke him squarely between his shoulder blades.

"That's more than enough," an angry voice growled from behind Collins. Even if the words were still fuzzy, the gun at his back spoke clearly enough.

Collins could only grit his teeth in anger as he carefully lowered his shotgun to the floor and slowly brought his hands up to rest behind his head. The pilot watched dejectedly as two troopers stepped out to the biolab door. Finding it locked, they simply called whoever they had posted in the control room, and within seconds they had the door open. Seconds after that they were prodding a very disappointed looking Dr. Patel back out into the hallway.

"Did you get through?" Collins asked in a low voice.

Max simply shook his head. "No time. Glad you're alright. I heard an explosion, and I thought..."

Collins shrugged and rolled his eyes. "My ears are still ringing," he offered.

"Now what," Max moaned softly, mostly to himself.

Much to his surprise, Max received an answer. "We're going to the cafeteria," one of the squad leaders informed him in an emotionless voice. "Colonel Barnes wants everyone gathered there."

Collins' hearing was returning enough for him to formulate a snarky response. "Time to meet the queen bitch of the universe."

* * *

Exterior lights were beginning to pop on as Kyle, Tanhi, and Mal'ek were forced out of the cabin, into the pouring rain. Kyle had never seen Hell's Gate lit up like this before. Gone was the "tread lightly" attitude of the humans who had stayed behind. Now the base's harsh illumination blotted out the natural light from the glowing plants of the forest, as if further reinforcing humanity's impression of the dark and dangerous nature of the Pandoran wilds.

A Valkyrie shuttle squatted triumphantly on the runway as groups of soldiers unloaded the contents of its belly, and as soon as the craft was emptied its engines began to throttle up again for takeoff. Kyle resisted the urge to clap his hands over his ears - he did not want to risk anyone noticing his extra fingers.

The scream of the shuttle's engines had reached its climax when Tanhi let out a scream of her own. Kyle almost missed his mate's anguished exclamation, but there was no mistaking the way her hand tightened almost painfully around his own, or how she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

Kyle quickly brought his free hand up to hide Tanhi's face from whatever she had seen - even if he had to keep said hand clenched into a fist.

The source of Tanhi's cry quickly became apparent to Kyle and Mal'ek, for just on the other side of the garden a dark mass could be seen on the ground. It was the carcass of the pa'li that Tanhi had ridden to Hell's Gate. Kyle growled angrily to himself. There was no need to kill such a peaceful creature! But knowing the kind nature of the pa'li, its friendliness had most likely been its undoing. It had probably ambled over to say "hi" to the new people, and whether out of fear or just plain cruelty someone had unloaded several bullets into its skull.

It looked like they all would be walking, now.

A crack of thunder over their heads made everyone flinch again. This was setting up to be an utterly miserable day.

Smith and Stoltz never said anything, but in an odd way Kyle was grateful for their presence. All of the people that they came across were unfamiliar, and every single human looked up at the tall Na'vi with unkind, suspicious expressions. The presence of the avatar soldiers no doubt enabled them safe passage.

And in any event, better that Smith and Stoltz be assigned as their guards than someone like Link.

Colonel Barnes and Major Link had stayed back to guard Jake. Though the thought of leaving his friend and Olo'eyktan behind churned Kyle's stomach in a sick manner, Kyle's rational self-voice saw the wisdom in Jake's actions. Kyle was an unknown to the RDA - for now. But that fact could change any second, and Jake wanted Kyle, Tanhi, and Mal'ek to leave now while their window was still open.

Still, Kyle wished he could have at least met Jake's eyes just one more time, to somehow silently say goodbye or offer some kind of reassurance that he would not be left behind.

They reached the front entrance for Hell's Gate. The black asphalt road was the only true safe travel path in the storm, but it certainly did not lead to a safe haven.

"Alright you three. Run, before we change our minds," Smith growled.

"Dude, I don't think they speak English," Stoltz muttered.

"I bet they speak this," Smith retorted, and he fired off several rounds from his rifle into the ground at the Na'vi's feet.

Kyle snarled wordlessly as he clamped his hand around Tanhi's upper arm and drug her unceremoniously into the forest, bulling his way through the plants and leaves that slapped and pulled at them, with Mal'ek hot on their heels.

"That's right, run!" a voice carried after them. More bullets zinged by overhead, rending leaves and splintering tree limbs.

The three Na'vi did indeed run, but within several dozen steps they found themselves slipping and sliding down the bank of a small gully that had turned into an impromptu stream from all the rain. They landed with a mucky _splat_ at the bottom and stood panting in over a foot of running water.

_"Is anyone injured?" _Mal'ek quickly asked through frantic breaths. _"Tanhi? Kyle?"_

Kyle had his arm around Tanhi's shoulder, and he looked questioningly into her eyes. Tanhi was not meeting his gaze, but she did offer a single stiff nod.

"We're fine," Kyle answered darkly. "All things considered." Kyle tenderly pushed some of Tanhi's soaked braids away from her eyes, managing to secure a few behind her still-lowered ears. "Mal'ek, what are we going to do now?"

An angry growl rumbled from deep within the warrior's chest. _"We must return to Kelutral," _he stated.

Kyle snarled in reply. "That's not what I meant!" He motioned savagely back in the general direction of the base. "They have Jake! Norm! Everyone!"

Mal'ek sloshed forward through the water and mud and placed his hand on Kyle's shoulder, half reassuring, half commanding. _"My answer is still the same. We can do nothing for our friends here. We must return to our home; we must warn the People."_

Kyle nodded, though his lips twisted into another silent snarl.

Mal'ek squeezed Kyle's shoulder. _"You know why the Olo'eyktan acted as he did. He kept us safe. Kept you safe."_

Kyle hissed angrily and batted Mal'ek's hand away. "I don't need to be protected!" Kyle spat angrily. Why did Jake have to take _my_ fall, Kyle added silently. Just because his rational mind already had the answer did not mean that Kyle had to agree with it.

Mal'ek cuffed Kyle on the side of the head in a way that he had not done since Kyle's training. Such times felt like ages ago. _"Do not act like a skxawng!" _Mal'ek hissed back. _"You are wise enough to See this!"_

Kyle pushed back on his temper and nodded again. _"The forest is a dangerous place," _he said after a moment in stiff Na'vi as he moved some of his own soaked braids away from his face. A warrior's mohawk like Mal'ek or Tsaro's made more sense now - there was simply less hair to get in the way of things.

Mal'ek merely nodded. Kyle's unsaid words were clear. The distance to travel back to Kelutral was a formidable one, and that would have been on a good day, without the added hazard of the raging storm. They did not have their bows, only their own individual knives. It was meager protection against the likes of a pack of nantang...or worse.

_"Talk gains us nothing," _Mal'ek said as he went to slosh past Kyle and Tanhi. _"We must move."_

* * *

Kyle had no idea how long they had been struggling through the woods. Impressively, it had not taken Mal'ek long to find a somewhat navigable path. They still had to slog their way through thick mud, but at least the trail saved them from having to fight the long way around some of Pandora's more unpleasant plant species.

That was not even counting the wildlife. There was a pack of nantang out there somewhere - they could hear the viperwolves' haunting cries every now and then. Their yipping calls came with just enough frequency to ensure that their presence was never far from Kyle's mind.

They walked in silence. All of Kyle's attempts to get Tanhi to say anything ended with failure - she found some way to answer his questions with a nod or shake of her head, and when that did not work she simply ignored him entirely.

It was not the first time that Mal'ek had seen his daughter lock up in an extremely stressful situation. _"She is fine, Kyle," _Mal'ek said over his shoulder with a sigh. _"She knows that you are concerned for her, and she appreciates it. Your presence here is comfort enough, I assure you."_

Kyle cast a sideways glance towards his mate; Tanhi did not appear to be listening. "Yes, sir," Kyle replied with a sigh of his own.

Several minutes later Kyle's ears flicked back as he detected a commotion above them that had nothing to do with the water sluicing down through the jungle canopy. He glanced up just in time to see two ikran, cawing and cackling frantically, struggle their way down through the thick tree cover. The giant one Kyle recognized at once, of course.

"Txopuluke!" he cried as he ran forward and gave the ikran an affectionate hug around the snout. Txopuluke shrugged him off, though, and began to shake his head as he coughed and hacked violently.

Kyle backed up, eyes wide with fright when by all accounts Txopuluke threw up, ejecting from his mouth some kind of clear, sticky fluid that dripped in thick ropes from his jaw. The ikran shook his head some more as he tried to rid himself of the viscous fluid. The other ikran quickly launched into a coughing fit of his own, with similar results.

"Mal'ek, what's wrong with them?" Kyle blurted. He cautiously crept back towards Txopuluke, who was panting tiredly.

_"It is the storm, Kyle," _Mal'ek explained as he stepped up to soothe his own ikran. _"It is difficult for them to breathe when it is raining this hard. They would not normally be flying right now. But the bond with their hunters is stronger than their desire for their own comfort. I knew they would find us."_

Both ikran held their bodies horizontally to the ground, jaw crests almost brushing the mud, as they struggled to breathe. Then, Kyle understood: ikran did not have nostrils up in their skulls like terran animals did. They inhaled through openings in the front of their chest cavity called spiracles and exhaled aft through separate gill-like slits. Kyle could only begin to wonder what complications flying through heavy rain could cause with such a physiological design.

_"You were correct when you said that the forest is a dangerous place, my son. The path back to the People will be fraught with hazards." _Mal'ek spoke as he set about comforting Tìtxur while simultaneously checking over his mount's saddle. _"Tell me, Kyle. Can your ikran carry you and your mate both?"_

Kyle blinked as he considered this. On a good day...maybe. He and Txopuluke had joked around about such an idea in the past, during much calmer times. But now? Kyle shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Not with this much wind and rain."

Mal'ek nodded. _"Then Kyle, Tanhi, we are all faced with a decision. All three of us can set out on foot for Kelutral. Or one of the ikran makto can fly ahead to Kelutral, tell the People what has happened here, and return with additional hunters and pa'li." _Mal'ek gave Tanhi and Kyle each a pointed look. _"Neither choice will be easy. Or safe. What say you?"_

_ "I am not leaving Tanhi,"_ Kyle stated firmly as he placed his arm around her shoulders for emphasis.

Mal'ek smiled and nodded. With all that was going on, Kyle's Na'vi was still a little halting and broken, but his word choice brooked no doubt as to his opinion on the matter. _"I thought as much. It will most likely take a day or two to reach Kelutral on foot. If I fly ahead, I can return with pa'li for you both in half that time."_

Tanhi spoke for the first time since their whole ordeal started. _"Flying by ikran through this storm will be just as dangerous as staying on the ground. Perhaps more so, Sempul," _she pointed out in a soft, monotone voice.

Kyle closed his eyes in concentration as he spoke. _"Even if you make it to Kelutral, and are able to return with a hunting party for us... How will you know where we are?"_

Mal'ek motioned with his hand at the trail, then pointed off to the right. _"This is the main game trail on the west side of the river. If you stay on the path, I will find you again. I swear it."_

Kyle and Tanhi shared a look. Even without tsaheylu, they could practically read the other's mind on the matter. Though no words were exchanged, they each arrived at the same conclusion. Tanhi spoke for both herself and Kyle when she said, _"Go, Sempul. Warn the People. Come back for us."_

Mal'ek nodded and wiped his face with his hand in a futile attempt to keep the water from running into his eyes. _"Keep one another safe," _he commanded as he embraced Tanhi and Kyle both, gently pressing his forehead against each of theirs in a short but fond farewell. Then he joined his queue with Tìtxur's and swiftly mounted up. "Ìley!" Mal'ek cried as Tìtxur launched himself off the ground, beating powerfully with all four wings and leaving snorts of misty exhalations behind him, looking for all the world like exhaust from an airplane.

Txopuluke snorted impatiently and hopped closer so that he could bump his snout against Kyle. He was ready to fly, too.

Kyle quickly linked his queue with his ikran's, though he did not climb into the saddle. He could feel Txopuluke's emotional state quite clearly: the ikran was pissed beyond belief at just about everything. The rain, the wind, all the noise at the human base. Txopuluke could also smell Kyle's own anxiety, and that in turn made him anxious as well.

_Sorry friend, I can't fly with you now, _Kyle said, his mental voice tired and forlorn. _I will not abandon my mate._

Txopuluke understood this. Being on the verge of choosing a partner himself, he would certainly not hold such feelings against his hunter. _Then I will stay here with you, _he replied.

Kyle shook his head. _You don't have to, I know that -_

The ikran hissed and clacked his jaws in disagreement. _I will only go if you tell me so! _he interrupted with no uncertain words.

Once again, Kyle was amazed at Txopuluke's loyalty. _Then stay, if you wish to. I will not object. I cannot thank you enough for all that you do, and have done already._

_No need to thank, _Txopuluke replied. Then he disconnected his tswin and took off as well, flapping his wings hard as he ascended back up through the canopy.

Kyle felt a surge of profound loneliness as he shaded his eyes against Txopuluke's downdraft. He slumped tiredly, and when Tanhi placed her arm around his waist and gently supported him he did not object. His mate's next words jolted him out of any self-pity, though. _"I should not have come," _Tanhi sobbed. _"Then you would be free to fly home with my father. You would be safer if you did not have to remain here with me."_

Kyle was stunned. "Whoa, hey, none of that!" he said firmly. "I won't accept that from you! Neither of us can go back and change the past. Don't start down that road, Tanhi!" A thought struck Kyle like one of the lightning bolts from the storm. It was so ironically amusing to him that he laughed out loud, and Tanhi shot him a strange look. "You probably saved my life by being here, you know," Kyle said.

Tanhi blinked, perplexed. "I do not understand," she replied.

Kyle gently stroked the pads of his fingers across Tanhi's wet cheek, tracing a line of glowing freckles on her smooth skin. The moisture from the rain elegantly disguised her tears. "Think about it," Kyle said with a smile. "If you hadn't been there and made that horrible request for Pxorna' seeds, I wouldn't have stepped outside at the moment that I did. The soldiers would have taken us by surprise, Tanhi. Who knows what would have happened then? I might be dead now."

Tanhi's ears stood up to attention in astonishment, then fell back again nearly as quickly. _"I do not want to think about you dying," _she said in a strangled voice before hiding her face against his neck. _"Yawne," _she added, making Kyle's heart jump with joy.

"Then don't," Kyle said before he kissed her cheek. "Because it didn't happen like that." He waited a spell for his words to sink in before he gave Tanhi a quick hug. "Come on, Tanhi. We should probably keep moving. We're not out of the woods yet."

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Tanhi's lips, and she gave Kyle another funny look. Of corse they were not out of the woods yet. Sometimes her mate said the strangest things...

* * *

Kyle and Tanhi kept pressing onward. They had been walking for what felt like hours. Supposedly it was daytime by now, but damned if Kyle could tell - the cloud cover was all-encompassing, and rain never ever let up. Their steps were hampered by the mud; it clung to their legs, completely coating them from almost the knee down. Kyle felt like he was trying to march along with his feet encased in concrete.

Except that concrete would have probably given them more traction. Kyle lost count of the number of times that Tanhi steadied him when he almost slipped and fell flat on his ass, or vice versa.

_"Yawne, why did you put yourself between me and the warrior dreamwalkers?"_

Tanhi's question struck Kyle completely by surprise, and he stopped walking for a second as he replayed his mate's words again in his mind. The answer was so obvious to him that he had not even thought about that question even once since it had happened. _"Tanhi. I love you. I did not want you to get hurt," _he said carefully.

Tanhi nodded slowly as she pondered this. _"You would have wanted yourself to be hurt before me?" _she asked.

Kyle had managed to take a few more steps, but he stopped again and turned to look back at his mate. He squinted through the rain at her. "Yes," he said simply, switching back to English. He was getting too tired to think in Na'vi. "Why, are you surprised?"

Tanhi offered him a small smile and shook her head. _"No, Yawne, I am not surprised at all that you would do this."_

Kyle's lips compressed into a tight line as he nodded, satisfied with her response. He turned back around and resumed their trek home.

But Tanhi was not done with her questions. _"My Kyle. What would you do if... If you had to choose between protecting me, and protecting our child?"_

Kyle whipped back around so fast that he almost lost his footing in the mud, and his arms pinwheeled as his tail lashed frantically to maintain his balance. "What?" he almost shrieked. He rubbed his temples with his fingers and screwed his eyes shut; his feet were still spread slightly apart as if he were afraid that an earthquake would strike and knock him over. "Tanhi, why the hell would you ask me a question like that?"

Tanhi merely tilted her head to the side as she observed Kyle. _"Because I want to know the answer," _she replied simply.

Kyle could only gape speechlessly at her for a moment. Then, he groaned. "My God, Tanhi. That is a terrible, mean, awful question for you to ask. I don't want to have to ever think about that." Where the hell had _this_ line of inquiry come from?

_"Because you might have to make that decision, as horrible as it would be," _Tanhi replied in a level tone of voice that was completely at odds with the torture she was inflicting on her mate.

Kyle looked utterly stricken, and his golden eyes darted frantically about in the hope that his answer might be hiding just out of sight in the bushes. "Tanhi, I can't answer that...," he hedged. "I don't know," he blurted after a moment. "I'd find a way to save you both."

His mate remained silent as she watched him, not appearing satisfied with his answer in the least.

"Fine!" Kyle exploded as his ears flattened angrily against his skull. "We don't have a kid right now, so I can't really compare you to anyone," he spat. "I guess I'd pick you!" Suddenly unwilling to even look at his mate, Kyle quickly turned away from her as his fists clenched at his sides.

Tanhi watched Kyle's shoulders rise and fall from his labored breaths; she could see the muscles in his arms and shoulders tense tight. She sighed and stepped up behind him so that she could wrap her arms around his waist and set her chin on his shoulder. They stood still in silence for a long moment, where the only sounds to be heard were the falling rain and rumbling thunder as Tanhi waited patiently for Kyle to calm down.

At last, Tanhi spoke. _"The fact that you could not easily answer the question was answer enough for me, Yawne," _Tanhi whispered. _"It was the only right way to answer it."_

"I wasn't ready for that," Kyle managed to get out. It was probably one of his more profound understatements.

Tanhi kissed the side of his head. _"I am sorry, Yawne," _she murmured. _"After what happened...it was all I could think about." _That was Tanhi's own profound understatement of the day. She sighed again when she felt Kyle's hands gently settle over her own, felt his calloused fingers tenderly rub over her knuckles.

"Let's just keep walking," Kyle sighed. "Your father is right, we need to get back."

Tanhi nodded. Kyle took another step, and in that moment unknowable forces finally combined in the perfect fashion and Kyle's foot shot out from under him in the slick mud. He did not have time to utter single noise, and instead found himself pondering his newfound change of perspective as he stared up at Tanhi from the flat of his back. His view now was oddly reminiscent of the very first time that he had ever laid eyes on his mate.

Tanhi stared right back at him, her eyes wide and her mouth open in a silent "O" as she tried to figure out whether to ask if Kyle was okay or laugh at the strange expression on his face. The question was answered when Kyle smiled sheepishly up at her, and she allowed a small chuckle to slip out.

"That was more clumsy than graceful," she gently teased him.

Kyle groaned and rolled his eyes. "Great, now I'm totally filthy," he complained. "Why don't you help your poor muntxatan up instead of laughing at him?" he pouted exaggeratedly.

Tanhi laughed again and reached down to grasp his proffered hand. She was glad they could laugh, given the circumstances.

As their hands clasped one another Tanhi watched Kyle's eyes shift away from her, and his expression suddenly changed. Without any warning he yanked hard on her arm, dragging her down into the mud beside him. Tanhi could only suck in a quick, surprised breath as the first inkling of irritation began to form. That was _not_ funny, Kyle!

Then something struck her shoulder mid-fall, turning her so that she splatted into the mud beside Kyle on her side. _"What are you -" _she started to yell.

"Are you okay?" Kyle interrupted, eyes wide with concern as he floundered upright on his own, then hauled her up after him. Something started making a horrible shrieking noise close by that hurt Tanhi's ears, and then she realized fully what was going on.

A large animal burst out of the cover at the edge of the trail, stumbling and weaving almost drunkenly on its six feet as it homed in on the piercing squealing sound. A lenay'ga! Tanhi had only seen a dead one, years ago, that some Omaticayan hunters had brought back to Kelutral.

Kyle had saved her life by pulling her down to the ground. Lenay'ga, or slingers, as humans called them, hunted in a unique and terribly strange way. The large, sloth-like creatures silently stalked their prey, usually waiting in ambush for a likely meal to stray close by. Then the lenay'ga would snap its neck forward, and a most unusual thing would happen: Its long head would completely detach from its body and shoot forward on its own, a self-guided organic missile, as it sought to imbed its deadly, poisoned stinger into the other animal.

Anyone unfortunate enough to be struck by the poison dart of a lenay'ga would be quickly paralyzed, and would still be quite aware of what was occurring as the slinger's head start to squeal and shriek in order to guide the now sightless body over. Though unable to move, the person would still be awake as the head and body, still separate, began their feast.

Instead of being pierced through from behind, Tanhi had only received a glancing blow to the shoulder.

The slinger's body stumbled past them, almost knocking Tanhi over again by accident as it knelt down beside its own head, which had imbedded itself in a tree instead of Tanhi's body. Tanhi watched in mute fascination as the miniature forest of glowing pink neural tendrils that covered top of the slinger's neck, so like the ones at the end of her own queue, lengthened and squirmed about as they reached for their counterparts on the dart-like head. Once rejoined the lenay'ga began to wrench its head back and forth in an effort to free its stinger from its woody prison.

"Come on!" Kyle shouted as he began to run, pulling Tanhi along behind him. "Shit!"

Abandoning all stealth, the lenay'ga turned and cocked back to fire again. Kyle and Tanhi stumbled apart as the slinger's head shot between them, its dart missing by inches again.

Tanhi slipped and fell, but Kyle was instantly at her side to help her up. _"My ankle," _she groaned in a pained voice. She had twisted it as she fell.

She had no choice but to hold on tight to Kyle's neck as he scooped her up, bridal style, and desperately began to stumble away.

Tanhi was no fool. She knew that Kyle could not move fast enough to make it to safety, not now anyway. He might slip and fall and twist his own ankle at any moment, burdened as he was with carrying her. But she was not going to waste her breath by telling him to leave her. She would have a better chance of success if she screamed at the sun to stop rising.

Kyle sidestepped the motionless, squealing head of the lenay'ga. He hazarded a glance down and found the slinger to be staring right back at him with baleful, beady eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat and looked away. "Hold on tight," he grunted as he shifted Tanhi in his arms and struggled to keep his footing in the damned treacherous mud.

"Kyle!" Tanhi shouted as she watched with wide eyes behind them.

Kyle looked back over his shoulder, half expecting to see the lenay'ga reunited as a single creature again and ready to shoot at them a third time.

But what he saw instead was an enormous, dark shape swooping down the path behind all of them, descending silently from the trees like the proverbial bat out of hell.

Txopuluke deftly snatched up the slinger's still headless body in his jaws, effortlessly carrying his burden over Kyle and Tanhi's heads. Kyle watched with wide-eyed amazement as his ikran bore down hard with his jaws; Kyle heard a single fleshy _crunch_ and then the two now separate halves of the slinger's torso tumbled lifelessly to the ground.

His job complete, Txopuluke angled up and glided back into another hiding place amongst the trees.

It took a moment for Kyle to register the sound of the slinger's head, still squealing from behind them. _"Set me down, I am alright," _Tanhi said in a voice that did not quite mask all of her pain. Even so Kyle complied, watching warily as Tanhi gingerly placed some of her weight on her injured ankle. _"Do your duty, Taronyu," _Tanhi said as she nodded towards their now helpless enemy.

Kyle glanced back at the slinger's orphaned head section and nodded carefully. The creature's cries suddenly stilled, as if it knew that it had lost; now it watched the two Na'vi in silence. Slowly unsheathing his knife from its place behind his back, Kyle knelt down beside the slinger's head. "Oel ngati kameie, ma Tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi ireiyo...," he began to recite. The slinger's eyes tracked his every move - that is until Kyle swiftly and mercifully drove his blade through the creature's eye socket into its brain.

While Kyle had no intention of eating the lenay'ga, the creature could still be useful to them, even in death. While Tanhi selected a suitable length of wood to serve as a spear shaft, Kyle carefully cut free the slinger's deadly barb to use as the tip. Within minutes they had a formidable weapon that greatly made up for their lack of bows and arrows.

"Can you walk okay, or do I need to carry you?" Kyle gently asked. There was no condescension in his voice whatsoever. He spoke of carrying Tanhi over miles and miles of rugged trail, through the pouring rain, as if it was something that he did every day.

Tanhi smiled faintly in return. Former uniltìranyu or not, she _had_ chosen and been chosen by one of the strongest men in the clan, and she did not bother to disguise her flush of feminine pride. "I think I can walk on my own, Yawne," she replied. "Though I do not think I will be able to move quickly."

Kyle nodded as he squinted up at the trees overhead. "Somehow I think we'll be safe," he mused as he silently heaped praise upon his ikran. Txopuluke had undoubtedly saved both of their tails.

Good, Kyle thought as he reflexively looked behind him, back in the direction that they had come from. His expression darkened and he growled softly. Kyle clenched his hand tightly around his newly made spear, making the muscles and tendons beneath his striped blue skin bulge. This isn't over, he promised himself.


	36. Chapter 36

**Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a blessed holiday with friends and family, and may you find the time (at least in part) to be relaxing and peaceful.**

**Well, I've decided to try to take some of your guys' suggestions and publish shorter chapters, sooner. The good news is that this chapter is a little shorter! The bad news is that...hmmm, it still took a month to update. Oh, crap... Okay, seriously, not to beat a dead horse (not literally, you sickos!), but I have to keep playing the "I'm-busier-'en-hell-work-is-killing-me" card. The month of December is good for that. Now, THAT being said, I think we're finally passed that point, and I sincerely hope to pick up the pace of writing, both for your sake and mine!**

**I need to thank two people: One, thank you Amaya Shinkuyoake for allowing me to use a phrase that you coined! ;-) And two, thank you to my as-yet unnamed beta reader, who has worked tirelessly in editing my mistakes, as well as continually pushing and encouraging me to press on. Even if it was *only* two sections, the last edit literally came overnight. THAT deserves a thank you!**

**Now...because it IS Christmas, after all... Could I shameless ask for tons of reviews? You know, as a present to me? *makes innocent eyes and little nantang ears***

Chapter 36

Norm kept a tight grip on Amber's arm, unwilling as he was to let absolutely anything separate them. Having armed soldiers burst into their room when they were still sound asleep was a most unpleasant surprise. As a consolation, they had at least been given the chance to get dressed.

Now they were being herded towards the cafeteria by stern, though wet, looking soldiers dressed in brand new RDA Sec-Ops uniforms. The other residents of Hell's Gate that crossed paths with them all wore some variation of the same dazed and surprised look. There was a general atmosphere of stunned acceptance - had that _really_ just happened?

It looked like half of the base's population was already seated in the cafeteria, nervously awaiting whatever judgement was to befall them. The room was filled with hushed conversations, and everyone kept casting skittish glances at their stone-faced guards who were standing solemnly to the side, CARB rifles cradled across their chests.

Despite his best efforts to the contrary, Norm could not halt the formation of a sickening knot in his stomach.

Norm caught sight of the back of Max's head, and he gently steered Amber towards the table where Max sat at the front of the room. Collins was sitting beside him, wearing a vacant, distant stare on his face, and he kept rubbing his fingers in tight circles against the skin beneath his ears.

"Thom, are you okay?" Norm whispered, concerned.

The pilot seemingly ignored him, but Max offered, "Flashbang grenade."

Ah. That would explain it, then, Norm mused. Then, a sudden, horrifying thought: "Max, were you able to warn -"

"No, I wasn't," the scientist replied bitterly. "I have no idea what's happened to Jake or...," Max's voice caught as he almost let the name of Norm's cousin slip out. "Or any of the others," he finished. Max's face screwed up in an odd frown, as if he was debating how much to say. "They have avatars, Norm!" Max hissed. "They came in through the control room windows. They grabbed the whole base from that one room!"

"Where the hell are they linking from?" Norm shot back in a low voice. He shot a glance at their closest guard and found the man watching them covertly. Their eyes locked, and the soldier looked away as a small smirk crossed his features.

A collective gasp began to ripple up from the back of the room, and Norm, Max, and Amber turned to see what was going on. Poor Collins still could not hear a thing, but he turned around anyway to find out what the hell everyone else was staring at.

Two female avatars ducked beneath the low doorway into the room, looking powerful, beautiful, and dangerous. One remained by the door, arms folded smugly across her chest, as the other began to stalk around the perimeter, eyeing everyone gathered there like they were some sort of prize she had won. Maybe that was all they were to her... One of the human soldiers detached from his place against the wall and fell in beside the avatar.

"Is this everyone, Tobias?" the avatar asked. Norm felt a chill race down his spine. _Shit, _he thought_. _She sounded, and looked, remarkably like Colonel Barnes. Apparently there were rude surprises to be had by both parties.

"This is everyone from the main dormitories," the soldier replied. "We have teams who are still doing a thorough sweep of the rest of the base, as well as all the outlying buildings. If there is anyone else, we will find them."

"Excellent," Barnes replied as her tail gave a satisfied swish behind her.

The Colonel arrived at the front of the room and clasped her hands behind her at the small of her back, and Norm suddenly felt a sick sense of déjà vu. This was not going to be the Pandora 101 safety briefing, courtesy of one Professor Quaritch.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen," Colonel Barnes said in a commanding voice as she abruptly clapped her hands in front of her. As if she did not already command everyone's attention in the room. "I apologize for getting all of you up so early, but there are important matters that need to be attended to. First, an introduction: my name is Colonel Samantha Barnes. And I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you." She cast a distinctly unfriendly look about the room, though her lips did turn up in a smile when her gaze landed on Norm and Max, where she offered a small nod in greeting.

Norm managed to suppress a groan, though he did slump a little lower in his chair.

"First, let me be completely forthcoming in my reason for being here," Barnes continued in a bright, almost cheery voice. "I am Colonel Miles Quaritch's replacement as head of security for Hell's Gate. Unfortunately, events two years ago have changed that mission somewhat. Now I need to find out what happened here and why, all with the goal of returning Hell's Gate to full operational capacity."

Barnes paused as her gaze swept the room, waiting for anyone to voice an objection. No one did.

"I imagine that it has been difficult for everyone here, being so cut off from home," she said. "From Earth," she added, as if for clarification. "Our employer wishes to pass along a message: they are sincerely sorry for what has happened here. The RDA offers you this choice, then; you may remain at Hell's Gate and continue to serve out your rotations. Or, you may return home on the _Commerce Star. _Either way, your contracts will be paid in full."

"Yeah, right," a voice quietly retorted.

Barnes' eyes narrowed as she searched the crowd for the speaker. Some of the Sec-Ops troopers shifted anxiously on their feet. "Stockholm Syndrome," Barnes said slowly. "It is a regrettable thing, but perhaps not unexpected." The Colonel suddenly snapped her blue fingers and said, "Oh, that reminds me! Someone appears to have tampered with the refueling drones for the ISVs. Does anyone here know anything about that?"

The room went suspiciously still. Barnes kept her facial expression neutral, but everyone could tell from the way that her ears flattened back that she was not pleased in the slightest.

"Well, no matter," she grunted and waved her hand dismissively. "That will be fixed soon enough." Her voice became almost cheery again, and though she smiled it could still not exactly be called a friendly expression. "I'm afraid that most of you will be confined to your quarters for the time being. While I will be suspending, temporarily at least, any activities by the science department, I don't intend to keep everyone permanently locked up."

Norm, Max, and Amber exchanged looks. What was she getting at? There was no way that she would be letting everyone off that easy. There was a catch, somewhere, Norm was sure of it. And he silently wondered how painful that catch would be, once it was made known.

Colonel Barnes talked for only a few more minutes. She laid down some patently nonnegotiable ground rules. While the new RDA force seemed to be handling themselves so far with unexpected benevolence, the use of deadly force if necessary was certainly hinted at if the need arose.

The meeting was soon adjourned, but for one last "request" on the Colonel's part. She wanted every person in the room to state in a clear voice their name and job function. Norm felt...catalogued somehow by the whole event. Colonel Barnes' attention to detail was impeccable, and Norm silently dreaded the moment when she would uncover the truth about just exactly who had sabotaged the orbital harvesters.

Once the introductions were completed, Colonel Barnes dismissed everyone. Except for... "Doctors Max Patel and Norman Spellman, please stay here. I wish to talk with you two further, in person."

Amber squeezed Norm's hand reassuringly. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Stay calm, Norm. You're smart, I know you can do this. We'll make everything turn out right in the end." Then she let his hand go and left with everyone else. She did not look back.

Eventually the room emptied until only Norm, Max, and Colonel Barnes remained. Barnes' avatar towered over the two humans. While she was not being presumptuous about that fact, she made no move to lessen the intimidation factor of being almost ten feet tall.

"Alright," she began with a growl. "Who did it?"

Norm and Max glanced once at each other and remained silent.

"Fine, I didn't think I'd get an answer that easily," Barnes said with a shrug. "Let's move on to my next question. How did Corporal Sully permanently transfer his consciousness into his avatar?"

Both Norm and Max jerked their heads up to give the Colonel a quick, surprised look. And again, there was no answer.

Barnes' grin revealed the sharp points of her canines. "That one hit a nerve, did it?" she asked, her tone tinged with amusement. "Yeah, he wouldn't answer that question, either." Barnes admitted in a too casual voice. "Hmm, perhaps you two have some questions for me?" she purred.

"You didn't kill him, did you?" Norm blurted before he could stop himself. He just had to know.

One of Colonel Barnes' eyebrows rose. "No, I did not," she replied succinctly. "The RDA wishes to press charges against Corporal Sully for his actions. However, his current state of being now makes that a bit problematic. Thankfully, he won't be going anywhere while I figure out the solution to that problem."

Max's eyes widened in alarm. "You've captured him?" he asked. "You're holding him here?"

Norm groaned. "Great, now we're all as good as dead," he muttered.

Colonel Barnes' brow creased into a frown. "Why is that?" she demanded.

"Because Jake is the Omaticayan Olo'eyktan," Max explained.

"He's more than that," Norm grunted. "He's Toruk Makto."

Barnes was beginning to look increasingly irritated. "Those terms don't mean shit to me," she growled.

Now Norm actually laughed out loud, his demeanor rapidly sliding into a brash, devil-may-care attitude. "Oh, they don't? Didn't the RDA teach you anything before they blasted you off four lightyears from home?"

Max tried to set a gently restraining hand on Norm's arm, but the scientist shook him off.

"Not only is Jake clan leader, he's also essentially a mythological figure to all Na'vi," Norm explained. "Only five other Na'vi have had the same title in all of their history, Colonel. So congratulations! When word gets out that you're keeping Jake locked up, you'll send every Na'vi on the continent into a murderous rage. They'll wipe out every human on Pandora!" Norm threw his hands up in exasperation and said, "You've been here all of what, 12 hours? And you've already lost, and you don't even realize it. Way to go."

Max was literally holding his breath as he waited for the Colonel to do something rash in response to Norm's outburst, like maybe rip his head off. Much to his surprise and relief, a mask of tranquility seemed to come over Colonel Barnes' face, and she simply asked, "Are you finished, Dr. Spellman?"

Norm blinked once as his brain caught up with his mouth. "Sure," he grunted. As if she'd actually listen, he silently reasoned.

"Good," Barnes said in a crisp voice as she nodded towards the door. "You are dismissed. There are men waiting outside to escort you back to your quarters, where you will remain until I say differently."

Norm remained rooted to the spot, a scowl seemingly permanently fixed to his face, until Max firmly grasped his upper arm and began to haul him off for the exit. "Come on, let's not tempt fate any further," Max muttered.

Colonel Barnes watched the two men leave, her golden eyes narrowing thoughtfully and her tail twitching with concentration behind her. While she did not share Dr. Spellman's sense of defeat on the matter, that did not mean that she had not been listening.

* * *

A soldier made to place a firm hand on Norm's upper arm when Max and he left the cafeteria, but Norm shook him off. "I can navigate just fine on my own, thank you very much!" he snapped.

The RDA trooper scowled and let go, but he uttered no response as he and his partner fell in behind Max and Norm.

"What you said back there, to Barnes...," Max said as he warily eyed their guards. "Is all of that true? You weren't exaggerating, were you?"

Norm's shrug was deceptively casual. "I don't think I was exaggerating," Norm said. "I think that the RDA just stuck a cherry bomb into the proverbial hornet's nest again. I know I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of Neytiri's anger when she finds out what happened."

Max winced and nodded. "Right," he agreed. "I wonder what...," he trailed off and shot an openly irritated look at the Sec-Ops trooper that was following annoyingly close to his left side.

There were plenty of unsaid undertones that Norm picked up on, and what really needed to be said between them needed to happen without an audience. Still, Norm caught Max's question. "Let's just say that when the arrows start to fly, I'm keeping my head down," he muttered.

The guard on Norm's right side snickered at this. "Like that'll happen," he scoffed. He patted his CARB rifle and said, "We'll see who hits harder now."

_"If you are not afraid of palulukan, I will not tell you that he is behind you," _Norm murmured to himself with a small, humorless smile.

* * *

When Mal'ek finally landed at the top of Kelutral he was literally trembling and shaking - whether it was from fear, exhaustion, or some combination of both, he could not tell. He felt sore all over, and he thought that the entire experience had been remarkably similar to the time when he was swept down some rapids as a youth. Part of Mal'ek's mental state was due in no small part to his bond with Tìtxur, who had managed to push himself beyond the limits of what even he and his own hunter had thought possible. The ikran was about ready to simply drop from exhaustion.

Mal'ek stumbled and fell ungracefully onto his rear as soon as he slid out of the saddle. Tìtxur feebly nudged Mal'ek's shoulder, which pushed Mal'ek completely over, and through tsaheylu Mal'ek could feel both satisfaction and relief that their journey was finally over.

For a moment Mal'ek simply lay there on the branch, flat on his back, panting as he caught his breath. He was too tired to care about the wind that still whipped about this far above the forest canopy, and it was all he could do to avoid falling asleep on the spot. He had an important message to deliver. And Tanhi and Kyle still needed him.

_Thank you, old friend, _Mal'ek said as he climbed to his feet with a tired groan. Never more than now had he felt like an old man. _Please, rest. You have more than earned it._

Mal'ek tried not to slink as he made his way down the spiral into the heart of Kelutral. He was a proud Na'vi warrior. He was Omaticaya. He was not supposed to "slink." Mal'ek's steps stuttered for a moment - the thought finally crossed his mind that he was also now effectively clan leader.

He tried to ignore the surprised expressions that his brothers and sisters gave him as he passed by. Any questions died on their lips as they took note of Mal'ek's countenance. He was the epitome of a man on a mission.

Mal'ek froze for a second as he passed by two specific nivi. The still Na'vi forms of Normspellman and Amberferris slept peacefully, as if nothing was wrong in the world. Mal'ek wondered where they were now, and he murmured a silent prayer to Eywa to please take care of his friends.

Mal'ek caught sight of Tsaro, who was just about to disappear down one of Hometree's other spirals, and called out a sharp command that drew the young hunter up short. Tsaro whipped around, eyes wide with surprise. _"Mal'ek! What are you -" _he began.

Tsaro never finished his sentence. _"Stop what you are doing, right now," _Mal'ek commanded. _"Kyle and Tanhi need help." _Tsaro's eyes widened in alarm, but Mal'ek plowed on. _"You and another hunter need to take four pa'li. Ride down the trail by the river that leads to the Tawtute's home. Kyle and Tanhi will be on that path. Find them, Tsaro, and bring them back. Can you do this?"_

The young man nodded. _"Sìlpey and I will go," _Tsaro quickly said. _"Mal'ek, please... Tell me what has happened," _he implored.

Mal'ek hissed and closed his eyes for a moment. _"The Tawtute who know nothing of Eywa are here. They have captured our friends' home. And...they have taken the Olo'eyktan prisoner."_

Tsaro's ears flicked back and stayed there, and the expression in his eyes turned frightfully hard. _"Jakesully is not just Olo'eyktan," _he said. _"He is Toruk Makto. This cannot last."_

Mal'ek's smile was utterly devoid of humor. _"You See truly, Tsaro," _was all that he said on that particular subject. _"Go, ride fast. Bring those who are lost safely home." _Now Mal'ek faced the undesirable, but necessary, task of finding Moat and Neytiri.

* * *

Despite his outward appearance, Jake was anything but calm. Inside, he was utterly furious.

But damn if he would show it. Jake was seated on the floor of the avatar prep room with his back against the wall. The ambient room had been totally emptied of equipment, save for a mattress from one of the gurneys that Jake was currently sitting on. No, Jake's expression was serene, and he began to exercise the meditative breathing that Neytiri and Moat had taught him. Only the tip of his tail which flicked to and fro with agitation gave a hint of the turmoil inside.

A faint sneer curled up one corner of his lip as his fragile veneer of calm shattered into a thousand pieces. Thinking about the source of his technique inevitably led to thinking about his teacher, which led to thinking about... Jake vigorously shook his head to interrupt his train of thought, and he heaved in and out a great breath as he forced himself to start again, to reassemble the pieces of glass back into a single pane, one pebble at a time. _From the beginning..._

Master the mind, the heart, and everything else will fall into place.

Sully, Jacob John. Corporal. Service number 533,809.

His Na'vi meditation began to mix rather oddly with his own military training, and Jake simply shrugged and embraced the two very different parts of himself. He would make them work together, build off of the unique strengths of them both. Jake had been trained in the military's dark magic of resisting "enhanced interrogation." It was part of why he had been so good at dishing it out, back in the day. But he had never been on the receiving end of it...and he wondered now if that would soon change.

Even as he focused on appeasing his emotional side, the part of him that was raging at the RDA and utterly terrified for his mate, his son, and their future, Jake allowed his logical side to run off on autopilot. The tactical side did not give a flying fuck how he felt right now, and Jake was fine with that. He might well need that detachment in the not so distant future.

How ironic that the place where he had first entered this body was now his prison. The Hell's Gate link room was empty. A detailed examination through the observation windows showed Jake that no struggle had taken place there. The biolab was still and quiet, as if nothing was wrong.

Jake's ears told him a different story. Outside he could hear men shouting in clipped, professional tones; he could hear the yelling and cursing of hard manual labor. Engines were started with a muffled growl. He could hear heavy footsteps of a few AMP suits clomping around. This brought another sneer to Jake's face - those metal suits would forever remind him of Quaritch.

Hell's Gate was waking up, changing back into the lair that it had been two years ago.

Jake's weapons harness had been confiscated, along with all of his blades. It had been rather amusing watching one of the human troopers try to handle one of his Na'vi hunting knives. The primitive yet elegant weapon was too heavy for the man, and almost the size of a human short sword. The knife had been one that Neytiri had made for him, after they had settled into their new Hometree. Jake hoped he could get it back one day.

The code for the airlock into the biolab had been changed from what Jake had always known it to be. Not that he had any desire to flee _into_ the human establishment. The door leading outside was secured. Since this room was never meant to contain Earth atmosphere, that door was not a pressure door, and was relatively light. It opened outwards, so Jake had no access to the hinges. But even if he did, what could he use to try to break out? His fingernails?

Though no one had been by to check on him after he had been locked into the ambient room, Jake knew he was being watched. The cameras up in the corner of the ceiling were proof of that. No, for now Jake would behave.

Jake could be extremely patient, when he wanted to be. He could wait, unmoving, for an entire day when he was out hunting. For two days he had waited in ambush along a jungle track, wearing a ghillie suite and covered in mud and mosquito repellent, ages ago on another planet, waiting for a warlord's convoy to drive by.

Jake had never been on the receiving end of the concept of "Leave No Man Behind." The thought rested strangely on Jake's mind. He was only one person. Tactically, was he really worth the cost, the risk, of trying to rescue? Probably not, Jake reasoned. But that was not the point. If any of his clan mates had been captured, Jake would not hesitate to come to their rescue. No matter what, he would find a way to do it.

Someone would be coming for him, Jake was sure. Neytiri would move heaven and hell to see to that, and Jake could only hope and pray that she had enough common sense not to do the job herself. Though God help the RDA if she did...

* * *

Kyle may not have had to carry Tanhi, but she did spend a lot of time leaning against him for support. She never complained about her ankle, but it took no great skill to see the discomfort etched across her features. Kyle purposed to send her to Loak, the Omaticaya's senior healer, as soon as they made it back - no matter what she said. Tanhi was not the only stubborn one in their relationship.

Every new sound in the forest made Kyle jump, and his ears were swiveling constantly as he strained to discern any more threats. His lenay'ga spear was always at the ready.

Whether it was the smell of the freshly killed slinger that went with Kyle's weapon or the imposing presence of Txopuluke in the trees overhead, no more predators threatened them. Even the nantang that had seemed to be following at great distance fell away. _"It is the lenay'ga," _explained Tanhi in a voice that was tense with pain. _"Nantang despise their smell. Even palulukan does not appreciate it."_

Kyle smiled tightly and nodded. Perhaps the slinger's attack had been a blessing in disguise. At least, it had turned out that way.

A while later Kyle's ears flicked forward as he detected the faint sound of heavy footsteps on the ground. Faint, but growing stronger - something was coming. "Get behind me," Kyle commanded, tugging gently but insistently on Tanhi's arm to reinforce his words. Tanhi crouched low behind her mate and began to edge off of the trail, while Kyle readied his spear. His ears flattened and his tail began to lash aggressively behind him. Tanhi's own hand settled on the blade at her hip.

What appeared around the corner up ahead was not a threat. In fact, it was just the opposite - two pa'li bearing Tsaro and Sìlpey, with bows drawn and arrows ready to be nocked, came tearing around the bend. Two more riderless pa'li followed behind them.

Kyle let out a relieved sigh as he stepped back out into the open and lowered his spear. "Tsaro!" he shouted as he raised a hand in greeting.

Tsaro was dismounting even before his pa'li had slowed to a stop. The horselike creature snorted and whinnied, and its flanks heaved in an out. The reflected light from the glowing forest shimmered on its rain and sweat-slicked skin - Tsaro and Sìlpey had been traveling fast. _"Kyle! Tanhi! Are both of you alright?" _Tsaro asked quickly as he glanced back and forth between his two friends.

Kyle and Tanhi both looked awful. They were covered in mud and grime - the rain had not washed them so much as simply spread the dirt evenly around. Kyle had constructed a crude spear that he gripped tightly, as though unwilling to let anyone ever take it away from him. Tsaro did a double take and studied the spear a second time, more closely. Where had Kyle acquired a lenay'ga dart?

"I'm fine, but Tanhi -" Kyle began.

_"Did my father make it home safely?" _Tanhi interrupted.

Tsaro nodded as he and Kyle helped Tanhi towards one of the spare pa'li. _"He is tired, but safe. He sent us out to find you two right away," _he explained.

Sìlpey remained on her own pa'li. Her bow was still held at the ready, but she appeared unworried as she studied the trees above them. She motioned with her bow and said evenly, _"It would seem that protection was never far from you and your mate, Kylefischer."_

Kyle looked up in the indicated direction. Perched vertically against a tree trunk was Txopuluke, his head angled so that he could keep a close watch over them. The glowing plant life provided just enough illumination for even Kyle's sensitive eyes to catch sight of the ikran.

It took a moment for Kyle's exhausted mind to process Sìlpey's distinct Na'vi accent, and he had to remind himself to speak the language of the People so that she could understand him. _"He has been watching over us the entire time, I believe. It was Txopuluke who saved us from the lenay'ga," _Kyle explained.

Sìlpey nodded. _"Eywa chose you for him, and him for you," _she said with a small smile. _"I believe that you will find your ikran to be a powerful ally in the days to come."_

Kyle had no words to respond to a statement like that. He could only nod slowly in agreement.

_"Kyle...What has happened?" _Tsaro asked after Tanhi was comfortably seated on the back of one of the pa'li._ "Mal'ek says that the sightless Tawtute have captured the Olo'eyktan! That our friends' home has been overrun!"_

With a wince, Kyle nodded. _"It is as you say," _he admitted. _"What has been the Omaticaya's reaction? How is...how is Neytiri doing?"_

Tsaro's jaw muscles clenched tight. _"The People are angry, Kyle," _he said. _"We are preparing for war. Now come. We must return home."_

They rode home, back to Kelutral, without speaking. Everyone was absorbed in their own thoughts. Kyle tried his damnedest not to dwell on the danger that his friends and family faced. He desperately hoped that Norm was safe, and his mind was already chewing over ways to get Jake out. Unfortunately, none of his infantile plans seemed even remotely workable.

The atmosphere within the Omaticaya's home had changed by the time Kyle, Tanhi, Tsaro, and Sìlpey had returned. Kyle had never heard such silence before in his new home. There was no frivolous conversation, no laughter or younglings running around and playing. The normally kind, open faces of the Na'vi were now hard and angry. The air fairly seethed with tension.

As he had suspected, Tanhi objected greatly to going to see the healers. _"I can attend to it myself!" _she had said. Kyle would not accept any objection, and he saw to it personally that his mate's ankle was taken care of. Thankfully, Loak diagnosed it as only a mild sprain. A fibrous leaf wrap was the best he could do to give the joint support, and he issued strict orders for Tanhi to be careful and not to exert herself.

"Oh, I'll see to that," Kyle muttered. The English was lost on Loak, but Tanhi understood Kyle's words and tone well enough, and she scowled at him. She was split almost equally between gratitude and irritation.

Once Tanhi had been taken care of, Kyle raced off to find Neytiri. He found her, along with Moat, Mal'ek, and several other elders, discussing what had occurred around a fire in the empty meal chamber. The heat from the flames provided some welcome warmth and dryness from the pervasive moisture in the air.

What Kyle heard sent a chill down his body in spite of the fire's warmth. Tsaro had been right - the Na'vi were preparing for a full-on war. Mal'ek noticed Kyle standing there, so he detached himself from the meeting and approached his son-in-law. _"Kyle...," _be began wearily, _"We are not yet ready to include you in this conversation. It is a matter first for the Tsahìk, and for the elders." _Mal'ek looked exhausted, his eyes bloodshot as he pleaded with Kyle.

"Bullshit," Kyle snarled in English. "You can't attack the RDA head-on! Mal'ek, you know that's crazy!"

Mal'ek sighed, for deep inside he knew what Kyle said was true. _"It is not only up to me," _he said. _"The decision will be the council's. When the storm clears, ikran makto will be sent out to all the Na'vi that fought during the Great Battle. As soon as enough warriors are gathered, we will attack the Tawtute and drive them out again."_

The lack of conviction in Mal'ek's words was painfully obvious, and Kyle rolled his eyes and snorted in derision. "That's stupid, and we both know it," Kyle hissed. "That sounds like a great way to get a lot of people killed! Including Jake, and my cousin!"

Kyle's voice was creeping up in volume, and upon hearing these words Mal'ek tightly grasped Kyle's upper arms and began to shove him backwards out of the chamber. _"Do not say such things!" _the warrior growled. He did not stop pushing until Kyle was outside the room and shoved up against a wall. _"Those words help no one!"_

Undeterred, Kyle shoved at Mal'ek's chest, but with little effect. It was like trying to push a mountain. "What, does the truth hurt?" Kyle spat in a low voice. "The Na'vi barely won against the RDA the last time. You would have been slaughtered if Eywa hadn't bailed you out! Do you think you'll do much better against Hell's Gate itself?" Mal'ek narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to object, but Kyle interrupted. "You don't know where Jake is being held! And do you think that 15 other clans will be able to tell the difference between the humans who are for the Na'vi and the invaders? You'd be sentencing Norm, Amber, Hoshiro, Max...everyone that you and I both care about to death! Tell me if I'm wrong!"

Mal'ek let go of Kyle's arms and looked at the ground as he let out a heavy sigh. _"You speak truly and See well, Kyle," _Mal'ek admitted. _"But many others do not share your wisdom on the matter."_

It was then that Kyle noticed that his argument with Mal'ek was not going unobserved. "Neytiri!" he blurted, and his ears drooped. How much had she heard? "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that..." His voice trailed away ungracefully. Mal'ek looked similarly stricken.

Neytiri stared at Kyle with hard eyes. "Did you betray my Jake?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion. "Did you turn on the People?"

Kyle's own eyes widened. "What? No, never! I meant -"

"Then do not be sorry," Neytiri growled. She looked at Kyle and Mal'ek both and said, "If you did no wrong, do not say sorry. If you care about my Jake, and about our friends, find a way to save them." Her expression wavered as if she might break down, but amazingly Neytiri held herself together. Kyle could only wonder at the internal effort that she was exerting at the moment. For a second it looked like she had something else to say. But Neytiri remained quiet, and she spun on her heel and stalked away.

Kyle and Mal'ek remained silent as well for a spell. Finally, Kyle asked softly in Na'vi, _"The ikran makto will fly out when the storm clears, you say?"_

Mal'ek nodded stiffly.

_"Then we do not have much time to think of something," _Kyle murmured.

* * *

Colonel Barnes was having a hard time keeping her head up, and she kept telling herself that her head was bobbing from the motion of the armored personnel carrier and not from tiredness. She had felt like she was on top of the world while driving her avatar. Once she unlinked, though, her exhaustion came crashing back down. Even if her human body had not been physically exerting itself, her mind had indeed been working overtime.

The other members of the avatar team all seemed similarly dazed as they adjusted themselves to their natural bodies again.

The eight-wheeled APC's suspension seemed to be hewn from granite, and it magnified each and every imperfection in the road. The mesh jump seats were not exactly models of orthopedic comfort, either.

Across from the Colonel, Sean Jeffries looked positively stricken; he kept staring through the back hatch as if waiting for a long lost friend to appear. "We'll get your bird back, as soon as it stops raining," Colonel Barnes reassured the distraught pilot. Repairing Jeffries' Valkyrie was definitely on the list, but it was not the first thing. Not by a long shot.

Jeffries nodded and kept staring out the window.

"Ma'am!" shouted the trooper who was sitting up in the passenger seat. "Call for you!" He tossed back a headset, which Barnes caught and slipped on over her ears.

"Barnes. Speak," she said gruffly.

It was Tobias Foucault. "I know you have a lot going on right now, but there's something you need to see as soon as you get back," his disembodied voice said.

Colonel Barnes could hear the tension in his words. "What is it?" she demanded.

"Just have the driver drop you off at the hangar," Foucault said. "I can't describe what I don't know. Oh, and Dr. Dryers is quite disappointed that you did not immediately speak with him. He felt it was imperative that I relay this to you."

Barnes rolled her eyes. "You may tell him that I was otherwise engaged," she said with a sigh. Across the APC's aisle, Major Elias Link was watching her closely, his head tilted to the side as he listened to her half of the conversation. "How are the repairs going for the control room?" she asked.

"We've nearly finished purging out the Pandoran atmosphere," Foucault reported. "Having the avatars assist in putting up the breach tarps really helped. The new windows will have to wait until after the storm, though."

Major Link watched as his commanding officer went over a few other miscellaneous things before hanging up the call. He was still quite curious as to what the first part of their conversation entailed. "Everything alright?" he asked.

Barnes nodded, even as a faint frown creased her delicate brow. "There's something that Tobias wants to show me in the hangar," she said. "You and I will be dropped off there so we can take a look. Other than that...," she shrugged, and trailed off. "It would appear that Dr. Dryers is already making a pain in the ass of himself."

Link smiled wryly. "What else can you expect from those Asset Protection types?" he asked. "I thought security was supposed to be our job."

It was no secret that Link did not like the RDA's own internal spies. But they had their place, Barnes mused. Just like everything else. "He did his duty," Barnes said with another shrug. "And we did ours. There shouldn't be any disagreement." The Colonel offered a small smile of her own and said, "Though it is somewhat of a relief that I can still pull rank on him, seeing as we currently lack a proper Administrator." Inter-office politics were still going to be a bother even here, as far away from the RDA's headquarters as one could possibly get.

Blessedly, the trip from the Valkyrie back to Hell's Gate went relatively fast. Barnes did not think she could stand being trapped in that damned APC for a minute longer. "Exopacks on!" she commanded as they pulled to a stop beside the hangar. Once it was safe she popped the back hatch open and stepped out into the rain with Link right behind her.

Tobias Foucault met Barnes and Link in the hangar, just inside the personnel airlock. "You haven't been inside here yet, have you?" he asked them.

Colonel Barnes and Major Link shared a look before shaking their heads in the negative.

With a smile and a small bow Foucault said, "Well, let me give you a tour, then." He motioned towards the far wall and began to narrate. "It looks like we have six serviceable Samsons and three working Scorpions. Only four AMP suits, though. Most of what Quaritch took with him on his last attack didn't made it back."

"Including the Dragon," Link said with a scowl. They did not have nearly as much machinery to work with as he would have liked.

"Yes, including the Dragon," Foucault confirmed. "We've still got people going over the inventory, but by all accounts our reserves of arms and ammunition are severely depleted. The sooner we can unload the _Commerce Star, _the better."

"We knew we would be starting at a disadvantage," Barnes said with sigh. "Now, what did you want to show me?"

Foucault's expression hardened. "This way," he said as he led them over to the largest occupant of the room. "This is one of the ISV _Enterprise Star's_ Valkyries. We're still researching where the second one is. My men found something...odd inside, while we were conducting our detailed search. Truth be told, I don't have the faintest clue what to make of it."

"At least we have another shuttle to use while we're repairing Victor 3-8," Link said.

"Maybe, maybe not," Foucault cautioned as he led them through the shuttle's cargo bay. "Take a look inside the cockpit."

Colonel Barnes was silent as they made their way up to the flight deck. It was dim inside the shuttle's cabin, as the craft was only running on a reduced setting of auxiliary power. What had caught Foucault's attention became instantly apparent to Barnes - the entire left seat was missing.

"Why did -" Link began, but Barnes held up a hand to silence him.

Perhaps the pilot's seat was not entirely gone... "They modified it," Barnes stated slowly. No human could sit here, but Barnes could still make out the padding of a seat base and backrest, could still see the straps of a flight harness... It took a second for the Colonel to process the dimensions that she was observing, and she could feel her cheeks flushing with anger. "Corporal Sully has some explaining to do," she muttered as she whirled on her heel and stormed out of the cockpit, causing Foucault and Link to flatten against the wall so that she could make it by.

* * *

Amber was up on her feet the instant that Norm stepped back into their suite. "How'd it go?" she demanded.

Norm sighed wearily and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "They have Jake," he admitted.

If Norm was expecting some kind of dramatic response from Amber, he was sorely disappointed. She simply pursed her lips tightly together and nodded grimly. "What about Kyle?" she asked. "Did he make it out alright?"

Norm nodded. "Apparently Barnes let Kyle, Tanhi, and Mal'ek go as a gesture of goodwill. She seems to honestly think she can avoid a conflict. I wonder how her attitude will change when she realizes what slipped away from her."

Amber frowned and said, "It won't be long before Barnes connects all of the dots. She'll figure out eventually that Kyle is the one who sabotaged the harvesters. And that he's your cousin. Are you ready for that?"

"I'll have to be ready for it," Norm said in a flat tone. There's not much of a choice on that one, Norm thought.

Amber stepped up to Norm and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug. "Then we've still got a chance to keep this world safe. Your cousin will think of something. He's smart."

"He'll need to think quick," Norm muttered against Amber's hair. "You've studied the Na'vi. You've lived with the Omaticaya. What do you think they'll do when they realize that Toruk Makto has been captured? What do you think Neytiri will do when she finds out? While the Omaticaya understand that not all Sky People are here to destroy their world, any other clans that may get involved would have every reason to doubt all of us."

Amber pulled back from Norm a bit and gave him a serious look. "Then we've got to figure out a way to get Jake out of here," she said seriously.

"People like Max, or me, are going to be watched closely," Norm said. "We're guilty of helping to start this whole problem for the RDA. Someone like you, who wasn't involved from the beginning, might have more of a chance."

Amber's head tilted fractionally to the side. "Hoshiro already talked to me about that," she said. All that Hoshiro had discussed with her in private came roaring back - that man had truly thought of everything. "You know this, Norm."

Norm closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Amber's. "I know...," he sighed. "It doesn't make it any easier for me to think about. I don't want anything to happen to you, Amber."

The gentle caress of soft lips against his own made Norm's eyes snap back open. Amber's expression was completely calm and at ease, and it served as an anchor for him. "What were you thinking back in the beginning, when you and Jake and Grace and Trudy broke out of Hell's Gate?" Amber asked. "What kind of plan did you guys have?"

"There was no plan," Norm said with a soft snort of ironic laughter. "There was only...only the right thing to do, I guess. We couldn't stand by and let the Na'vi get slaughtered. It wasn't...human."

"I think we can both show that same kind of courage again, Norm," Amber whispered.

Her words were like a knife to Norm's heart. They were true, to be sure. In so many ways, they were true. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Amber," Norm moaned. "It was more than losing Trudy. It was losing Grace, too. The price in blood was so incredibly high. God, everything that we've fought for is crashing down around us, and I'm so scared."

Amber could only nod as she and Norm held each other. All of what he said was valid, Amber realized. "Nothing good comes easy, Norm. You've taught me that much, at least," she said as she tenderly kissed him on the lips. "I love you. Always know this."

* * *

Jake's ears perked up as the sound of muted conversation reached him through the link room windows. Finally, something to break up the monotony of sitting idle on his ass for hours on end. He casually rolled his head to the side and shot a glance up through the glass, where he could see a now human Colonel Barnes having a rather tense conversation with Dr. Dryers. His perspective, looking up at his captors through the window, made him feel like a trapped animal.

The RDA spy's scowl deepened when he noticed Jake's observation. Then he offered Jake a mean smile as he flicked him off through the glass with his left hand.

Jake simply grinned right back, uncrossed his arms, and flipped Dryers the bird with both hands.

The double insult was not lost on Dryers, who instantly traded his smile for an even deeper scowl.

Even with his acute hearing Jake could not eavesdrop on their conversation. They were speaking too softly and the glass was too thick, so with a mental shrug Jake simply relaxed back against the wall again and closed his eyes, as if he did not have a care in the world. With Dryers there, Jake knew everything would unravel soon enough. Colonel Barnes would know exactly who did what, and why. Jake almost pitied her, knowing that her act of mercy would soon become a thorn in her side.

When the airlock began to hiss and roar, Jake's eyes reopened. He leaned forward and tensed up in anticipation of...whatever was about to happen.

Just as Jake was about to climb to his feet, two Sec-Ops troopers burst through the door, CARB rifles leveled at his chest. "Stay down! Do not move, or we will shoot!" they shouted.

Jake froze for a split second in mid-crouch before he carefully eased himself back down onto the mattress, all the while making sure to keep his hands open and in plain view of the troopers. "Easy, alright fine, don't get your panties in a wad," he grumbled. Trigger-happy dickheads, he silently added.

Following behind the two troopers was Colonel Samantha Barnes herself. She did not carry a rifle, but she did keep brushing her right hand against the butt of her holstered sidearm, as if to remind the both of them of its presence. Dark circles marred her pale skin beneath her blue eyes, and anger and frustration practically simmered off of her like vapors from a boiling pot.

"Ma'am, I do not think it is wise to -" one of the soldiers began to say as he eyed Jake warily.

"Shut up," Colonel Barnes snapped. She nodded in Jake's direction and said, "If he wants any prayer of living through this conversation, I'm sure he'll behave."

Jake remained expressionless save for the faint elevation of one eyebrow. He hazarded a glance up to the windows, but Dryers was gone. Or at least, out of sight.

"Where is Kyle Fischer?" Barnes suddenly demanded.

Jake kept his expression resolutely neutral. "He's dead," Jake said finally. "He died a year ago, when his shuttle crashed."

"Bullshit," Colonel Barnes shot back. "He's alive, and he is permanently inhabiting his avatar, just like you are. Do not lie to me, Corporal. Where. Is. He?"

Ignoring the guns that were trained on him, Jake leaned forward, fully aware that even sitting down he was still taller than the Colonel. "First, let's get something straight. I do not answer to Corporal anymore, _Colonel. _I'm _retired. _Honorable discharge, February 17, 2146. Check your paperwork." He waited a moment before proceeding, and here he could not help but smile slightly. "And as to Kyle Fischer's whereabouts, I truly do not know. But I can say with certainty that I am grateful that you were so kind as to release him from custody earlier this morning. I promise you, I'll take your gesture of goodwill into account."

A muscle in Colonel Barnes' cheek twitched. Then her eyes darted towards the troopers flanking her and she said, "You two. Get out. Now." One of the men made to object but Colonel Barnes cut him off. "That was an order, not a fucking request!" she roared.

Without another word the two men stepped back into the airlock. Jake and Colonel Barnes continued to stare at one another while the airlock noisily went about its business.

"Are you sure that was smart?" Jake asked in a voice that had gone dangerously smooth and silky. The wry, cavalier smile was gone, and in its place was cold gaze of a man who was capable of great violence. "I could kill you right now, snap your neck with my bare hands before you could even touch your gun."

Colonel Barnes snorted and rolled her eyes, even as she subconsciously shivered on the inside. Damned if she would admit it to him that Jake was intimidating as all get out. "Fuck you, Sully," she said. "We both know that you're not that stupid."

Jake's expression changed in an instant, and he flashed a toothy grin at this and said, "Why, thank you. I appreciate the vote for my intelligence." Jake then held his arms forward with wrists crossed, as if he were in handcuffs. "So, now that you've got me, what are you going to do about it?"

"The RDA wants you to stand trial for the crimes that you've committed," Barnes said stiffly.

Now both of Jake's eyebrows climbed at this. "That'd be a hell of a trip," he commented. "Would I be flying back to Earth first class, or as baggage?"

The fragile veneer of calm that Colonel Barnes was maintaining nearly cracked at this. "Stop with the wise-ass remarks, Sully," she snapped. "Tell me what the codes are for the orbital harvesters, and I'll see that you get a fair shake. We might even decide to release you."

Jake narrowed his eyes and said, "You're shooting blind. What, I wasn't going to be treated fairly before? You want me to hand over my tactical advantage for the mere possibility of a favorable return on my part?" Jake snorted and shook his head. "Sorry, no can do. You're stressed, and tired, Colonel. Get some rest. We can talk later when you're thinking straight."

Barnes was practically trembling with rage as she took a step closer to Jake. "There's more than one way to skin a cat, Sully. So let's be clear on two things. First, I _will_ get what I want, one way or another. I don't give a damn if you want to do this the hard way or the easy way. And second, your life is _over, _Sully. So anytime _you_ want to start trying to curry favor, you let me know."

With that Barnes spun on her heel and stormed back into the airlock, slamming the door behind her with a deafening clang that made Jake wince.

* * *

Dr. Dryers was waiting back inside the biolab, slouching down on a lab chair. He was staring at the stump where his right hand used to be, an unreadable expression on his face. He did not look up when Colonel Barnes stepped into the lab.

"Great show, Samantha," he said acerbically. "You really showed him who's boss. Why, I almost thought we would let him go, too, if he gave us the information we need."

There was a quick inhalation of breath, then a sigh as Colonel Barnes reneged on her initial response. "I'm beginning to wonder, _Todd, _if the brig wasn't the best place for you," Colonel Barnes retorted, placing an emphasis on the informality of the use of Dr. Dryers' first name.

Dryers ignored the none too subtle dig. He picked up a data pad off of the counter and offered it to Barnes. "Corporate sent you a priority superluminal," Dryers said. "Congratulations are in order for your successful retaking of Hell's Gate. You did a hell of a job, Colonel."

Somehow the praise seemed hollow when it was Dryers who was saying it. Barnes merely grunted noncommittally as she accepted the data pad and began to read the message herself. It took an incredibly long time to transmit data between Earth and Pandora, so the official communiques read like a teenager's SMS message in order to save valuable space.

"While I have no objection to you telling Mr. Sully whatever the hell you want to in order to get him to spill his guts, sadly I regret to inform you that any chance of releasing him has unfortunately fallen through." Dryers spoke as if Colonel Barnes were incapable of reading the message before her. "Seeing as it will be difficult to send Sully to trial in his current form, the RDA has decided that he should be simply terminated for his offenses. The lack of a human body is most convenient. In any event, the science department would greatly appreciate the chance to examine his avatar posthumously. The powers that be are mighty curious to learn how Jake Sully did what he did. The same could be said for Kyle Fischer, if he could be obtained as well."

Colonel Barnes paused her reading to look up at Dryers, her expression hard.

"Oh, and it's not the end of the world if we cannot get the codes to the refueling harvesters," Dryers said. "It's been determined that Jeffries' shuttle can no longer be trusted to withstand the heat of reentry once it has been repaired. Corporate wants to use Valkyrie 3-8 as a new harvester. We are to use the stereolithography plant to retool the necessary harvesting gear."

"That will take a very long time," Colonel Barnes said. It would take tons and tons of raw materials, too.

Dr. Dryers shrugged. "It will. The RDA's bottom line will of course take a hit from all this. It'll be over a decade before we can get everything up and running again. Until then, we need to make do with what we have, and make sure that our presence here on Pandora remains secure. Of course, if you can reestablish control over the current three drones, that would be preferable. This is merely a check, not checkmate, as Sully would like to think."

Barnes nodded as she processed all of this information. "You realize that you are here to simply serve in an advisory role, Dryers," Barnes stated in a cold voice. "Citing the lack of a proper Administrator and the current crisis, I am the de facto head of Hell's Gate."

Todd Dryers smiled at this. He motioned to the data pad in Colonel Barnes' hand and said, "And is that simply 'advice' to you, Colonel?"

Colonel Barnes sneered in response. "Of course not. I'm simply telling you to mind your fucking business. And to not forget who gives orders here."

Dr. Dryers bowed his head in a blatant display of false humility. "Of course, Colonel," he simpered. "Of course."

* * *

The entire day had been a living hell, a waking nightmare for Neytiri. She had borne out Mal'ek's news with a firm stoicism that belied her inner turmoil. Perhaps the frantic busyness that had swept over the Omaticaya had been a blessing in disguise. It certainly kept Neytiri occupied, kept her from truly dwelling on what had just happened.

She had endured the sorrowful, pitying expressions of her clan mates well. Neytiri did have a bit of practice, after all - except that the last time the looks directed her way had been full of judgement, and something akin to loathing, rather than pitying.

This was the second time in nearly as many years that Neytiri was being forced to endure an excruciating separation from her mate.

The irony of Neytiri's predicament now was not lost on her, nor were the sick similarities between this time and the last one. Once again, events bigger than both her and Jake had ripped them apart, and it felt like her spirit was bleeding out all over the place. And just like the last time, her body physically cried out for his so much that it hurt.

It had been a small conciliation that their very real need to be in close physical contact after their mating had been somewhat muted by life's circumstances. Neytiri's initial anger at Jake's betrayal had stilled, at least temporarily, the need to feel one another's touch, skin to skin. The Time of Great Sorrow had not left them room to think of much else...and besides, Jake and Neytiri had taken great care to make up for lost time as soon as they had been able.

But now it was not only her that wanted to be with her mate: Tommy missed Jake as much as Neytiri did.

Neytiri tried, oh she had tried so hard all day to keep her emotions steady, knowing the kind of effect that her state of being would have on her unborn son. The first night Tommy had not made too much of a fuss about his mother and father not making tsaheylu. It was as if Tommy and Neytiri had come to an understanding that Jake's absence would be only temporary.

Now that truce had been thrown into chaos. Neytiri lay there alone, curled up on herself in a nivi that was sized for two people. The vacuum left by Jake ripped at her, sucked at her soul like a tornado, now that she was by herself. Tommy could feel that something was wrong, and for the first time in his young life Jake and Neytiri's child knew distress.

Neytiri sobbed aloud to herself before swiftly covering her mouth with her hand. _"Do not be afraid, 'itan," _Neytiri whimpered after a moment. _"Sempul will be home soon. He will be back with us in a little bit, you will see."_

His mother's words apparently failed to comfort little Tommy, for Neytiri felt the strangest sensation curl sickly through her stomach and it nearly caused her to gag. It was a feeling that went way beyond the discomfort of morning sickness.

A slick sweat broke out over Neytiri's skin, and she groaned and stretched out in the hammock as she suddenly became too hot. The humidity from the constant rain outside Kelutral did not help the situation. Then she doubled right back up into a near-fetal position as another wave of nausea crashed over her.

Neytiri growled as she felt a flash of anger course through her veins at those that had done this. In that moment she _hated_ the people who were keeping her Love prisoner. And she _hated_ the fact that she could not do a thing about it.

She wanted to shoot someone, hurt someone, scream and curse and cry, all at once. Neytiri settled for sinking her teeth into the woven fibers of the nivi as she let out a muffled, futile yell. The angry, primitive scream gave way to soft sobbing.

* * *

Moat's personal chamber was a unique place in Kelutral. It represented the elderly matriarch's own unique, personal tastes, both as Tsahìk and as a single woman. While she certainly valued Eytukan's opinion in nearly everything that she did, even now, her mate could only have so much say in her choice of living quarters at the Omaticaya's new Kelutral.

The small chamber was originally a giant knot within the great tree, and numerous access points both large and small pocked all sides of the vaguely spherical chamber. There was really no true floor, not a flat one, anyway. Moat had utilized nearly all of the available surface space, for either storage or simply decoration. Her single nivi hung suspended through the middle.

Her personal quarters were not as high up in Hometree as her position could have dictated. Indeed, the sound of the clan's daily activity could often be heard. To Moat, this was of little consequence - she was an elderly woman, and a mother to boot. She was well versed in blocking out distractions. And besides, she would not be Tsahìk forever. That honor and privilege would be passed to her daughter Neytiri, when she was ready.

Though she was resting in her nivi, Moat was not sleeping. No, sleep was successfully eluding her tonight, even though her eyes were closed. The fact that the Omaticaya were being abnormally quiet was unfortunately of little consequence or blessing.

_"Sa'nu," _a voice said, whimpering pitifully.

Moat sighed. She had thought this might happen. She shifted in her nivi until she could see the still form of Neytiri crouching in the entrance, her ears lowered in distress. _"I... I cannot sleep. The baby will not let me," _Neytiri stammered, as if she felt guilty for invading her own mother's space and needed to offer some kind of explanation.

Moat's heart ached for her daughter. Enduring the unknown, the not knowing, was its own unique burden. Moat possessed intimate knowledge of the pain involved in losing a mate, but the hellacious limbo that Neytiri was currently trapped in was something that even the Tsahìk in all her experience could not truly appreciate. She knew this, and it churned Moat's gut all the more.

_"Precious child of mine, come here," _Moat said as she opened her hammock. _"You have waited too long in coming here," _she gently scolded.

Neytiri sniffed at this. _"I did not...I did not want to disturb...," _she trailed away, suddenly realizing how weak the excuse was.

Moat simply held her arms open, beckoning silently. Neytiri quietly slipped into the nivi, and she struggled to relax back into her mother's embrace. She had not done such a thing in many years - the last time was when she fled to her parents' nivi during a particularly nasty storm.

Even if it was still raining outside, the storm Neytiri was enduring was definitely not meteorological.

No more words were exchanged, for the communion between mother and daughter went far beyond verbal communication. Moat offered Neytiri her silent strength as Neytiri finally allowed herself to cry for the first time since learning of Jake's capture. A suspicious moisture against the back of her neck was evidence of Moat's empathy as the Tsahìk silently wept with her.

They would both need to be strong in the morning. But now, with only one another as witnesses, the fear and anxiety and insecurities flowed as freely as their tears.

**Blah, okay, I'm sorry for ending the Christmas chapter on such a sour note. Again, I promise this isn't over! Hang in there!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Just wanted to thank everyone for the kind reviews and words from the last chapter. It's definitely appreciated! And the prize for Coolest (Oddest?) Review Ever goes to...piXiZe! Thank you so much for the Burger King song. You made my day. The room was dead quiet until I started snickering on my parents' couch as I read that, and then everyone gave me a funny look. So thank you for the review, and for making a scene for my family! :-)**

**Well, hopefully two weeks wasn't too long a wait. I really will try to see about getting chapters that are perhaps a little shorter out to publish much quicker.**

Chapter 37

Amber eased herself out of bed at what passed for 4am on Pandora and made straight for the shower. She threw herself into her normal morning routine, retreating into what was familiar as she prepared herself for her day.

Normally Amber would keep her hair in its single tight braid, but this morning she was definitely striving for a certain kind of look. After her shower she towel-dried her long hair as best as she could, gave it a thorough brushing, and left it loose to hang in long, damp strands down her back. Even though the Lasik that she had received back on earth - a perk for working off-world for the RDA - was still going strong, she selected a pair of thick, black-framed reading glasses, complete with the ugly neck chain that her mother had given her under the false assumption that it was the cutest thing in the world.

A blouse went on that was cut more towards the lower end of regulation, followed by a pair of very flattering pants that would be somewhat mitigated by her lab coat. Amber sighed as she wiped condensation off of the mirror and examined herself with a critical eye. No makeup today, thank you very much. Besides, who would seriously put makeup on at 4:30 in the morning, anyway?

The feeling of being watched was apparent as soon as Amber stepped out of the suite's bathroom. Norm was sitting up on the bed, the sheet around his waist, quietly observing her. "Breakfast isn't until 0700. You're early," he murmured in that deep morning voice that always made Amber shiver.

"Well, I've got work to do," Amber replied. "And there's no rest for the wicked, as they say."

Norm's eyes roved up and down Amber's body with a gaze that somehow appeared predatory, even with his bed-head. A wry smirk tugged at his lips. "Dressed like that?" he said. "And I thought the good Colonel closed the lab."

Amber smiled grimly back and set her glasses on her face, perching them low on the bridge of her nose as she examined Norm with the same kind of look that he was giving her. "Well, I can't help it that I'm dedicated to my work," she said as she put a bit more tilt into her hips than was perhaps necessary.

Norm simply grunted and cocked an eyebrow up before he flopped back down onto the bed, groaning as he stretched his arms up over his head. Amber appeared above him, and she leaned over his head so that her damp hair curtained his face as she kissed him longingly on the lips. "See you in the cafeteria," Norm whispered against her smooth lips. "Be careful."

"Always," Amber murmured softly as she reluctantly pulled away. She scooped her data pad off of the counter and quietly slipped out of the door.

* * *

The passageways were empty, and only every third light was illuminated in deference to the early morning hour. Amber's ears strained, but all she could discern was the ever-present thrum of the air handlers. Every now and then the pipes against the wall would thump and ping softly in an industrial manner. The solitude would not last for long, Amber knew. The guards were making their rounds, and she would need to move quickly.

Though not too quickly. She did not want to appear suspicious. Or...at least, too suspicious. That was part of her logic of keeping to her schedule and getting up so early in the morning. Anyone snooping around at midnight could only be up to no good, as far as their RDA minders were concerned. But 4:30? That was still early enough to provide a decent chance of privacy, but not so early as to appear completely devious.

Or so Amber hoped.

Norm had been permitted to keep his luxurious suite, at least for now. Other than their initial, albeit brief, confinement and the shutting down of the science department's work, so far life seemed remarkably normal when one considered the RDA's dramatic retaking of the base the morning before. Those people with skills and duties related to day-to-day operations were kept busy. They were supervised, of course. But so far, not too many harsh edicts had been issued forth by their new rulers.

Amber sincerely hoped that her actions would not be seen as too great a defiance.

She and Norm had discussed in great detail where the RDA might be holding Jake Sully. It had to be a place physically big enough to house him. It needed to be secure. And, they hoped, it needed to be somewhere with Pandoran atmosphere. Avatars and Na'vi could breathe Earth air, but probably not indefinitely. Kyle's difficulty was evidence of that.

At first the two of them had feared that Jake would be kept outside, either in the cabin or in one of the storage sheds. Those would be difficult places to check in person, and Amber did not exactly want to walk up to the nearest soldier, bat her eyes, and ask where Jake was.

Then Norm had the brilliant idea of using the ambient room. It was perfect, actually - secure, the right air, easy to keep an eye on, and readily accessible by human personnel without the need of going outside and putting on exopacks. And conveniently, it would also be an easy location for her to check out.

If he was not there... Amber shook off the thought and set her jaw. Then I'll find a way to find out where he is, she thought to herself.

She did not meet a single person, friendly or otherwise, on her way to the biolab. Better yet, the lab itself was empty when she slipped inside. Her eyes darted cautiously about, but she saw nothing amiss. Though the lights were dim she easily threaded her way through the room, which was a place that she knew like the back of her hand.

Lights were on in the ambient room. Unlike the human-habitable sections of the base, the prep room lights were fully lit. Max had always been a stickler for conservation - if the room was not in use, the lights were off. Simple as that. Hell's Gate had been taken very early in the morning, Amber reminded herself. The lights would have been dim. So someone had reason to turn them on...

Amber crept cautiously up to the window, not daring to hope that this first, important piece of the puzzle would fall so easily into place. She placed her hands on the window sill and peered inside, where lo and behold Jake Sully was asleep, curled up on a mattress on the floor, a blue hand over his face to shield his eyes from the lights that had been rudely left on.

A small gasp slipped out, and Amber slumped with relief at finding Jake safe and well, all things considered.

Amber gently rapped her knuckles against the glass. In an instant Jake was awake and alert, his ears pinned aggressively back as he bared his teeth in anger at the window. He blinked in surprise when he saw who it was, though. "Are you okay?" Amber whispered slowly, hoping that Jake would be able to catch the question as she offered him a feeble wave in greeting.

Jake's single nod was faint, but Amber caught it and smiled back.

Then she saw Jake's eyes shift over her shoulder and widen with alarm as someone clapped a hand over Amber's mouth, muffling her terrified shriek, and yank her away from the window.

"Don't scream," a man's voice hissed in Amber's ear. "Whatever you do, don't scream."

The command either did not register with Amber or she chose to ignore it, for she began to twist and fight violently as she felt her arms being forced behind her back. A well placed backwards kick grazed the inside of the man's thigh, and in response he turned and shoved her hard against a workstation, using his greater weight and strength to keep her pinned.

A loud thump and a muffled roar came from the ambient room as Jake pounded his fist futilely against the glass.

"Goddamnit, I said be quiet! I don't want to hurt you, Dr. Ferris!"

Amber froze at this, even though her body remained as taut as a bowstring. Her heart beat frantically, the noise almost deafeningly loud in her ears.

"There," the man said, breathing heavily from behind her. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm gonna let up, but please don't run."

There was something in the man's tone that sounded amazingly sincere to Amber's ears, and a single moment of sane thought managed to thread its way through her blind panic. She craned her neck around, trying to get a glimpse of her attacker.

She sucked in a quick breath when she recognized the Sec-Ops trooper, and she watched the man slump in relief and release her fully.

"You need to get out of here," the trooper said in a low voice. "You're lucky it was me who responded first, and not one of the new guys. Don't you know there's cameras in the hallways?"

Amber blushed and shook her head. A master spy she was not, apparently. Her eyes went down to the name patch on the man's fatigues. "Lovell," it read. Her mind was still spinning frantically, and it took her a moment to realize that this man was one of the passengers on the _Enterprise Star._ "I - I didn't know that," she stuttered guiltily. "Why...why are you here? How are you...?"

"Just because I renewed my vows at the altar of the RDA doesn't mean I really meant it," Lovell said quickly. He shot a glance towards the avatar ambient room. Jake's hands were fisted against the glass, his expression one of helpless anger. Lovell quickly brought his right hand up and touched his fingers to his forehead before motioning down in a greeting that Jake instantly recognized.

Amber caught it too, and she gasped in surprise.

Lovell tilted his head and held a hand up to his radio's earpiece. "We've gotta move," he said. He jabbed a finger in Jake's direction and mouthed, _you, get down! _He followed it by pointing vigorously at the floor.

Jake nodded and disappeared from sight.

Lovell firmly gripped Amber's upper arm and began to pull her quickly along towards the door. "What were you doing here?" he demanded.

"Um, I was trying to find Jake?" she said, her voice squeaking at the end.

"Wrong answer," Lovell shot back. "That's not what I want to tell Barnes when she asks about this."

Amber stiffened and presented her data pad, which she had managed to keep ahold of. "Well, how about I was trying to download some of my research onto my data pad so that I could keep working?"

"Better," Lovell responded. He slammed to a stop beside a workstation near the middle of the room so quickly that Amber ran right into him. "Turn on that computer," he commanded.

Amber rushed to comply, then jumped as Lovell took a mug of ice-cold coffee that had been sitting forgotten on the desk and smashed it on the floor; then he knocked over the desk chair onto its back.

At that moment the door out to the hall slammed open, and two more troopers burst inside. "Steven! Did you find..." They trailed off as they observed Lovell tightly holding the woman's arm. "You got her, I see?" one of the troopers asked.

Lovell growled angrily and shook Amber once for emphasis, earning him a startled squeak. "Yeah, I got her," he replied. To Amber, he said, "What the hell did you think you were doing? You know the labs are closed!"

The whole time he was talking, Corporal Lovell was dragging her towards the door. When Amber looked at the other two troopers, it was not a stretch at all for her to act terrified. "I was just trying to...," she pointed helplessly behind her at the computer that was now asking for a login ID.

"Orders are orders," Lovell grumbled as they stepped out into the hall. "You know you need to stay in your room until after the curfew is lifted."

"Don't rough her up too bad!" one of the troopers shouted after them with a laugh. The other man whistled out a catcall.

As soon as they rounded a corner Lovell's grip on Amber's arm relaxed, though he did not let go. "We need to get Jake out of here!" Amber quietly hissed. "The Na'vi will attack Hell's Gate eventually if we don't! It'll be a blood bath!"

Lovell nodded and grit his teeth together. "They won't get in by air," he said in a grim tone. "With the turrets back online, nothing bigger than a tetrapteron will make it over the fence. Banshee riders would be cut to ribbons."

They were almost back to Amber's room. Now that she finally had some time to think about things, Amber realized that she was just plain angry. Not angry at Lovell, but at the whole damned situation. She let out a frustrated growl.

"Here's my word of advice to you, Amber," Corporal Lovell said in a low voice as they paused outside of the suite's door. "While we have the technological advantage now, Hell's Gate is still very understaffed. If someone, a small group, let's say, could manage to get past the defenses... I think they might have a chance of busting Jake out. If they're quick about it."

Amber shot him a wide-eyed, exasperated look. "How would anyone manage that?" she blurted.

Lovell could only shrug helplessly as he opened the door for Amber and motioned her inside. "Don't get caught outside again, Dr. Ferris," he said by way of a non-answer. "It might not be me that finds you."

* * *

Serina Rowley mingled silently with the early morning breakfast crowd. The servers behind the buffet line were quiet as well. The men and women were scared - Serina could see that plainly in their eyes when they glanced up at her after she murmured a quiet "Thank you" when she left with her tray. It was not business as usual at Hell's Gate, no matter what kind of front people tried to put on to the contrary.

She was up early for two reasons. One, it was just plain habit. Serina was never one to sleep in - her stint with the Royal Air Force had firmly engrained that particular propensity of hers. And second... Secondly, getting to the cafeteria early meant that she had a better chance of finding a table by herself. The copilot eyed an obnoxiously loud group of RDA Sec-Ops troopers with disdain as she made her way towards a table in the far corner.

Maybe if I'm lucky, I can just eat fast and split, she thought to herself.

Two men making their way through the serving line caught her attention, and Serina groaned and slumped lower into her seat, hoping that they would miss her.

Serina's efforts at invisibility failed, and with a broad smile of greeting and a jaunty wave, Sean Jeffries adjusted course and headed straight for her table, trailed by Tom Finlay. Serina mouthed a silent curse to herself - Finlay she could deal with, but Jeffries was simply a walking ego with a life-support system.

"Hey there!" Jeffries said as he set his tray down opposite of Serina. Finlay merely nodded in silent greeting as he sat down beside his fellow Valkyrie pilot. "Long time no see!" Jeffries said. "I'd thought it'd be another decade or two before we ran into each other again. This is a pleasant surprise!"

"I got held up," Serina muttered as she speared another bite of fresh fruit with her fork.

"Yeah, that's a horrible thing...," Jeffries said. "I heard what happened to the _Enterprise Star. _That's a damn shame. I'm glad you made it out okay, Serina."

Somehow Serina did not think that Jeffries was sounding as sincere as he wanted to. Finlay's quiet response was a little different. "I'm sorry, Serina," he murmured with quiet sincerity. "I wouldn't wish that kind of situation on anyone."

Serina nodded in wordless acknowledgement as she chewed her food. Somehow Finlay offering his sympathies meant infinitely more to her than if Jeffries were speaking.

Jeffries motioned towards Serina and spoke through his bite of food, though he at least covered his mouth with his hand. "No uniform, I see," he said, commenting on Serina's casual civilian clothing. "Off duty? You aren't getting bored here, I hope! Gee, I hope our stay here isn't too much of a drag."

Serina glared at Jeffries. "Sorry, I've been marooned here for a year. Forgive me for not dressing up for work every day. There hasn't been a lot to do," she growled. "My appetite's left. Excuse me," Serina said as she made to stand up, even though there was still food on her tray.

"Whoa, hold on there, hot shot," Jeffries said. "But you have been busy, right?" Jeffries forced a laugh, and suddenly Serina began to feel nervous. "I mean, how else could the refueling drones have gotten so screwed up? Come on, let us all in on the secret. How'd that happen?" Jeffries had stopped eating and was now leaning forward intently, all traces of humor long gone.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Serina said tightly as she glanced away.

Jeffries snorted. "Well, explain it, then! Old Man Oros didn't do it. I heard he had a stroke and can't fly anymore. You and Jonas aren't rated for solos, so it had to be...let's see...oh! Fischer did it!" He slapped his hands down onto the table, making his tray jump. "What the hell got into him? Never mind that, Fischer was always a screwball - that's probably why he's living as freaking smurf, now. What the hell got into _you?_ Why'd you go along with him?"

"Sean...," Finlay said slowly, and Serina's respect for the man went up several notches. "I don't think this is the time or place for this conversation."

"Sean, you wouldn't understand," Serina said with a sigh, now fully certain that it would have been much smarter for her to take a seat with the scientists.

Jeffries rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair as he folded his arms across his chest. "What's to understand? Serina, you helped _sabotage_ our means of getting home! Don't deny it, everyone knows that you and Jonas went along with Fischer. And I can't imagine that the RDA would look kindly upon such actions." A mean smirk flickered across Jeffries' face. "Wait, did you two finally get it on?"

Serina snarled and leaned forward over the table until she was face-to-face with Jeffries. "You think you know everything, Sean? Did they tell you that RDA Sec-Ops murdered my captain and navigation officer? That the _Company_ shot Kyle in the gut, and _then_ tried to bring down his entire Valkyrie, with over 60 souls on board?" Serina balled up her hands into tight fists as she repressed the urge to slap Jeffries across the face. "You don't have a freaking clue, do you Sean? Come on, you still couldn't find your way out of a paper bag with a map and a flashlight!"

"At least I have enough brains not to bite the hand that feeds me," Jeffries shot back.

Serina laughed at that and shook her head as she shot to her feet. She stood up so fast that her chair rocked back, teetering precariously on its two back legs for a moment before slamming back down. "Oh, sod off, Sean! You're still dumber than a box of rocks. Maybe you'll brighten up when you figure out that you're expendable."

And with that Serina grabbed her tray and stormed out.

* * *

Amber felt a not irrational flash of fear when she was called up to the control room later that day. Perhaps "summoned" would be a better word. Perhaps the Colonel did not care for her to be pushing the boundaries so soon?

The control room had been mostly cleaned up since the attack, though the broken windows had yet to be replaced. Amber eyed the breach tarps warily, which flapped lazily in the slowly dying breeze from the storm - she would much rather have had something solid between her and the outside.

Dr. Dryers was working at the holographic plot table in the middle of the room, and he looked up and smiled in greeting as Amber finished climbing the stairs. Thankfully, the other RDA people in the room chose to ignore her. "Dr. Ferris! Thank you for coming," Dryers said with false warmth. Any pretense of the kindness in the man's eyes was long gone, now.

"I think Hoshiro should have cut off your head," Amber said in a hard voice that surprised even her. "It would have saved us a lot of trouble." She turned her eyes to the 3D image on the plot table and frowned. "What is that?" she asked.

Dr. Dryers adjusted some controls, causing the image to rise up off the table so that the underlying geologic structure was revealed, and now Amber could see the tell-tale glimmer of a sizable Unobtanium deposit. "I'm surprised you don't recognize this, Dr. Ferris," Dryers said. "It's the Omaticaya's old Hometree, after all."

Amber's eyes narrowed as she suppressed a growl. If she was in her avatar, her ears would have been pinned angrily back against her head. "Why are you fixating on that spot, Dryers?" she asked through gritted teeth. "Do you think the Na'vi will let you desecrate hallowed ground? I find it difficult to believe that even you could have managed to learn nothing in your time here."

Dryers leaned over the table, bracing himself with his good hand as he peered at Amber through the glowing hologram. "We're just planning ahead, ma'am," Dryers said easily. "Don't worry, there will be plenty of time to negotiate mining rights later. We do have a business to run, after all."

"And there's where you've already lost it," Amber said as she shook her head in perverse wonder.

"Dr. Ferris," a new voice cut in, making nearly everyone in the room tense.

Dryers was perhaps the only person who seemed unfazed by Colonel Barnes' sudden appearance. "Samantha," he greeted, earning him a cold scowl. "We are still okayed for the survey flight, correct?"

Colonel Barnes stared down the bridge of her nose at the plot table with an unreadable expression. "One Samson, Dryers. As soon as the weather clears," she acknowledged. "That's all I can spare you."

Dr. Dryers smirked. "You mean, that's all that you can spare the company. Right?" he said.

Barnes ignored him. To Amber, she said, "Dr. Ferris. Follow me."

As Amber followed Barnes into a side office, she got the impression that words like "please" and "thank you" were mere courtesies that the Colonel might or might not choose to impart upon someone. A nameplate on the doorway still read "M. Quaritch."

"Close the door behind you," Barnes commanded as she took a seat behind the surprisingly bare desk. She did not offer the hard folding chair to Amber. For a moment the two women stared at one another, each silently sizing the other up. "Let me make something clear to you," Barnes began. "I do not care for you one bit, Dr. Ferris."

Amber's own blue eyes flashed coldly. "How fortunate, then, that we can agree on this first point," Amber shot back.

Colonel Barnes merely grunted noncommittally. "Your avatar is still at the Omaticaya's Hometree, correct?" she asked.

The way that a wall suddenly went up between them was answer enough for Colonel Barnes. "Yes, it is," Amber replied as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Good," Barnes replied. "Because you will be relaying a message for me."

Amber felt herself bristle, even as she suppressed her excitement. While she did need to get a message out to the Omaticaya, she silently dreaded whatever the Colonel had to say. "What makes you think I'll be your willing messenger girl?" she demanded in a suspicious voice.

Barnes simply flashed a quick, humorless smile. "I need you to relay a proposal to the Omaticaya, and Kyle Fischer, for me. A trade: Jake Sully's life for the codes to the orbital harvesters."

A horrified gasp slipped past Amber's lips before she could help herself. "You can't be serious! Colonel, you can't just kill him!"

Barnes tapped an idle data pad that was sitting on the desk. "Dr. Ferris, you can actually think of this as a favor. My instructions are to simply execute Sully outright for his crimes, right now. I'm making an offer that has benefits for both parties here. He walks out of here a free man, and the RDA is free to continue its operations unimpeded."

Amber was simply floored. "And if the Na'vi decline? If they decide to attack? What then?" Amber already knew what Jake would say to such a proposition. Not just "No," but "Hell no."

Colonel Barnes' lips turned up into a brief smile. "Well, when life gives you lemons...," she said. "Don't take too long to think about it. I'm bending the rules enough as it is. I won't wait forever for an answer."

"I can't run the link units by myself," Amber gritted out.

Barnes nodded once. "You may have whatever you need. And I am sure that Dr. Patel will be happy to assist you," the Colonel replied icily. "That is all. Dismissed."

* * *

"Colonel, are you sure this is the best idea?" Major Link asked in a low voice. "You've never been one to disobey orders before."

Colonel Barnes and Major Link stood in an out-of-the-way corner of the link room, quietly observing the bustle as the scientist prepared to hook Amber up to her avatar. "Think of it as merely bending the rules, not breaking them," she sighed.

Link cocked an eyebrow up at this.

"If the Na'vi take the offer, then we can reopen the trade route back home that much sooner," Barnes explained. "And truth be told, if it came down to negotiations with the Na'vi, I'd rather be talking to someone like Sully rather than a born smurf. At least I have a chance of understanding him."

Link's normally handsome features hardened into an unreadable mask as he shot a frigid glare towards the ambient room. "I still think we should just end it now," he growled. "We can always...deal...with the Na'vi later."

A simple shrug was the extent of Barnes' response. "Nothing says we still can't," she said simply before turning to leave.

* * *

Amber had never felt so weak before. Or hungry. Or _thirsty. _It took all of her strength and concentration for Amber to pull her avatar out of its nivi without slipping and falling. She cast a look in Norm's direction and sighed - his avatar was probably just as worse off as hers was. Amber hoped that he would get a chance to link up soon so that he could take care of his other half. It had been several days since she had linked up and she was definitely feeling the consequences, now.

Enough moping, Amber thought to herself. There was work to do.

Nearly all of the Omaticaya were down below, attending to clan business. It was past midday, after all. Amber's ears told her that the rain had stopped, but her sensitive nose could still plainly smell the moisture in the air.

Amber was wondering where she could find Neytiri or Kyle, or Mal'ek or Moat for that matter. The problem was solved when she stepped out of one of the spirals near the healer alcoves and almost ran right into Kyle, whose arms were burdened with several baskets.

"Amber!" Kyle blurted, his shock plainly evident upon his features. He carefully eased his basket-loads of herbal medical supplies to the ground before placing his hand gently on Amber's upper arm, as if to make sure he was not imagining her presence. "How are you linked up? What happened...?"

Kyle's gentle touch turned into a firm grip as Amber swayed unsteadily on her feet. "...Really thirsty...," Amber slurred as she closed her eyes against the sudden dizzy spell.

"Right, I bet," Kyle agreed as he gently led Amber into the healer alcoves. Tanhi was restocking supplies on a shelf, and she turned and gasped in surprise when Amber and Kyle appeared. "Hold on, I'll get you a bowl," Kyle said before he dashed back outside.

"What can we do to make you more comfortable?" Tanhi asked as she knelt down beside Amber, who had taken a seat against the wall, and tenderly placed the back of her hand against the scientist's forehead. Kyle reappeared in record time with a container of cool, refreshing water.

Amber shook her head as she drained the bowl in one go. "Nothing," she said with a gasp as she finished. "I need to find Neytiri and Moat. And you, Kyle. We have to talk, and I don't think I have much time."

Tanhi insisted that Amber not exert herself, and she swiftly left to find Neytiri, Moat, and Mal'ek.

"What's going on, Amber?" Kyle asked in a soft but firm voice after his mate had left.

Amber shot a fleeting look towards the alcove entrance before she answered. "Colonel Barnes says that Jake is going to be executed unless we give her the codes to the harvesters," Amber said in a low voice.

Kyle swore softly and glanced away as his ears folded back with anger. How the hell were they going to handle this now?

Kyle and Amber both looked towards the door as Neytiri, Moat, and Mal'ek entered. Tanhi followed last of all, and she carefully adjusted the thin curtain that hung over the doorway to offer them as much privacy as possible.

Amber could only lock eyes with Neytiri for a limited amount of time before she had to look away. How do you tell a woman something like this? Her mate's life in exchange for the means of protecting her People? "This isn't easy for me to say, Neytiri," Amber began. "I'm so, so sorry for what has happened. For everything."

Neytiri squatted down beside Amber and placed a delicate finger against her chin, gently encouraging the other woman to meet her gaze. "None of this is your fault, Amberferris," Neytiri said in a quiet, reassuring voice. Even still, her golden eyes burned with an intensity that Amber had never seen before.

"I'll say it, then," Kyle growled. All eyes settled on him, and Amber simply nodded. "They're going to kill Jake unless we give them back the harvesters that were disabled."

Mal'ek could not contain a low, infuriated hiss, and Moat stiffened noticeably.

Neytiri's eyes flashed dangerously as her tail lashed about behind her. "This thing that the Sky People demand...it is because of what you did with their flying machines?" Neytiri asked.

Kyle nodded grimly.

Moat and Neytiri exchanged a look before Neytiri spoke again, silently communicating. "The Sky People...," Neytiri said slowly, her voice dripping with malice. "The _kameluke_ Sky People wish to bargain with us? They bargain with the life of my mate? The father of my child. The sixth Toruk Makto." Neytiri blinked rapidly and slowly shook her head. In truth, she could barely get her mind around such a despicable concept. Such manipulation was not natural for the Na'vi, not in the slightest.

"Neytiri...," Kyle began. He swallowed nervously, though he did not look away when Neytiri pinned him with a hard stare. "Neytiri, just say the word. I'll tell them the password if it'll get Jake back." He felt Tanhi's reassuring touch on his shoulder. The situation could change with startling quickness, and Kyle knew it could easily be him weighing Norm's life on this terrible scale.

Neytiri hummed thoughtfully to herself. She could feel both Moat and Mal'ek watching her. There was no judgement, no pressure to sway her either way. Only anticipation. "Irayo, Kyle...," Neytiri said slowly. Her eyes narrowed with concentration. "However, I do not believe that will be enough for the Tawtute to return my Jake to me." Neytiri looked at Amber and asked, "Do you think the Tawtute war leader means what she says? Does she speak truth?"

Amber had been watching and listening to the conversation with wide eyes, and she squirmed under Neytiri's question. "I - I don't know, Neytiri. I honestly don't know." Amber shook her head and sighed wearily. "Colonel Barnes let me link up, she wanted me to relay this message to you all. She...she said that the RDA wanted to kill Jake anyway, but she was offering this as a favor."

Neytiri snarled in rage as she jumped up and began to pace. "This is a _favor?" _she spat before she muttered something foul under her breath in Na'vi.

Mal'ek spoke his thoughts aloud. _"We can barter, and trust our enemy's honor. We can decline, and do nothing. Or we can rescue Jakesully, and take away that which they hold against us."_

Neytiri growled low in her throat as her hands fisted at her sides. _"I know that my...my skxawng of a mate would not wish us to give up anything on his behalf," _Neytiri fumed. She could feel the growing heat of her own anger as the emotion continued to build in a seemingly self-perpetuating cycle - Neytiri forced herself to take deep breaths and to remain calm. If not for her own sake, then for Tommy's.

Kyle groaned and pinched at the bridge of his nose. "I want to get Jake back... But it'd be a hell of a challenge to get into Hell's Gate. And get back out," he muttered.

Amber spoke up again. "The base's defense turrets are back online," she said quickly. "Nothing could make it over the fence without being shot to bits. Definitely not anyone flying on ikran. The base may not be fully staffed, but its defenses shouldn't be taken lightly."

Mal'ek frowned. _"How do the Tawtute kunsìp pass by safely?" _he asked.

"The choppers and shuttles have transponders, IFF beacons and all that to prevent them from being shot at," Kyle explained. He could practically feel everyone giving him a pointed look, and he held up his hands in objection. "Whoa, hold on, I know what you're all thinking. Sure, my Samson could make it in, but we'd have no element of surprise. An unannounced, unexpected aircraft would raise all kinds of alarms."

_"We would have no element of surprise," _Mal'ek begrudgingly agreed.

Suddenly Amber gasped. It was probably a useless suggestion, but from the way everyone was now staring at her, Amber suspected that she would be forced to say something. "What if... What if you were to switch places with a flight out of Hell's Gate?"

Kyle and Mal'ek exchanged perplexed looks as Kyle said, "I guess that would take care of issue of an unexpected arrival...but I'm still not sure that I'm following -" Kyle froze mid sentence, and his eyes grew large. Like the time on the trail with Tanhi, when the idea to sabotage the orbital harvesters had struck him out of the blue, a way to get Jake safely out suddenly coalesced in his mind with startling clarity. But it was insane! There was no way this could work... "Do you know where Jake is being held?" he asked slowly.

"The avatar prep room," Amber quickly supplied. "Why -"

Perfect. Unbelievably perfect. "Do you know, know for _certain,_ if there are going to be any flights out of Hell's Gate anytime soon?" Kyle interrupted.

Amber's ears flicked back at this as a nervous expression crossed her features. She looked at the three born Na'vi and said, "You aren't going to like this, but... I overheard Dr. Dryers in the control room. He wants to send a survey crew out to the Omaticaya's old Hometree to measure the Unobtanium in the ground. As soon as it's clear enough to fly."

Neytiri looked fit to explode upon hearing this. _"They would do this?" _she shrieked. _"They would foul what has been home to our People for generations! They would scorn the graves of those that they murdered! My sempul -" _Neytiri choked herself off as Moat wrapped her arms around her.

_"Shhh, child," _Moat gently soothed, even as the thought of the enemy tramping her own mate's grave made her furious on the inside. _"Be calm, and of sound mind," _she said. To Kyle, she said, _"You have a plan, Kylefischer. What is it?" _Her words were a statement, not a question.

Kyle was gazing into his mate's eyes as he spoke - he knew full well how Tanhi would react to what he was about to suggest. "A small group of warriors will take out the survey crew at Old Hometree," Kyle said in a monotone voice. "After that, we fly straight to Hell's Gate in the Samson under the guise of being the survey crew returning home. We land on the basketball courts. We break Jake out. With surprise on our side...if Jake is there...we will be in and out in less than two minutes."

A stunned silence settled over the group. Kyle's heart nearly broke as he glimpsed the anguish on Tanhi's face.

"Amber, can you -" Kyle began to ask, but he stopped when he looked down and noticed Amber's head lolling against her chest as though asleep. "Amber!"

Tanhi and Kyle both swiftly knelt beside the scientist's avatar. "She has returned to her other body," Tanhi murmured. No doubt against her will.

Kyle flinched when he felt a hand settle unexpectedly on his shoulder. Mal'ek had crouched silently down on his haunches beside his son-in-law. _"This...scheme of yours," _Mal'ek said. He enunciated slowly, as if weighing each word as he spoke it._ "Tell it to me. Every detail." _

When Kyle looked up at Moat and Neytiri he found both women studying him intently. Tanhi reached out and grasped his left hand, gave it a reassuring squeeze. Kyle closed his eyes briefly to organize his thoughts; then he began to speak.

* * *

Tanhi had made herself scarce while Kyle and Mal'ek had talked. Kyle suspected he knew why. Now that he and Mal'ek were done...discussing, it was high time that he had a heart-to-heart with his mate.

Kyle found Tanhi back in the healer alcoves late that afternoon. She had finished bringing up all of the baskets that Kyle had originally been helping her with, unloaded them, and stocked them on the shelves. Now she was organizing the room, and probably not for the first time, Kyle thought. The alcove was positively spotless. Tanhi had excised any trace of dirt or disorder, several times over, in fact.

It did not take a rocket scientist to tell that Tanhi was hiding within her work. Perhaps humans and Na'vi are more similar than we give them credit for, Kyle thought wryly as he observed his mate from the alcove entrance. Kyle softly cleared his throat and began to say, "Tanhi, please -"

_"I want you to go," _Tanhi interrupted. Her back was still to Kyle as she turned clay jars a few degrees this way or that. The shelf had been neatened five minutes ago, but Tanhi either did not care or she did not notice.

Kyle felt stung, and his ears drooped. He closed his eyes and sighed as he began to turn away. "Okay, Tanhi. I'll...I'll just be below, I guess...," he said in what he hoped was a level sounding voice. A tug on his tail drew him up short, and Kyle looked back in surprise.

Tanhi practically threw herself into Kyle's arms.

"Geez, watch your ankle!" Kyle grunted instinctively as he wrapped his arms around his mate and stumbled back a step. A grumbled comment from Tanhi was lost on Kyle, seeing as how Tanhi was speaking into the crook of his neck. "What?" he said.

Tanhi leaned back, and Kyle could see that her eyes were shining with unshed tears. _"I did not mean that I wanted you to leave now, you skxawng!" _she said with a strange combination of a laugh and a sob. _"I mean... I meant that..." _Tanhi let out a frustrated growl and blurted, _"I think that it is a good thing for you to rescue the Olo'eyktan." _Once she got that out she reburied her face against her mate's neck.

Kyle could only hum in wordless agreement as he tenderly stroked Tanhi's back. What else could he say to that? Kyle desperately wanted to say, "Everything will be alright," but that was not something that he could guarantee - Kyle tried not to make a habit of making promises that he could not keep. Both of them knew that.

"Jake is my friend," Kyle said at last. "So is Neytiri. I... I can't stand by and do nothing while they're like this. I know he'd do the same for us."

Tanhi laughed darkly and nodded. _"I know, Yawne," _she said. _"You are right to do this. For Jakesully, for Neytiri. For your cousin. I only... I do not want to lose you," _she finished in a plaintive voice.

Kyle touched his forehead to Tanhi's in a gesture that had come to mean just as much to him as a kiss. _"I do not want to lose you, either," _he said in Na'vi.

Tanhi smiled, despite the heaviness in her spirit. She always loved it when Kyle spoke the language of the People. A longing for him welled up from deep within her. While it was certainly not strange to want to be with her mate, the suddenness of the urge did take her a bit by surprise. She let go of the edge of Kyle's weapons harness and gently grasped his braid. _"May we...?" _she asked as she flashed a quick, shy smile.

Kyle smirked. _"Of course," _he said with a small chuckle as he carefully gripped Tanhi's own queue and gently positioned her braid over her shoulder. _"You have been very...," _Kyle paused, searching for the right word in Na'vi. _"Insistent. You have been very insistent about making tsaheylu lately," _he observed.

Tanhi's eyes twinkled at him. Perhaps she had been... _"It feels right," _she said simply. _"And I have not heard you complain much, Yawne."_

The smirk on Kyle's face grew into a smile. "You've got me there," he admitted.

Kyle blinked in surprise when the neural tendrils of their queues wound together. He did not feel the familiar, pleasantly heady jolt that always seemed to accompany tsaheylu with Tanhi. This time it was like two gears meshing together in smooth, perfect harmony. It was as if his body and mind had suddenly doubled, and rather than feel odd it felt perfectly right. "Whoa," he gasped.

Tanhi's pupils blew wide as they bonded, and she nodded in mute agreement as she sensed Kyle's thoughts. After a moment her eyes fluttered closed and she relaxed in Kyle's arms as she allowed his calm, steady emotions to soothe her.

They stood together in silence for a while, each more than content to rest quite literally within the mind of the other.

Quite by accident, Tanhi stumbled across something within Kyle's mind. She watched as the tanhi along his face and neck brightened for a moment with embarrassment, and he carefully shielded the idea from her. Defenses and walls did not fly up within his mind as they had so unfortunately in the past - this was simply Kyle's first uncomfortable reaction to her to gentle probing. _It's nothing, _he silently excused.

Tanhi's eyes twinkled warmly as she regarded her mate. _It is never 'nothing' with you, _she wryly responded. _You may tell me, Yawne. _Then she mentally took a step back and simply waited as she sent him soothing feelings through their bond.

Kyle nodded and smiled wanly as he opened up the thought to her.

He was not surprised when Tanhi frowned and he felt a mental hitch of discomfort come from his mate. _You want your hair cut, _Tanhi stated, her tone darkening.

Obviously. She could practically read his mind now, after all. _I knew you wouldn't like the idea, _Kyle's mental voice said. _And that...it would be uncomfortable for you. We can just drop it._

Tanhi sighed aloud as she looked deep into Kyle's eyes. She could tell that he was not lying when he told her that he would let the idea go for her. But she could also sense in him why the thought and desire had formed in the first place, and why it was important to him. Kyle was one of the People, after all. In body and in spirit.

A corner of Kyle's mouth turned up into a quick, faint grin as Tanhi ran her fingers through the hair around his ears. How he loved her attention, no matter what form it took. And yes, after seeing how torn up his mate was at the moment, he really was ready to let the whole thing go for her. Tanhi frowned as she stared hard at him, as she tried to picture in her mind what Kyle would look like with a warrior's mohawk.

"We don't have to," Kyle whispered out loud. "I know that'd be hard on you."

_"Why do you think it would be hard on me?" _Tanhi murmured absently.

One of Kyle's eyebrows climbed at this. _"Oel ngati kameie, Tanhi. Because it is the last thing that you did for Keoni," _Kyle gently replied.

Tanhi's eyes widened with alarm as she gasped, and Kyle's arms tightened around her waist. _"How did you know the name of my...?" _she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence aloud even as her mind screamed almost against her will, _the name of my first love? _Tanhi felt her face flush with guilt, and suddenly she could not look at Kyle anymore. _"How long have you known his name?" _she whimpered. Her tail drooped dejectedly behind her, and she shivered as she felt Kyle's tail gently twine with her own beside them.

Her face was turned away from him, so Kyle gently pressed his lips to her cheek. "Tsaro never mentioned his brother's name," he said with a small, humorless chuckle. Kyle held up their joined queues and said, "You never mentioned him either, but it only took me a few days after we first mated to figure it out. Sometimes...you dream of him for a little bit when you first fall asleep."

Tanhi felt absolutely mortified upon learning of this revelation. It felt like... Like she had been stripped utterly naked, had been left completely bare to the world. _"Yawne! Oh, Eywa, I am so sorry," _she said with a sob as her expression crumpled.

"Whoa, there... Hey!" Kyle said in a soft but insistent voice. "Look at me, Tanhi. See me. Do you really think I'd hold this against you?" He snorted as he felt a flash of perverse humor, and he closed his eyes and shook his head for a second before he lovingly rubbed his hand against Tanhi's jaw. "After everything you've glimpsed in _me?" _Kyle snorted again and said, "Perhaps I should thank _him, _for taking care of you and treating you so well."

Tanhi finally looked back into her mate's eyes. His gaze was strong and steady, and Tanhi knew intimately that he was not lying to her. _"Alright, Yawne," _Tanhi said at last as she continued to sift Kyle's braids back and forth between her fingers. It would be a very long time before she would get to do something like this again, and she wanted to treasure the moment. _"I will do this thing for you."_

* * *

It took Tanhi a little bit of time to find the necessary things. She gathered a razor-sharp knife, made out of some kind of obsidian-like rock, rather than an animal claw or tooth. And she needed a small jar of shaving oils for the blade.

Tanhi and Kyle walked over to one of the small fires that the Omaticaya maintained within Kelutral. The location was as private as they could manage within the confines of Hometree; the fire was maintained simply as a supply of coals, especially during wet, dreary weather like what they had been experiencing recently - it was really too small to be used for warmth or cooking. Now it would provide light for Tanhi's task.

Kyle knelt down on the ground as Tanhi began to undo the braids in his hair. She worked silently, with the crackling of the fire being the loudest thing that they heard. Now that they were actually carrying out Kyle's idea, he had to admit that he was more than a little nervous.

_"Do you know why the tsamsiyu wear their hair this way?" _Tanhi asked after all of Kyle's braids were loose. She gently dragged the pad of her thumb across the stone blade, checking its sharpness for the umpteenth time.

Kyle blinked slowly. "Um... For practicality?" Kyle offered.

Behind her mate's shoulder, Tanhi smiled knowing that he would not see it. How like him to pick the, well, the practical option. _"In part," _Tanhi acknowledged. _"There is another reason, Yawne. It serves as a lesson, even if it is an imperfect one." _Tanhi waited for a moment before continuing._ "Like shaving one's hair, killing another person is difficult to undo."_

Kyle swallowed as he processed Tanhi's statement. After a while, he nodded in acknowledgement.

_"Are you ready?" _Tanhi murmured. She was not referring only to her mate's impending change in style, and they both knew it. When Kyle nodded for the second time, Tanhi began to work.

Back on Earth, Kyle had never been one to talk to the barber during haircuts. For him, getting his hair buzzed had been a strangely relaxing experience, a briefly calm island in the middle of his chaotic life. Kyle knew what he would be facing tomorrow, if not the next day, so for now he tried to sit still and simply rest. Who was to know when he would get the chance to do so again?

At some point after the half-way mark, someone cleared their throat to announce themselves, making both Tanhi and Kyle look up. Tsaro stood a short distance away, observing them with an unreadable expression.

"Oel ngati kameie," Kyle said softly.

Tsaro blinked as though coming out of a daze. He touched his fingers to his forehead and motioned downwards. "Oel ngati kameie...tsmukan," he replied. Tsaro squatted down on his haunches so that he was eye level with Kyle, quietly watching as Tanhi finished cutting the last few locks of hair from the left side of Kyle's head.

_"Is your role clear to you?" _Kyle asked after a spell.

Tsaro reached into a small leather pouch that was hanging from his waist. Kyle heard metal clink against metal as Tsaro fished out one of the large .50 caliber shells that fed his sniper rifle's appetite. _"Yes. It is," _Tsaro replied as he held the bullet up before him. He grasped the shell between his thumb and forefinger, and Tsaro stared at it intently as if it were the most fascinating thing that he had ever seen.

_"Be still," _Tanhi silently admonished, even though her mate had not moved at all. She positioned the stone blade against Kyle's head and began to carefully shave his skin smooth.

_"And Sìlpey is willing to help?" _Kyle inquired.

Tsaro nodded silently. No one else spoke as Tanhi finished up shaving Kyle's stubble and set about rebraiding his hair; everyone was content to simply enjoy the silent company of friends and family.

"Hasey," Tanhi said after a while, and she kissed the freshly shaved side of her mate's head before standing.

Tsaro stood as well, and he motioned a silent gesture of farewell, which Kyle and Tanhi both returned. Just before he drew out of earshot Tsaro paused and turned to face them again. His eyes glimmered in the dancing light from the fire. _"It suits you," _he said simply. Then he turned his back and walked away.


	38. Chapter 38

**Whew, I didn't think it would take that long! And I did not count on the new season of Syfy's "Being Human" being such a distraction. AND...I recently discovered that I can watch all of "24" on Netflix. Do you have any idea how long it takes to watch 24 episodes of anything? Why couldn't it have been called "12," or "18," or something? And there's eight seasons! *faints***

**Many thanks to everyone for your patience with this process. Hopefully this chapter will have been worth the wait for you all. Enjoy!**

Chapter 38

Tanhi was dying. Or more accurately, Kyle was dying - not that it was any more of a comfort to Tanhi.

Whatever the hell was going on, Tanhi felt powerless to stop it, and a panic unlike anything that she had ever known gripped her heart like the cold talons of some great predator. Tanhi twisted, struggled, and fought as hard as she could, but try as she might she just could not make it stop. The constriction around her chest only tightened.

"Tanhi! Tanhi, wake up!"

The trapped feeling, the sensation of death crouching only a few feet away and staring at her hungrily, fell away. But something still had her pinned.

"Tanhi!" an insistent voice said, seemingly shouting right in front of her face. Tanhi forced her eyes open - it felt like her eyelids had been glued shut, and she blinked in confusion once she managed to pry them open. Kyle's face was nose-to-nose with hers, his expression one of grave concern and worry. "Tanhi?" he asked. "Are you with me?"

He was alive! Once Tanhi had stilled, the iron grip of Kyle's arms around her began to loosen, allowing her frantic breaths to come a little easier. Reality seemed to trickle back to her, and Tanhi realized with a rush of sweet relief that she was resting safely with her mate in their nivi. It was still night. They were in Kelutral.

"Are you alright?" Kyle asked again. He nuzzled his nose against hers and murmured, "Come on, say something. You're scaring me."

Tanhi managed to wriggle one of her arms free, and she reached up to rest her hand against the side of Kyle's face. She traced the glowing pattern of tanhi on his cheek, moved up to caress his eyebrow, and slid her fingers back along the smooth skin beneath his new mohawk. _"You are alive," _Tanhi breathed as she traced the shell of his ear with her fingertips in wonder.

Kyle let out a breathy, nervous chuckle, and he turned his head to kiss the inside of Tanhi's palm. "Last time I checked," Kyle said. "You were having a nightmare," he observed.

Images came rushing back unbidden, and Tanhi clenched her eyes closed. The sound of a baby crying nearby broke her horrible train of thought, and she reopened her eyes and glanced around her. The baby's family was gently shushing and cooing at their child, and only now did Tanhi become aware of the way that nearby Omaticaya were peering at them with concern from their own hammocks. Suddenly Tanhi felt incredibly embarrassed.

_"Was I loud?" _she whispered.

Kyle simply shrugged and mumbled something, but the way his golden eyes flickered with fear for a moment seemed to indicate a "yes."

Actually, Kyle had thought that his heart might just stop right there on the spot when Tanhi had let out her first bloodcurdling cry right beside his head. He had been sound asleep, and she had started screaming and fighting so violently for a second that Kyle had simply wrapped his arms and legs tightly around her out of a sense of self-preservation. For a moment, he really had thought that she was going to flip their hammock.

"Whatever it was, it's over. Nothing's gonna get you, Tanhi, I promise," Kyle whispered as he stroked her back. Tanhi allowed him to tuck her head beneath his chin as he continued to comfort her. Tanhi smiled faintly as she felt his tail wind gently around her leg.

Then Tanhi noticed a vicious set of scratches on Kyle's skin, perfectly shaped to match her fingernails, and she gasped and leaned back from him. _"Did I do that?" _she asked as her ears pinned back against her head.

Kyle could not lie to her. "You were thrashing pretty hard there for a moment...," he said slowly. "It's really not that bad," he hastily added when he saw Tanhi's lower lip begin to tremble.

_"Oh, Yawne, I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you," _she whimpered. On an impulse she leaned back in and lapped at scratches on his collarbone with her tongue, continuing to offer a wordless apology with tender kisses against his skin.

Kyle shivered. "Hmmm," he purred. "You can keep doing that...," he murmured. Then he yawned widely, already becoming tired again.

Tanhi smiled and gave Kyle's skin one last lick for good measure before snuggling up tighter against him. They continued to hold each other, hands lazily sliding over skin, continually reminding each other of their presence.

"Nothing's gonna get you," Tanhi heard Kyle whisper, just before he finally drifted back to sleep. It was not long before he started snoring softly again.

Tanhi bit her lower lip - she had never feared for herself during this entire event, not once. Her mate was right here, holding her and very much alive. But try as she might, Tanhi could not manage to shake the last vestiges of her nightmare. Everything had been so horribly _real._ She was quite sure she had dreamt that Kyle had drowned.

* * *

The first day of good weather saw Hell's Gate fairly explode with activity. There was plenty to do and not enough people to get it all done, and Colonel Barnes was not shy about cracking the proverbial whip.

"You two look like you're up to no good," Max Patel noted as he observed Norm and Amber, who were sitting across the cafeteria table from him.

Amber was staring fixedly out of the cafeteria windows, which were blessed with a beautiful view of the Hell's Gate airfield. Outside, men and women were hard at work. The base's few AMP suits were being used to haul the supplies and materials needed to repair the downed section of fence. Even inside, the angry buzz of chainsaws could be heard as Colonel Barnes' arboreal master key was being disassembled, one branch at a time.

A small convoy of trucks roared out of the main gate, heading towards the mine, on their way to repair Valkyrie 38.

Several helicopters were being towed out of the hangar as the RDA began to review and assess the resources that they had on hand. It would seem that Colonel Barnes and Dr. Dryers would not be wasting any sunlight at all.

Amber returned her attention to her plate and poked half-heartedly at her food again. "Let's just say today might be an interesting one," she murmured, speaking so softly that Max and even Norm had to strain to hear her.

Max took a casual glance around the room to verify that any RDA troopers were indeed out of earshot. "They're going to try and break Jake out? _Today?" _he hissed, crouching down low over his tray.

"When would you expect them to try?" Norm shot back in a low voice. His expression was hard, angry, as he said, "The Colonel did not really appreciate the Omaticaya's response."

Max glanced back and forth between Norm and Amber. Both of his friends looked utterly exhausted and stressed out. Sallow skin, dark circles under their eyes. Neither of them had really slept a wink last night. "What did you tell them, Amber?" Max asked.

Unfortunately, schedules had conspired against Max having any time to speak with Amber or Norm after the link yesterday. Colonel Barnes had slapped the big red abort button, unceremoniously yanking Amber out of link with a curt, "Time's up." Max had never seen Amber so livid before. Colonel Barnes and Major Link had marched Amber, cursing and swearing the entire time like a sailor, straight out of the lab.

Amber's gaze unfocused for a moment before she answered. "I told Barnes that if they killed Jake, Hell's Gate would be swarming with Na'vi within a week. I... I told Barnes that her head would be mounted on a spear as a trophy."

Max nearly choked to death on his breakfast pastry. "You - wait, _really?" _he managed to get out between his hacks and coughs. Perhaps his choking was a blessing in disguise, for Max's startled exclamation would have no doubt given them all away.

Amber's shrug appeared modest and shy. "Well, the Na'vi wouldn't _really_ do that...but Barnes doesn't know that. And I was...angry," Amber finished, almost guiltily.

Max shot Norm an appalled look. Norm simply shrugged.

"You do realize that we're playing with Jake's life here, right?" Max said in a strangled voice.

Norm slapped his palms down on the tabletop and growled, "No shit, Max! Thanks for informing us!" When Max's wounded look finally registered, Norm sighed and let his forehead drop to the table. "I'm sorry, Max. I didn't mean that," he apologized with a muffled voice.

"It's okay, Norm," Max replied after a moment. "Everyone's on edge right now. Just keep it down, alright?" Some of the guards were giving their table nasty looks.

"The only thing that the RDA accomplished by capturing Jake was put everything into a stalemate," Amber said with a sigh. "It was like grabbing a rabid wolf by its ears. It's no fun hanging on, but you sure as hell don't want to let go. Killing Jake would really spur the Na'vi into action, but right now with him captured but alive, everything's held up in limbo."

"But from their perspective, they can't conceive of letting Jake go," Max said, completing Amber's thought. Both Norm and Amber nodded in agreement. "This is like playing with a live grenade," Max groaned.

"Hopefully we won't be the one to lose a limb when it goes off," Norm muttered morosely.

Max winced. That was not a pleasant mental image, thank you very much.

* * *

Chief Warrant Officer Randall "Rambo" Tulley could not decide whether or not he should be excited or nervous. After debating all of the pros and cons, Tully decided that excitement would be the best option. After all, it was sunny outside! This was the first time he had really had the chance to experience warm sunlight shining down through a clear sky in...well... It had been a very long time. Even if this was Pandora, rather than Earth, Tulley decided that it would be the optimistic thing to take what he could get. No matter what solar system he happened to be in.

If anything, he felt rather flattered that Momma Barnes had picked him to fly the RDA's first sortie out. That was worth something. Right?

"Hey Rambo! Get your head out of the clouds!" one of the door gunners shouted as he checked the feeds for his Hydra tri-barrel machine gun.

"Better up in the clouds than up your own ass!" Tulley shouted back.

The gunner settled for simply giving Tulley a nasty look. "So, is it fit to fly?" he asked, changing the subject as he motioned at their Samson.

Tulley nodded, having just completed his preflight. "Yeah, they maintained her well." A disgusted look flickered across his face, as if he had just smelled something rank. "I just wish we could wash off this stupid paint," he said, motioning at the blue lines and whorls that decorated the helicopter's skin. Blue monkey graffiti. Just freaking fantastic.

"Hey you two, look sharp. Boss is coming," the second door gunner said in a low voice.

Tulley glanced up. Two avatars were approaching; the always imposing Colonel Barnes in Sec-Ops fatigues and the other in civilian clothing. "Do you have everything tied down securely?" the plain-clothes avatar asked as he peered into the Samson's cargo bay. "Do you have any questions on how to run the scanners?"

"We've got everything under control, Dr. Dryers," Tulley's copilot said as he stepped around the chopper's nose.

Dr. Dryers nodded, and Tulley finally noticed how sickly the man's avatar looked. "Excellent. I wish I could go with you, but... I'm not in any condition to do that." He smiled wanly and said, "My avatar is still too weak after coming out of storage, and let's just say that Pandora probably wouldn't be kind to a one-armed man. I trust you all to do good work."

Tulley forced a smile, even as he inwardly resented the implied, "Or else."

"You are clear on your orders to avoid any conflict with the natives, correct?" Barnes asked. "We are not in a position to be starting fights that we can't finish."

Randy Tulley glanced back at his flight crew before speaking for all of them. "Crystal clear, ma'am," he said. He cast a fleeting glance toward Dr. Dryers before saying, "The site that we are investigating is abandoned, correct?"

Dr. Dryers offered them all a reassuring smile. "Of course. It _was_ a Na'vi settlement, but the natives abandoned it once it was...destroyed. Rest assured, satellite imagery shows no activity around the site. You should be perfectly safe."

Perfectly safe. Right. "Yes, sir," Tulley said aloud. Easy for you to say.

"And this is for anything else," one of the door gunners said, patting his weapon fondly.

Barnes' golden eyes flickered in the trooper's direction, and a brief smirk revealed a sharp, inhuman canine. "Do not step in something that you cannot clean up on your own," she said wryly. "Carry on, men. Best of luck."

"Alright guys, saddle up!" Tulley said as he and the copilot pulled themselves up into the cockpit. Colonel Barnes and Dr. Dryers had retreated back to a comfortable distance, and they silently observed as the Samson powered up and its rotors began to spin.

The Samson's air handlers began to hiss and roar as the cabin purged itself of Pandora's poisonous air. Tulley sighed in relief once it was safe to pull off his exopack. "You know, the dirt-stompers give us flyboys a hard time for having little luxuries like this," Tulley commented.

The copilot paused what he was doing and leaned into the aisle so that he could look back through the clear bulkhead door into the cargo bay. "Huh," he grunted. "Sucks to be them," he said with a smile as he turned back to face forward.

Tulley grinned in response as he donned his headset and keyed his mic. "Hell's Gate tower, Samson 1-1. Request permission to taxi to the active."

"Samson 1-1, Hell's Gate tower. Hovertaxi to the active via Bravo, depart when ready," a woman's voice came back over the radio. "Have a safe flight."

"Samson 1-1," Tulley said in lazy acknowledgement as he reached up to the ceiling and pushed the throttles forward until they clicked into the cruise setting. A gentle tug on the cyclic control lofted the Samson upwards, and Tulley coaxed the chopper forward as he followed the paint on the tarmac that denoted taxiway Bravo. Once he reached the runway, Tulley worked the rudder pedals and swung the chopper left and right so that he could visually check to make sure that the runway was indeed clear. Not that he had to worry about oncoming aircraft on Pandora, but old habits do die hard, as they say.

Satisfied, Randy Tulley pulled up on the cyclic and watched with satisfaction as the world fell away below them. Both the bright, early morning light of Alpha Centauri and the wind was at their backs - it was good to fly again.

* * *

Even now, in the early morning daylight, Tanhi could not shake the feeling of dread that seemed to hover over her. She stood at the edge of the Kelutral LZ, watching as her mate and father finished readying the kunsìp for their mission. It was a little odd, watching the two men mix the elements of two very different cultures. Bows and arrows were stowed alongside the Na'vi-sized assault rifles in the Samson's cargo bay. Tanhi watched with a feeling of surreal numbness as her mate placed one of the bullpup rifles up in the cockpit, wedging the weapon carefully in the seat next to his own.

An arm slid around Tanhi's waist, making her jump. _"I did not mean to startle you," _Neytiri apologized as she gave Tanhi a sideways hug. Neytiri's ears flicked back and forth with uncertainty as she grasped about for the proper words. _"Thank you, Tanhi..." _She trailed away, unsure of how to continue.

This time Neytiri jumped a bit when Tanhi placed a hand over her swollen stomach. _"There is nothing to thank for, Neytiri," _Tanhi said._ "Kyle and I are glad to do this for you, for Jakesully, and for your son. This is what it means to be a family." _Neytiri could see Tanhi's sincerity through her own clouds of doubt and worry.

The sound of footsteps approaching made both women look up. Kyle glanced back and forth between Tanhi and Neytiri and flashed a quick, hopefully reassuring smile. Neytiri did not return the gesture, and Mal'ek remained stone-faced and solemn behind Kyle. "We're ready to go," Kyle said as he shifted nervously on his feet.

Tanhi stepped forward to give her mate a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. _"Txopuluke was not too angry, was he?" _she asked as she leaned back.

Kyle winced. "He...took it in stride," he hedged. That was putting it lightly. Txopuluke had not appreciated being usurped by Kyle's "flying stone." In fact, he had nearly thrown the ikran equivalent of a temper tantrum, something that had been more than a little unnerving, considering Txopuluke's great size and strength. Kyle's ikran did not like that Kyle was going into battle without him. "We'll be home before it gets dark, okay?" Kyle said.

Tanhi found herself nodding in agreement. There was a lot that could go wrong - everyone knew that. Tanhi wished that her father and mate would not be fighting alone. Well, not entirely alone - Tsaro and Sìlpey would be helping them, after all. Kyle had explained to her that more people meant more weight, which meant less speed. Kyle had already emptied the Samson of everything that was unnecessary for their trip. There had also been the unsaid, but understood, thought that more people meant more lives at risk.

_"It is time," _Mal'ek reminded them all in a quiet voice. They needed to get to Old Kelutral before the Tawtute did. To Neytiri, he asked, _"The warriors are clear on where to meet us?"_

Neytiri nodded. _"They are. It will be done," _she said with quiet determination.

One corner of Mal'ek's mouth turned up in a half-smile. He had no doubt that Jake's mate would see to that.

Tanhi held out a carry net that she had been holding on to. _"Take this with you," _she told them, before she lost the courage to do so. Kyle accepted the bag, and one of his eyebrows rose when he glanced inside. It was full of medical supplies. Kyle simply nodded.

Neytiri and Tanhi fell back to the edge of the clearing, arms wrapped comfortingly around one another, as they waited for the kunsìp to take off.

Kyle was belted into the pilot's seat and just finishing up his checklists when Mal'ek leaned in through the open bulkhead door. The Na'vi warrior's eyes darted about the cockpit's interior, taking note of the plentiful gauges, buttons, and switches. He knew nothing of their function, but then again, their function did not concern him. _"Are you afraid, Kyle?" _Mal'ek asked.

Kyle paused as the Samson's turbines began to spool up. He nodded.

Mal'ek thumped Kyle's shoulder once with his hand. _"This is not a bad thing," _the warrior said before climbing back into the cargo bay.

* * *

The waiting, the _not knowing, _was slowly driving Jake insane. That thought made Jake snort and roll his eyes. It had only been what, two days, if even that? And he was already losing it.

Jake kept telling himself that if it was only him on his own, he would not be in this bad of shape. But it was not just him... His thoughts drifted constantly back to Neytiri, and to Tommy. How were they doing? Were they coping alright? Jake's hands clenched into fists, and he resisted the urge to beat the stuffing out of the mattress, which had been his solitary companion throughout his ordeal. Who was he kidding - Neytiri was probably out of her mind with worry. Not that Jake could blame her.

In fact, _he_ was almost out of his mind with worry. It was taking all of his self-control not to devolve into a raging, screaming mess right now.

With a soft snarl Jake sprung up from a seated position, flipping around so that he was balanced belly-down on his hands and feet. Time for more pushups. He automatically slid into the form that had been engrained in his mind, way back from the marines. Machine-like, he began to fire off smooth, controlled repetitions.

787, 788, 789, 790... He had kept count of every single pushup and abdominal crunch that he had done since he had been locked in the ambient room.

Other than Colonel Barnes' initial visit, the RDA had not deigned to communicate with him at all. No more negotiations, no more demands... Nothing.

804, 805, 806. Maybe not entirely nothing... What had Amber Ferris been doing, checking on him like that so early in the morning? That had probably not been a sanctioned visit. What exactly did her presence entail? Could someone possibly be planning something? Jake almost could not dare to hope.

Jake's ears flicked as they detected indistinct sounds from the ambient room. He could hear muffled speech as well as discern the whine from the electric motors of the link beds. Probably the Sec-Ops avatar team, Jake mused.

833, 834, 835, 836...

* * *

Rambo Tulley flew in a lazy circle, banking the Samson over to the right as he surveyed their target area. "Damn," one of the door gunners said, his voice crackling over the intercom. "That was one big tree."

That was an understatement. The felled tree below them was positively huge. It must have easily stretched out for a greater distance even than the huge ISV that had brought him from Earth to this alien world. The Pandoran forest was working fast to reclaim its fallen brethren, but even still...Tulley could not even begin to imagine the countless tons of mass that remained. It was as if the natural realm had been charged with dissolving a mountain. The tree's now leafless limbs still stretched many hundreds of feet up into the air in a crazy tangle of twisted branches and limbs.

"Dryers said that the Unobtanium deposit was directly below the tree, right?" Tulley asked, glancing briefly towards the copilot.

The man nodded mutely - he was still staring in awe at the view outside.

Tulley leveled out the chopper and leaned forward, eyes scanning the skies for any threats. None of Pandora's larger aerial creatures had made an appearance, for which Rambo Tulley was quite thankful. If he made it through his tour on Pandora without ever laying eyes on a Great Leonopteryx, so much more the better. "Alright, guys, the quicker we get this done the quicker we can get back home," Tulley said.

They landed in an overgrown field by the city-block sized tree stump, opposite the direction that the trunk had fallen. The door gunners dismounted with CARB rifles up and ready as Tulley powered down the Samson. Once they had radioed Hell's Gate and ensured that the ship was secure, the copilot and he donned their exopacks and climbed out of the cockpit.

The four men gazed out in wonder at the world around them. The forest was seething with life - under every leaf, every rock, something crawled, slithered, or skittered about. Tulley froze in a combination of amazement and respectful fear as a solitary wasp buzzed by his face mask less than an arm's length away. That bug's multi-segmented body was at least the size of a sparrow.

Everyone pitched in to unload the survey gear. Dr. Dryers had been specific - take measurements as close to the tree's center mass as possible. The tree had not been solid - its trunk consisted of many large columns that had all grown together over ages. It would not be a stretch to set up their gear within what was left of the charred stump.

"What happened here?" one of the door gunners asked. He knocked what looked like an old gas canister shell out of a bush with the toe of his boot. How the hell had something like this gotten here?

Tulley stared at the canister for a moment before jerking his head in the direction of their destination. "Don't think about it. Come on, let's go," he said gruffly. This place was starting to give him the creeps.

The environment around them was a bizarre kaleidoscope, a strange mix of the dead and the living. Great piles of burned, fallen wood were heaped everywhere. Yet even from the dead wood itself, new life was springing up in the form of fresh, green shoots from new generations of plants.

Something crunched under Tulley's boot. He glanced down to find that he had stepped on some kind of clay jar or pot that had been half-buried in the loamy soil.

The remaining tall walls and columns cast dark shadows within the husk of the old tree, and in contrast to the noise of forest life it was almost cathedral quiet inside. It was not difficult to set up the survey equipment - only a half-hour passed before they were ready to start sending readings back to Hell's Gate. "I'll go slave the equipment to the Samson's radio," Tulley said as he shouldered a rifle. "Be back in a second."

In that moment, everything went to hell.

A giant arrow, fired from somewhere overhead, struck the copilot squarely in the chest. He was not wearing body armor, and it punched cleanly through his torso and buried itself in the ground, leaving the stunned man pinned even though he was still standing upright as he stared in amazement and horror at the brilliantly colored fletching at the arrow's end.

"There!" one of the door gunners screamed as he raised his rifle, holding down on the trigger as he proceeded to unload on a flicker of movement on top of a woody rampart that had caught his eye.

Whatever the man was shooting at was apparently long gone - a second arrow whistled in from a different direction and struck the trooper between the shoulder blades. He _was_ wearing body armor, but the pure kinetic energy from the massive projectile was still great enough that he was speared through, too.

Tulley was still spinning around, trying to catch a glimpse of their attacker as vitriol and a desire to fight rushed through his veins, when the last door gunner grabbed him by his collar and pulled him down behind some debris. "That's it, they're gone," the man hissed, his eyes wide with panic. "You need to get us the fuck home!" he jabbed his finger against Tulley's chest for emphasis.

Randall Tulley nodded, and then they started to run.

It felt as if some strange twist of perspective had lengthened the distance back to the Samson in their absence. Fleeting, nervous glances behind them, or above them, indicated no sign of pursuit. But certainly no ghost had fired those two arrows. Something was out there.

"Cover us with the door gun," Tulley panted as he tossed his CARB rifle on the copilot's seat and began to run through the startup procedures. Getting a chopper to fly was not like hoping into a car and simply turning the key - there were many things that needed to be done, and in a precise order. Droplets of sweat streamed down Tulley's face, dripped into his eyes, but he dared not take the time to lift up his exopack and wipe them away.

The maniacal, ripsaw buzz of one of the Hydras made Tulley flinch, and he looked up through the windshield just in time to see an indistinct blue form take cover behind a fallen limb that was as wide as a city bus. "Hurry the fuck up and get us out of here!" the gunner screamed.

Tulley ignored him as he depressed that starter button. The sound of the chopper's turbines turning over and finally catching was the sweetest thing that Tulley thought he had ever heard.

Once they were airborne Tulley climbed to several hundred feet and began to circle the dead husk of the tree. Now that he was safely back in his element and that the balance of power had shifted back to his favor, Tulley wanted blood. Hopefully they could land again and retrieve the two bodies after they vaporized the smurf. "11 o'clock!" Tulley shouted as he caught a glimpse of the native.

Tulley deftly pivoted the Samson in order to give his gunner a better line of fire, and once again the Hydra tri-barrel lit off, the impact from its massive, depleted uranium rounds kicking up rooster tails of dirt, rock, and wood. Anything that those rounds touched was shredded instantly.

"You see him?" Tulley shouted. They were now carefully circling a massive pillar of torn, scorched wood that the Na'vi had apparently disappeared behind. "Hell's Gate control, Samson 1-1, do you copy?" A response, slightly staticy but still quite understandable, came quickly back and Tulley breathlessly rattled off what had transpired.

They had completed more than a full circuit around the column and still had not detected any sign of their enemy. "I got nothing. Come on, man, let's just get home," came the gunner's voice over the intercom.

Tulley sneered silently. No way in hell was he going to run away from this! Once you had the upper hand, you never gave it up.

Still, it did seem a little odd that every trace of the native had -

Movement right in front of Tulley caught his attention, and he stared for a split second in open astonishment as a fierce, ten-foot tall blue-skinned figure pulled himself up onto the top of the column; he was level with the Samson, and Tulley felt a chill race down his spine as he locked eyes with his opponent. It was not so much the intelligence and the anger that shocked him - there was something else in those furious golden eyes, something that he could not quite place.

The answer came to Randall Tulley in the same split-second that the Na'vi nocked another massive arrow into his bow, drew it back, and fired right at his head.

The Na'vi looked smug.

"Shit!" Tulley shouted as he ducked. He threw his body across the center console as the arrow punched right through the Samson's windshield.

Tulley heard the door gunner scream as the Samson keeled over and began to spin - the fact that the man had remembered to attach his safety line was the only thing that kept him from being thrown from the chopper. Tulley swore out a litany of his own as he fought with the controls and desperately tried to keep them from colliding with the terrain. He reached up to the overhead and shoved the throttles past the cruise setting and into the detent for emergency power. He needed altitude, and he needed it now.

600 feet above the ground, Tulley finally stabilized the Samson. That fucking arrow kept hampering his movements - it had pierced through his headrest and imbedded itself in the bulkhead at the back of the cockpit. And there was still at least a few feet of arrow left protruding out through the windscreen. "You still back there?" he asked his gunner.

"Fuck you, Rambo. You still wanna try and tap that?" came back the supremely irritated response.

Tulley shook his head, and he felt inordinately grateful that he had not wet himself. "I'll pass," he said. Keying his mic, Tulley radioed, "Samson 1-1, coming home."

* * *

Colonel Samantha Barnes drew her sleeve across her face, wiping away the sweat and sawdust that had accumulated on her avatar's skin. Alpha Centauri was out and shining with a vengeance, as if making up for lost time. It was so humid after the storm that it might as well have still been raining.

Trooper Smith and Colonel Barnes were helping to disassemble the tree that they had used to knock the fence down, each wielding an impressive chainsaw as if it weighed nothing. Men in AMP suits hauled the debris from their work away, tossing massive logs easily out into the forest. Additional men, kitted out with welding torches and masks, were cutting away the damaged sections of the fence. The hard work felt good to Colonel Barnes. Progress was slower than she would have liked, but at least it was steady - the wood was still soaked from all the rain, and the chainsaws kept jamming.

If anything, the manual labor provided a welcome break from the increasingly bureaucratic mess that running Hell's Gate was turning into. Of course Barnes understood the necessity of reopening the mine as soon as possible. She could only hope that the RDA flunkies like Dryers would have the patience to wait until the base was back up to full strength. And that would take years.

Barnes' ears flicked back as she heard a small, four-wheeled dune buggy come to a screeching halt. A young, breathless trooper hopped out. "Colonel, ma'am, Major Link ordered me to send you this," the man said as he tentatively held out a data pad. "The survey team came under attack."

Suppressing a growl of annoyance, Barnes grabbed the data pad from the trooper, who promptly snatched his hand back as if he had been burned. What Barnes read caused her to let out a distinctly inhuman snarl that made everyone within earshot cringe. "Smith, take over for a moment," she snapped. "I need to find Dr. Dryers." You're gonna get it now, she silently promised.

The man in question was working alone in the avatar-sized lab at the back of the avatar cabin. He was crouched over a microscope, studying some kind of geological sample.

Barnes slammed the data pad onto the counter so hard that the device almost cracked in half. The sudden noise made Dryers flinch. "Look at this, Todd!" Barnes spat. "Here's what your little adventure netted us!"

Dryers casually skimmed the report, which was mostly a transcript of CWO Tulley's radio calls. "Only two dead," he observed. He turned around so that he could lean back against the lab counter, and he casually folded his arms across his chest. "That's what, one percent of our forces? That's acceptable. I wish we could have gotten more concrete readings from the survey instruments, though."

"Are you out of your mind?" Barnes seethed as she suppressed the urge to strangle the man. "Two men. Gone. Two days in. That was our _first_ sortie out. The next ISV is a year away. We do not have the resources for shit like this! We're lucky we didn't lose the whole fucking crew, chopper included!"

Dr. Dryers cocked his head to the side and absent-mindedly brushed some of his avatar's long hair out of his eyes. He hated the long hair. "We can always make more helicopters, Samantha," he said. Pointing up, he added, "We've got plenty of Earth-sourced electronics aboard the _Commerce Star_ right now."

Her tail lashed angrily behind her, and if it had been dark the angry blaze of her tanhi would have given away just how mad she really was. "You idiot, we can't make helicopters and new gas harvesting gear at the same time!" she snapped. "This is the first and last time that I do a special favor for you, Dryers."

"It's not a favor for me, Samantha. It's orders from our boss," Dryers calmly reminded her.

Colonel Barnes was not impressed. "If Corporate wants me to keep their little pet project here safe, I'm going to do it _my_ way," she hissed. "If they don't like it, they can strap their asses to a rocket and come out here to tell me in person. I'm not risking any more lives or resources outside that fence for unnecessary crap like this, Dryers. I mean it!"

Colonel Barnes suddenly winced and swayed unsteadily on her feet. She gripped the edge of the counter for balance.

"Are you feeling alright?" Dryers asked. There was no tenderness or care in his voice, it was simply a clinically sterile inquiry, and Barnes knew it.

"Fuck off, Todd. It's just a headache." She - or at least, her avatar - had been experiencing "just" a headache all day, in fact, but that particular spike of pain almost knocked her off of her feet. Maybe it's that damned loud chainsaw, Barnes silently wondered.

* * *

"Samson 1-1, coming home."

Tulley sighed and relaxed back in his seat as they flew along the river. Or at least, he tried to relax as much as he could, considering the stupid arrow that he had to work around. He would probably never hear the end of it from the guys back at Hell's Gate. A part of him was still steamed that they had run. After all, how many arrows did that damned smurf have? They could probably still -

Before CWO Randall Tulley could finish the thought a helicopter-launched AIM-92 Stinger missile detonated inside his starboard exhaust port, instantly transforming his Samson into a fireball of debris and falling metal.

* * *

Kyle Fischer watched with grim satisfaction as the flaming pieces of Samson 11 snuffed themselves out in the water below. The river would swallow all traces of the ill-fated chopper. Not that anyone would ever look for it.

Gently pushing forward on the collective stick, Kyle eased his own Samson out of its hiding place and began to clatter back to Old Kelutral. He had been hovering beneath the canopy, hiding between the soaring trunks of the tautral trees that lined the bank of the river as he waited to ambush the RDA chopper. Letting them pound away at Mal'ek had been an exercise in patience and restraint, but it had been agreed that Kyle would not interfere until after their enemy had radioed that they were heading back to Hell's Gate.

Mal'ek was waiting for him in an open area between several massive tree limbs, bow in hand, his tail swishing calmly behind him. He looked for all the world as if he had been out for a casual stroll in the woods. Kyle could not help but smirk faintly and shake his head - Tanhi's father could be a mean son of a bitch when he wanted to be.

Then Kyle recalled the two lives that he had just ended, and thought that perhaps he could be a mean son of a bitch, too. Kyle glanced down at his transponder and typed in "1111," thereby assuming the identity of the aircraft that he had just destroyed. Appearances needed to be maintained, after all.

The skids of Kyle's Samson had barely brushed the ground before Mal'ek easily hopped up inside the cargo bay. Kyle throttled back up and aimed his chopper's nose towards Hell's Gate.

* * *

Susan was utterly terrified. Not less than an hour earlier she had heard over the radio the RDA away team being decimated by the Na'vi. While a part of her silently cheered this turn of events, a bigger part of her was scared for what this would mean. She had been conscripted back into her role of air traffic controller for Hell's Gate, and like everyone else who had decided not to endorse the slaughter of innocent people two years ago, the judgmental glances and derogatory comments that she had received were quite numerous.

She decided to keep her expression neutral, to show no emotion over the event whatsoever. That would be safest, she determined.

A glance at the holographic radar screen showed Samson 11 popping up with greater frequency as it drew closer to the base. There were less hills, giant trees, and random effects from the flux vortex now to interfere with the base's sensors. The aircraft was angling straight back home.

"Have they requested permission to land yet?" a voice asked, right over Susan's shoulder. She nearly launched out of her own skin, she had startled so badly.

Major Link smiled darkly as he watched Susan squirm. "No... No, sir, they have not radioed in at all." She swiftly rechecked her instruments to make sure that she had not missed anything.

Susan tried not to cringe and shrink away when Link placed a hand on her shoulder. His thumb brushed across the bare skin of her neck, and she had no idea whether or not the move was intentional. She imagined that in any other context the man would be quite handsome, attractive even... But his eyes were hard. Much too hard. Link leaned down and murmured close to her ear, "Well, why don't you call them back, and kindly remind them not to ignore procedure. Can you do that?"

Susan swallowed nervously and nodded. "Sure," she breathed.

* * *

"Samson 1-1, Hell's Gate tower. Call in when over the mine to verify landing instructions, please."

Kyle winced and swore to himself. Of course they would still need to call in before landing! For a brief second, Kyle thought that maybe he could impersonate the dead pilot. He discarded the idea as soon as he came up with it, though. That man had spoken with a thick Bronx accent. Kyle's SoCal inflection was probably as far from New York as one could get.

_"What is wrong, 'itan?" _Mal'ek asked.

The sudden voice in Kyle's earpiece surprised him, and the Samson bobbed up and down for a moment as Kyle flinched. He had forgotten that Mal'ek had donned an avatar radio set so that they could speak inside the noisy Samson. _"They are asking us to call in," _Kyle explained. Thinking fast, Kyle changed the code on their transponder. _"They will begin to suspect something is not right. We will not have much time." _

Shit, things are already starting to fall apart, and we're not even there yet. Kyle wanted to punch something, but unfortunately both of his hands were busy keeping them in the air at the current moment. A sick feeling of terror bloomed in the pit of his stomach so suddenly that he began to feel nauseous.

No, keep it together man, he silently pleaded. You can do this. We can do this.

* * *

On Susan's holoscreen the numbers under the chopper's icon changed from "1111" to "4600."

Link scowled. Their radio was out. How convenient. He cursed and took a step back, giving himself room to pace for a few steps. He was going to rip Tulley a new one when the man got back - sloppiness was not appreciated, nor tolerated.

Neither was cowardice, for that matter. It was Major Link's opinion that those men should have remained out on the battlefield until the mission was complete. The Major was definitely a, "Return with your shield, or upon it," kind of soldier.

Major Link was just about to storm out of the control room when one of the other troopers present called out to him. "Major! Sir, we're downloading another superluminal. It's tagged as a high priority, and you're cleared to read it. Do you want to wait, or would you rather I call the Colonel as soon as it's ready?"

Link paused in the doorway as he debated the options in his mind. "I'll read it," he said at last. "Send it to my data pad when it's ready."

It only took another five minutes for the communiqué from Earth to download. Link frowned as he read the message. Apparently, their RDA minders were not pleased that Jake Sully had not been executed, and they were eager to put the matter to rest. Permanently. The message that he held in his hands made this clear, in no uncertain terms.

This surprised Major Elias Link - he had not been aware of any official orders of this nature. Then his expression darkened. Colonel Barnes had been privy to this knowledge, and she had not kept him in the loop about it. That bothered him.

"Tony?" he asked, addressing the young man who was running the base's ops panel. "See if you can get the Colonel on the radio for me." As Link waited for a response he reviewed the superluminal message three more times, just to make sure that there was no misunderstanding. It read the same every time: they wanted Sully dead.

"I can't raise her," the RDA trooper reported after a moment. "I know she's out with the repair team. I'm sure things are loud, and she just can't hear the radio. Should I call for another courier?"

"No, don't bother," Link said in a distracted voice. "Get Dr. Dryers."

A few seconds later, the trooper signaled that Dryers was on the line. Link stepped over to an unused console and put on a headset. "Dr. Dryers, if you have a data pad available I would like to send you something," he said.

The sound of an exaggerated sigh came over the radio. "I'm busy, Major," Dryers said. "Can this wait?"

Link was no stranger to the political game. "I'm not sure," he hedged, sounding almost confused. "I tried to reach out to Colonel Barnes, but she is currently unavailable. I thought that perhaps you would be able to help me understand this."

There was a pause. If Dryers knew he was being buttered up, he did not let on. "Fine, send it over," he relented. Link did so, and after a brief wait Dryers asked, "Should you even be reading this, Elias?"

Link snorted and temporarily clenched his fists at his sides. "Yes, sir. I make sure to check my own security clearances before I open messages from Corporate," he said with barely veiled contempt. "My question to you is why Sully hasn't been put down yet, and what the hold up is."

There was another pause, and Link could practically hear the gears churning inside Dryers' mind. "You'll have to ask Samantha that one, Major. She has made it quite clear what the chain of command is."

"It doesn't look like there's much room for interpretation in this," Link said. What was Barnes waiting for?

Again, there was a calculating pause from Dr. Dryers. Everyone else's work in the control room continued on, oblivious to the conversation in their midst. "Major Link, I'm not sure what you're asking me, here. You are quite capable of comprehending our orders, and carrying them out. Now, is there anything further that you'd like to discuss with me? Because I have a lot of work to catch up on."

Link smiled. "No, sir. I just wanted to make sure you were reading the same thing that I was."

"I think we're both clear on what that message says. Carry on," Dryers said. "Oh, and Elias? Your work for the company is greatly appreciated. I just wanted to make sure that I told you. I realize that I don't point out the good in people enough, and I'm trying to work on that."

"Thank you, sir. That's good to hear," Link said as he rolled his eyes. Whatever. "Link out." Perhaps today could still be salvaged, Link thought to himself. "Tony, call up Thiele and Stoltz. Tell them to report to the link room. We've got an issue that needs to be addressed."

* * *

It was a few minutes later when Major Link arrived at the link room. Dr. Max Patel, Mo Ye, and a few other civilian scientists and technicians were present to help run the link beds. All under the watchful eyes of the two Sec-Ops link techs, of course. Max looked up from his data pad when he heard the door open, and his lips compressed into a tight, disapproving line when he saw who it was.

"Prep three more link beds for us, Dr. Patel," Link ordered. "Now!" he added when he felt that Max was not moving fast enough.

Max rolled his eyes before he traded a knowing look with Mo Ye. This was not looking good. "Please get seven, eight, and nine ready," he asked her after a moment. To Major Link he said, "Lose the gun."

Link gave Max a double-take. "Excuse me?" he said, his right hand brushing the butt of his pistol.

Max was not fazed. "I said, lose the gun. The links don't like excess metal. So unless you want to wake back up even more retarded than you already are...lose the gun."

Link shot a look at one of the RDA techs, and the man shrugged and nodded once.

"Fine," Link said as he unbuckled his gun belt.

Two more members of the RDA avatar team stepped into the link room. Max studied the three soldiers covertly out of the corner of his eye as he began to boot up the necessary computers and equipment for their link. He could only hear snippets of their conversation, but the key words and phrases that he managed to catch sent a chill down his spine and caused a sickening feeling of dread to set up residence in the pit of his stomach.

Their time had run out. They were going to kill Jake.

"Alright, all civilians need to clear the room immediately," Link ordered. When he glanced up at Max, who was staring at him with a barely concealed mix of horror and accusation, he could not help but grin. "Yes, that means you, too," he sneered. Link motioned for Thiele to hasten the process along.

Before the trooper could get to him Max slapped the intercom button on his console. "Jake! Jake, they're coming -" he screamed, but that was as far as he got before Thiele grabbed his arm and yanked him away.

"That's enough!" Thiele snarled as he twisted Max around to pin his wrist behind his back. He proceeded to shove Max forward towards the door, and the scientist had no choice but to comply unless he wanted his shoulder joint popped out of place.

"You can't do this!" Max yelled as he struggled futilely. "Please!"

He received no response as he was shoved roughly out into the hall, along with the rest of scientists. The door slammed shut and locked with an ominous click.

Everyone stood frozen in stunned silence for a moment. Everything had just happened so fast! "Are they... They're really going to kill him, aren't they?" Mo Ye stated, her voice quavering with fear.

Mo Ye flinched when Max slammed his fist against the door. "Fuck! Goddamnit!" She had never heard Dr. Patel swear so much before.

* * *

"Jake! Jake, they're coming -"

The sudden sound of Max's panicked warning snapped Jake out of his meditation. He felt his blood chill as he heard a brief scuffle over the intercom before the channel clicked off. Jake leapt up and peered through the observation windows just in time to watch the scientists being herded out into the hallway, and to see three more soldiers climbing into link beds.

Jake slowly stepped back into the middle of the room. His heart was thudding in his chest as his mind spun and he desperately grasped about for a means of escape. For the hundredth time his eyes darted around the room, and just like the first time he had examined his prison cell, he came up empty. There was nothing else in here with him except for the damned mattress.

His eyes narrowed when they settled on the cameras that were set up in the corners of the room's ceiling. With an angry snarl Jake reached up and yanked each camera out of the wall.

A glance back into the link room showed that the two remaining link technicians were not even looking at him. Of course they knew he was there, but they kept their eyes resolutely down on their work, never acknowledging his presence.

Jake could feel a sense of mortal dread wrapping its arms around him, and he struggled to remain calm and sound-minded. Was there anything else that he could have done? Perhaps I'd been too passive, Jake thought. If only I'd tried something when Colonel Barnes was here... "Shit, shit, oh shit," he muttered as he paced nervously back and forth.

He had no weapons, save for his own fighting skills. He was trapped, with no way out. Jake was well and truly hosed, and he knew it.

* * *

Hell's Gate could clearly be seen through the windshield. Being in plain sight like this sent a strange thrill through Kyle's body, and he could not help but let out an incredulous snicker. He fully expected to have his bluff found out, to be blasted out of the sky at any moment. Kyle eyed the defensive turrets warily, but they remained still, never moving to track his progress through the sky.

Kyle felt jittery. All of his senses were heightened. His stomach was a nervous, fluttery wreck. His heart literally felt like it had crawled up into his throat.

They flashed over the fence. On the far side of the refinery complex Kyle could see men and equipment working on the breach. On the tarmac Kyle could see a ground crew, waiting to receive them. It looked like his claim of a radio failure had worked - no one else had tried calling them after that.

When he was still several hundred feet above the ground Kyle goosed the throttle, stomped on the rudder pedals, and suddenly angled away from main landing pads. "This is it!" he shouted to Mal'ek. The Na'vi warrior did not respond, and Kyle did not want to risk a glance behind him. Mal'ek knew what to do.

They roared over the avatar gardens, and Kyle nimbly spun the Samson until it was flying sideways while at the same time he allowed their altitude to bleed off. Kyle pressed the rudder pedals again and spun the Samson another 90 degrees so that its tail would clear the basketball hoops. As the landing skids kissed the ground Kyle twisted around in his seat to check on Mal'ek - he found that the warrior was already out and sprinting towards the ambient room, rifle held ready, crouching down low against the wind from the rotors.

Kyle kept the Samson's turbines roaring at full power. He reached over and retrieved his own rifle from the passenger seat as he leaned forward to peer around them, watching for any signs of opposition. Kyle fidgeted nervously in his chair, his right index finger brushing the rifle's trigger guard at the same time his thumb clicked the safety off - so far, so good.

While surely their deviation from normal routine had been noticed, Kyle hoped and prayed that the confusion caused by their actions would buy them enough time to get back out alive.

They had been on the ground for about three seconds now, but to Kyle it already felt like three years.

* * *

"This is it!" Kyle shouted.

Mal'ek waited until they were just above the ground before he leapt out of the cargo bay. He kept his head bowed against the maelstrom from the spinning blades of the kunsìp overhead and sprinted as fast as he could towards the dreamwalker-sized door set in the side of the human building. He focused and channeled his fear into forward motion as his eyes darted to the left and right. There was no one else present - for the moment.

Mal'ek was rather surprised to say the least when the door opened on its own, just before he was about to grasp the handle - hunter's instincts took over, and he crouched down low to the ground and threw himself against the side of the building. A warrior dreamwalker stepped out, shading his eyes with one of his hands against the wind. "What the hell...," he muttered in irritation as he looked towards the Samson that was parked on the basketball court.

The flash of movement to his left registered too late to save his life. His own rifle was only half-way up when a single, well-placed shot pierced his skull just above his left eye. The avatar soldier dropped in a boneless heap, leaving a spray of gore and bloody matter on the door behind him from where the bullet had blown out the other side of his head.

If the realization of this new, deceptively easy way of killing another person settled uncomfortably on Mal'ek's spirit, he never showed it. He simply stepped cautiously over the fallen body and into the short hallway beyond, taking care not to soil his feet with the blood of his enemy.

The man's presence here meant either that they had arrived in the nick of time...or that they were too late. He prayed that it was the former. Eywa help the Tawtute if Jakesully was already dead.

"Thiele! What the heck are you doing out there?" A different soldier stepped quickly into view up ahead. This man was much more aware than the first - his rifle was already up.

They fired at the same time. Even though Mal'ek threw himself against the side of the corridor he still felt two brilliant flashes of pain open up on his right side. His body kept working, though, so perhaps it was not that bad. Some of Mal'ek's own frantic shots hit the soldier squarely in the torso, tossing the man back against the opposite wall. The rest of his bullets hit the wall and stitched upwards until they hit one of the observation windows, turning the glass into a mosaic of thousands of shattered pieces. The safety glass held together, and so far the overpressured link room beyond was only losing atmosphere through the relatively small holes in the glass.

Now his ears were ringing from all of the gunfire, but Mal'ek could still hear what sounded like a struggle up ahead even over the sound of an alarm from within the building. The sound of a familiar voice cursing and yelling in 'Ìnglìsì caused Mal'ek's heart to soar with hope.

Jake was fighting for his life with a third warrior dreamwalker. A gun was lying discarded on the floor, perhaps lost in the initial struggle, but the avatar soldier had managed to draw his knife - Jake was unarmed, and it took all of his skills as a fighter to keep ahead of the blade. The way the two men twisted and fought made it impossible for Mal'ek to aim, not without risk of shooting Jake.

Truth be told, Jake was actually enjoying this. All of his military MCMAP training was right there at the front of his mind, and Jake relished every bit of it. He had been one of the better students in his class, after all. Jake had also had plenty of time to master the use of his newer, bigger, faster, stronger body. He moved with a fluidity and grace that Link could not yet match, and Jake thought that the presence of the RDA soldier's knife served only to level the playing field for them.

Link was unpredictable, and a dirty fighter to boot - the fact that he was now madder than hell made him an even more dangerous opponent. The Olo'eyktan had managed to parry almost every strike against him, but several bleeding gashes on his forearms were proof that he had not always been successful.

Still, that did not stop Jake's savage snarls from morphing into a fierce grin - this was simply a competition to him, one that he had no intention of losing.

Jake finally managed to catch Link's wrist, just barely intercepting a thrust that would have probably disemboweled him. The Major's retaliation was a nasty right hook that caught Jake in the temple and made stars bloom in his vision. Both men snarled and fell to the ground in a tangled heap as the combatants continued to struggle for control of the knife between them.

A clean shot was still impossible, but that did not mean that Mal'ek was powerless to help. He waited until they twisted just the right way, and when he had an opening Mal'ek flipped his rifle around and slammed its stock into the back of Link's head, knocking the man out cold.

Jake could only nod his thanks as he panted from exertion. "You're hit," he finally managed to gasp out, indicating Mal'ek's wounded side.

The pain finally registered with him, and Mal'ek glanced down to find that his right flank was streaked with blood. Each breath sent a spike of pain through the core of his body.

Then, several things happened at once.

"No!" Jake suddenly yelled, his eyes flaring wide in alarm. He had not even managed to stand back up yet when he hurled himself across the floor. Mal'ek struggled to turn around when he quickly found that his legs were not as strong as he thought - he ended up sagging against the wall with an agonized hiss. _Wiya._

The second man that Mal'ek had shot was not as dead as they had all hoped. His body armor had slowed but not stopped Mal'ek's bullets, preventing the torso shots from being instantly lethal. His teeth were bared in a silent snarl, his lips flecked with his own blood, as he strained to bring his assault rifle to bear.

Jake had never really considered the impressive weaponry of the RDA's avatar soldiers. But now, almost staring down the barrel of one, he had no choice. The avatars' rifles were quite similar to the smaller CARB rifles that the human soldiers used, and their modular design meant that it was easy to add on a secondary weapon system.

The secondary option of choice for Sergeant Tanner Stoltz was an underslung grenade launcher. It was a painfully one-sided struggle, for even with the deep slashes on his arms Jake was significantly stronger than the gravely wounded man. But somehow, in the split second that it took for Jake to wrestle the gun away from Stoltz, someone hit the grenade launcher's trigger.

The 40mm grenade fired off with a loud _whump! _right beside Jake's head. It was fortunate indeed that Mal'ek had felled his opponent where he had - the distance between the launcher's muzzle and the wall was well within its minimum arming distance, and the grenade glanced off of the reinforced, load-bearing wall without penetrating. It ricocheted upwards, punching through the shattered observation window and detonated somewhere up in the link room's ceiling.

As the grenade passed through the window it missed the human Major Link's head by approximately six inches. Still, the shot was enough to cause the man to dive for cover and to keep him from unloading his Wasp revolver into the back of Jake's head.

The grenade's explosion did not penetrate through the ceiling into the floor above them, but it did destroy a sizable amount of that side of the room. The pressure wave drove the breath that Major Elias Link had been holding from his body, leaving him gasping and choking on the noxious Pandoran atmosphere that was flooding into the room.

"Mask!" he yelled through a coughing fit. One of the link techs, already glassy-eyed with panic, complied and tossed him an exopack before managing to fit a second one over his own head. Link spit out his rebreather and put on the exopack - he wanted the full faceplate to protect his eyes from the smoke and stinging alien atmosphere.

It was absolute pandemonium inside the link room. Dark smoke and dust filled the air while the lights and siren from the breach alarm wailed on. The explosion from the grenade left everyone's ears ringing. Against the opposite wall from where the grenade had hit, Stoltz was pulling himself weakly out of his link bed while he dug frantically through one of his pockets for a rebreather. His body was going into shock, having believed that it had just been shot.

Beside him, Thiele's link bed had ejected as well and automatically opened. Thiele made no move to get up, though - he stared with unseeing eyes up at the ceiling. His human body had died right along with his avatar's when Mal'ek had shot him through the head.

Through the smokey haze Link could faintly discern the second RDA link technician helping Dr. Dryers out of his own link bed.

Major Link ultimately ignored all of it, though. He snarled in rage and popped back up, aiming his revolver down through the shattered window into the ambient room. "Damnit!" he spat. Jake Sully and the other Na'vi were gone.

* * *

Kyle was looking the wrong way when the bullets first started entering the cockpit. He shouted in surprise and ducked, covering his head with his hands as several rounds zinged past his ears, traveling close enough to his head and neck that he felt the heat from their passing - it was a sensation that brought back very unpleasant memories for him. The shooting stopped seemingly as quickly as it had started, though. Kyle looked up and saw an avatar in civilian clothing crouched on the steps of the cabin, frantically reloading a handgun.

Before the man had a chance to finish Kyle brought his own rifle to bear and fired back, shooting right through the Samson's windshield. The forward-ejecting shells from his rifle bounced off of the ceiling and landed right back in Kyle's lap. "Shit!" he yelped in surprise as he frantically brushed the hot casings off of his bare legs. Outside Kyle caught a glimpse of the avatar take cover from his return fire and dive back into the cabin.

Someone else started shooting at him. Over the roar of the chopper's engines Kyle could hear sharp pings and pops as more bullets peppered the airframe. Small holes appeared in the glass on the left side of the cockpit as even more bullets zipped past him.

Kyle's first thought was simply _oh, not again, _when he felt three sharp, stinging impacts trace along his upper arm as he struggled with his seatbelt. Once free of the safety harness Kyle shoved open his door and tumbled out, all the while cradling his rifle against his chest.

He bruised his hip against the Samson's starboard missile pylon as he spilled out of the cockpit; his elbows and knees received a set of nasty scrapes as well when he finally landed belly-down on the asphalt of the basketball court. Kyle thought it odd that those minor injuries pained him more than the bullets in his arm - for the time being at least he still had full use of the limb.

On his stomach outside of the chopper, Kyle glanced beneath the Samson and spotted two Sec-Ops troopers who had appeared around the corner of the building. At the same time that they realized that the cockpit was empty, Kyle was sighting down his rifle's scope and he squeezed off two quick shots in retaliation.

Both shots hit home, striking the first soldier solidly within his center mass. The 7mm rounds from his rifle were sufficient for hunting big game back on Earth, and they easily punched through the human's body armor.

The first man was just dropping dead as Kyle shifted his aim onto the second solider, but before he could fire the trooper's head simply exploded. As Kyle stared in amazement, a third trooper rounded the corner with his gun up and was met with a similar fate - an invisible blow struck the side of his body, knocking him off of his feet and killing him instantly.

Kyle grinned humorlessly. Tsaro had found his range.

* * *

Dr. Todd Dryers was fumbling with his handgun's magazine when he felt returning fire zing past him; two of the bullets plucked at the edge of his shirt, having missed his body by mere inches. Dryers' well-developed sense of self-preservation kicked in, and with a frustrated growl he dove back into the cabin.

He pressed a hand to his throat mic and snapped, "Control room, Dryers! There are at least two hostiles on the avatar grounds. That inbound Samson is not, I repeat not friendly!" Dryers kept spouting orders before the operator up in the control room could even respond.

"Sir, do you have the authority to command something like...?" came the cautious response back over the radio.

Dryers hissed angrily as he hazarded a glance out of the cabin windows. The idling chopper had yet to take off, but that could change at any moment. "Listen," Dryers snapped, "If I have to dig out the regulations right now for this, I'll rip off your head with my bare hands and shove it so far up your ass that you'll be wearing yourself as a hat! Am I clear? Major Link will back me up, now get it done!"

* * *

A half-mile outside of Hell's Gate, resting prone on a convenient outcropping of moss-covered rock, were Tsaro and Sìlpey. The overhanging trees provided them shade from the sun and also provided the benefit of casting their hiding place in deep shadow. And in any event, when someone finally came looking for them, they would be long gone.

Beside her intended mate, Sìlpey peered through a spotting scope, calling out targets for Tsaro. _"One more. Coming from the same direction as the first three," _she reported.

Tsaro readjusted his aim back to that particular corner of the building. Just as Sìlpey had said, a fourth man was just rounding the corner of the building, having taken off at a dead run from the hangars were Kyle's kunsìp had been expected to land.

His first headshot had been somewhat unintentional - at the range he was shooting at, a body shot would be sufficient for a kill. _"Shooting...,"_ Tsaro murmured. Sìlpey quickly shoved her fingers into her ears.

Through his scope, Tsaro saw that his third shot was true. The .50 BMG round hit the tiny Tawtute in the side, bypassing any body armor, and passed cleanly through his body before it ultimately struck the ground on the opposite side of the target where it left a small crater in the asphalt to mark its impact.

Tsaro was grim-faced. It was true, he had initially been quite excited to learn about this new weapon. But now that he had used it against another living being, even if that being was a blind Sky Person... It held no joy for him. Tsaro's eyes flickered in the direction of Kyle's chopper and took note of the blue figure crouching beside it for cover - he only wanted to keep those he cared about safe.

_"Tsaro!" _Sìlpey frantically hissed. _"Two uniltìranyu! Coming from the tall buildings!"_

Tsaro growled softly to himself as he shifted his rifle on its bipod to the left and began to scan the tangle of passageways within the refinery complex. He instantly did not like what he saw - there was too much cover, too many obstructions, to guarantee a hit. The enemy would be in a position to shoot at Kyle within seconds. And Jakesully and Mal'ek were still nowhere to be seen.

_"Shooting," _Tsaro muttered anyway, making Sìlpey tense up beside him again.

He squeezed off two shots in quick succession, even though the chance of hitting anything with the second was miniscule. If he could not kill them outright, he at least wanted to keep the avatar soldiers from moving forward.

Just as he feared, both shots missed. As a small conciliation, however, both avatars instantly scrambled out of sight. _"Has Mal'ek returned with Jakesully yet?" _Tsaro quickly asked.

"Kehe," Sìlpey softly answered.

Tsaro merely grunted in response; his attention remained riveted on the place where the two dreamwalkers had taken cover. This process was taking entirely too long, in his opinion.

* * *

The unmistakable _snap-hiss_ of a high-velocity bullet just barely missing its target sent Colonel Barnes diving for cover. Smith crouched down behind a low retaining wall as a second shot zinged close by, piercing a section of piping behind them that began to spout out steam. Smith swore violently. "Who the hell is shooting at us?" he hissed, his avatar's ears flattening back with anger. "And with a fucking AMR, no less! I thought _we_ were the ones with the guns here!" He jabbed his chest with his thumb for emphasis.

Barnes' tail lashed furiously behind her. "I don't know. But somehow I think we've been had," she growled. She touched her throat mic and said, "Any progress on getting to that chopper? Smith and I are pinned down in the refinery!"

The response from the control room was not encouraging. "No, ma'am! We're getting reports of sniper fire. It looks like four men are down already. We're also sending a squad down to the -"

Colonel Barnes fought back a most unprofessional explanation. Thank you, so much, for that timely heads-up. "Where the hell is Major Link?" she snarled, interrupting the trooper's irritating blather. Screw him, Barnes decided - before she even got a response from the control room she reached out and grabbed Smith by the collar of his fatigues. "Come on, we don't have time for this! We'll go around!"

"What about -" Smith objected as he was towed bodily along. He had no desire to go anywhere until he knew exactly where he was being shot at from.

"I caught a glimpse of the muzzle flash from the first shot! We'll be fine as long as we stay in this cover, now move your ass!" Barnes snapped.

The frantic reports from the control room had reached Colonel Barnes less than a minute ago - the survey chopper had flown straight towards the avatar compound instead of landing where it should, and now there were reports of some kind of fight in the ambient room. It looked for all the world like someone was trying to break out her prisoner, and Colonel Barnes did not appreciate this one bit. Smith and she had taken off at a dead run back to the base, which in their avatar bodies was quite fast, all the while trying to figure out from anyone what the hell was going on. Someone was going to get their ass returned to them on a platter for this breakdown in the command structure.

Moving swiftly, the two avatars were able to navigate through the tangle of refinery machinery until they came out just beside some storage sheds that were next to the avatar cabin. When she finally got a clear view of the rouge Samson, Colonel Barnes frowned. Since when had the Na'vi learned to operate human machinery, and how had they appropriated an RDA helicopter? Then she noticed that the native crouched beside the chopper was holding an assault rifle that was perfectly fitted to his large frame.

It was the way he held the rifle that did it, that finally gave the man's identity away to her. He was not Na'vi - Barnes was looking at an avatar. And that meant that the man before her was none other than Kyle Fischer.

Barnes grinned fiercely. "Give me the launcher," she demanded, and Smith instantly complied. Some had thought it overkill that Barnes had insisted that the repair crew keep a few shoulder-fired anti-tank rockets close by. Barnes had reasoned, and not inappropriately, that the men would probably no longer feel that way if a thanator came out of the woods. "Drive him to cover. Feel free to wing him, but do not land any lethal hits."

Smith grinned as well; he knew instantly what the Colonel was planning - she intended to capture Sully's would-be rescuers as well, and the first step was to destroy their means of escape. "With pleasure," he growled as he readjusted his hold on his rifle.

* * *

So far Tsaro had been quite effective at keeping all opposition suppressed. Save for his initial gunfight, Kyle had remained relatively unharmed. His left arm was starting to ache, though... A few rivulets of blood streaked his blue skin and had started to run down the back of his arm.

"Come on, guys...," Kyle gritted out as he cast a glance over his shoulder towards the ambient room entrance. He tried not to dwell too much on the bloody smear on the doorway, or on the body of the fallen avatar soldier. There had only been one more smattering of gunfire that Kyle had heard, and he recognized the sound of Mal'ek's weapon. Hopefully that meant that the warrior had won.

Two more reports from Tsaro's rifle rang out - Kyle could just barely make out the sound over the noise of the idling chopper. A quick scan of the avatar cabin through the sights of Kyle's rifle revealed no sign of Dr. Dryers. The man was still lying low.

Kyle debated in his mind whether or not to go in after Mal'ek. He growled in frustration - he knew he was supposed to wait outside, to guard the means of their escape. It was not as if Mal'ek was incapable of taking care of himself...

Something tweaked Kyle's sense of danger. It was a sensitivity that had flourished under Kyle's hunter training, and now it shouted at him that something was not right. Kyle whipped around, gun up, to face in the general direction of the cabin. Two more avatar soldiers were crouching beside a low structure, keeping themselves out of Tsaro's line of fire.

The man had his rifle trained on Kyle's chest. It took Kyle a fraction of a second to recognize what Colonel Barnes was holding - the tube balanced on her shoulder had seemed almost insignificantly small.

_Shit, _Kyle thought as the presence of the human-sized rocket launcher registered with him. He was dead to rights, and everyone knew it.

Then, the oddest thing happened. A dull thump could be heard from inside the base as both avatars fell limply to the ground, slumping like puppets whose strings had just been cut. Barnes shot off a rocket as she fell over backwards, whether accidentally or on purpose Kyle did not know, and he ducked reflexively as the projectile howled by overhead.

Where the hell were Mal'ek and Jake? He glanced back towards the ambient room just in time to see the two Na'vi in question come sprinting out, and Kyle sagged in relief. A movement behind them caught his attention, though, and Kyle snarled and aimed his rifle at the human mercenary that had appeared behind his family.

Both Jake and Mal'ek saw the warning in Kyle's eyes; both dove to the side as Kyle popped off almost half a dozen shots. Kyle missed - he had started shooting before he could really aim, and the trooper stayed back within the cover of the building where he could only fire several rounds around the corner.

Jake had to help Mal'ek back up, and Kyle's heart seized in his chest when he saw the blood on his father-in-law's side. "Move your ass, Kyle!" Jake snarled.

The harsh command snapped Kyle out of his daze. One corner of his consciousness was mildly irritated at Jake. The almost-amusing thought of, _I'm_ not the one that took forever and a day, flickered through Kyle's mind as he threw himself back into the cockpit. Even still, despite everything he suddenly felt almost giddy - they had done it!

Well, almost...

Several warning lights were illuminated on the Samson's dashboard. Before Kyle could begin to assess the damage, yet more shots began to hit the chopper, this time coming from the direction of the building. Kyle automatically reached for his weapon.

"I got it!" Jake shouted as he helped - more like shoved - Mal'ek up into the cargo bay. He had appropriated Major Link's rifle, and he fired back from the hip in retaliation, causing the soldier to duck a second time. "Go, go!" he yelled.

Kyle glanced back over his shoulder once just to make sure that Jake or Mal'ek would not slip out. Then he yanked up on the controls - the Samson's engines were still making full power, and the aircraft leapt into the sky like a startled bird.

The Samson shuddered as it was struck by shots from something markedly more powerful than small arms fire. One of the AMP suits that had been helping to repair the fence had made it to the fight.

But within seconds they were clear from even this threat. Staying low, Kyle just barely cleared the fence and the treetops beyond. A helicopter could fly fast or gain altitude - but not do both at the same time. The defensive turrets that ringed the perimeter around Hell's Gate remained still. No one had yet figured out how to remove Kyle's aircraft from the friendlies list on the computers, and Kyle silently thanked Collins for the shortcut that he had taught him.

"Everyone alright back there?" Kyle shouted over his shoulder. "Check the carry net on the forward bulkhead! There should be stuff in there to stop the bleeding!"

Jake's eyes had landed on the carry sack just as Kyle was speaking. He swiftly dug through it and pulled out several moss compresses that he knew possessed coagulative properties. Once again, he was amazed at how seemingly everything on Pandora was useful in one way or another. _"It hurts, but the injury is not grave," _Mal'ek grunted. He hissed in pain when Jake pressed the compress against his side.

Jake was about to respond but stopped short when something caught his attention. Ignoring his friend's glare, Jake grasped the edge of Mal'ek's loincloth in order to stop the garment from flapping in the wind. Both men's gaze settled on a small, neat hole in the leather. "Good thing that wasn't any higher, Mal'ek," Jake said with a wry grin as he took note of the bullet hole's location.

Mal'ek suppressed a shiver of dread even as a faint grin flickered across his expression. _"Indeed," _he deadpanned. Mal'ek shifted his position on the floor and moved his left hand up to his side. _"I can do this. Attend to your own injuries, Olo'eyktan," _he said.

Jake examined the slashes on his forearms that he had earned during his brief fight with Major Link. They hurt like hell, but Jake was no stranger to pain. His injuries could be attended to back at Kelutral - "Wait, Kyle, we're not flying back to Hometree, are we?" he suddenly asked.

"What? Put on a headset!" Kyle shouted back over the cacophony from the engines and rotors.

Jake cursed as he slipped on an avatar headset and said again, "Are we flying straight back to Hometree? If we're followed -"

"No, we're not heading straight home for that very reason," Kyle interrupted. "We'll be meeting a group of warriors at another location, and then head home together from there on the ground. And please, keep an eye out behind us. I do want to know if something's following us."

Jake nodded and tried to force himself to relax, at least a little bit. He was still all amped up on adrenaline, still jittery and itching for a fight after the rush of their escape. Everything had happened fast - there had been no time for thought, only for action. Now that there was somewhat of a lull his mind was able to catch up to current events. "Guys...," he began. "I -"

"Yes, Jake, you're welcome," Kyle interrupted. "If you feel like you 'owe' us, then fine, we'll collect later. And no, you don't have to berate us on the risks that we took, oh fearless leader. Trust me, we are all aware of what could have happened if things went bad. And besides, deep down inside I'm quite sure you would have probably pulled something similar, had situations been reversed."

Jake cast a wry glance at Mal'ek who simply rolled his eyes. _"Excitement can sometimes make my son speak what is on his mind, perhaps too freely," _he said simply.

Up in the cockpit, Kyle felt himself flush with embarrassment. Perhaps the excitement was getting to him, at least a little bit.

Jake sighed and shook his head. "I was just going to say, 'thank you,' but if that's how you really feel...," he chuckled. Jake looked up to the cockpit; he was about to say something else, but then he frowned when he noticed the blood dripping from Kyle's elbow. "Damnit, Kyle, if you're hit you should have said something!" Jake scolded as he scooted forward in the cramped cargo bay to have a look at Kyle's injury.

The gunshot wounds appeared deceptively small on such a large figure. "It's fine," Kyle excused as he tried to wave Jake away. "It's only my arm. It hurts, but honestly I'm more afraid of what Tanhi'll do to me when we get back."

Jake grunted noncommittally in response. He motioned towards the warning lights on the dashboard. "Will we make it to where we're going?" he asked in a dry tone of voice.

Kyle shrugged as his eyes hardened briefly. "Well, we've had zero oil pressure ever since we took off," he said. Kyle had already pulled the fuses for the audible alarms. "The engines haven't exactly seized up yet, so I'm going to have to assume that a sensor took a hit. We should be fine."

Both men traded a look. "Should be" was entirely different from "definitely."

_"Kyle," _Mal'ek said as he carefully leaned out to check behind them. _"You wished to know if we are being followed. It would appear that this is the case," _he calmly reported.

Jake swore again and leaned out the other side of the Samson. Squinting against the rotor's downdraft, his sharp eyes could just make out the sleek form of a single Scorpion gunship in the distance.

* * *

_Yes! _Tsaro subdued any boisterous outward display of elation even as his heart leapt with joy and relief within his chest when Kyle's Samson thundered by overhead. Everyone had made it out!

_"They did it!" _Sìlpey gleefully blurted, only just barely remembering not to shout out her own enthusiasm. Beside her, Tsaro allowed himself to go limp and his eyes to drift shut with relief; he rested his head against the stock of his rifle as a small smile flickered across his face. She observed him out of the corner of her eye, and Sìlpey could not resist the urge to slide over a little until their bodies were touching. Tsaro's eyes reopened and settled on her face. His smile remained. _"You did it," _Sìlpey murmured before pressing her lips softly against his cheek.

One of the things that Sìlpey loved about Tsaro, despite often teasing him about it, was that the young man did not have to constantly speak out of his mouth what was on his mind. In fact, she was discovering that Tsaro seldom used words to express what he was feeling. Now, for example, the answers for any questions that Sìlpey might need to ask were readily available within Tsaro's piercing gaze.

Sìlpey shivered as she felt something brush against her tail. Then she laughed softly when she looked back to see what it was. It was Tsaro's own tail, wagging happily about with a boisterousness that the stoic hunter rarely ever displayed.

A new noise from Hell's Gate caught the attention of both Na'vi at the same time. In an instant the smile was gone from Tsaro's face; he was all business as he sighted down the riflescope again. _"Do you see anything?" _he quietly asked, his ears perking forward to attention.

Sìlpey was peering through her own spotting scope, frantically searching about for the source of the steady noise. _"Not yet," _she replied.

The noise grew in intensity, and to Tsaro it sounded like it was coming from behind one of the larger buildings beside the flat, hard, unnatural field where the Tawtute kunsìps rested. A growing feeling of unease began to form in the pit of Tsaro's stomach. This noise was familiar to him...

Two kunsìps rose into view from the other side of the structure. They were not like the one that Kyle flew - no, these two looked predatory as they beat their way through the air with no doubt sinister intent. The pair of Scorpion helicopters reminded Tsaro of two angry zize' that were hunting around for someone to sting.

_"Cover your ears," _Tsaro ordered as he swung his rifle about. He had no idea if this would work, but he knew he had to try something...

_Crack, crack, crack! _The noise from his gunshots was horrendous, but Tsaro bore down on the discomfort and kept shooting at a measured pace. Anxiety kept clawing at him as if a nantang was perched upon his back, digging its talons into his shoulder blades; it took all of Tsaro's concentration to recenter the scope's reticle on his target after each shot. It felt like he was going to have an impressive bruise on his skin from where the rifle's stock was braced against his shoulder.

Would his gun even work against a kunsìp? That was a question that Tsaro was sorely wishing he had asked Jakesully.

Though Tsaro did not know it, a .50 caliber rifle would do a fine job of disabling a helicopter - that is, if you hit it in the right spot. Seemingly half of his shots missed the first Scorpion entirely. The rest mostly landed on armored or otherwise non-vital parts of the mechanical beast. But as happenstance would have it, one of the bullets managed to pierce a weak spot in the coverings around the gearbox for the left rotor assembly. Tsaro stared in mute surprise for a split second as the kunsìp suddenly lurched and wobbled once in the air, smoke pouring from its side, before it turned and made an ungraceful landing back on the ground. It would take a significant overhaul before that chopper would ever fly again.

Tsaro knew that there was little time to celebrate this victory; he swiftly sighted in on the second kunsìp, which was angling ominously in their own direction.

_Crack! Crack! _Snick. The bolt cycled open after only two more shots. Empty clip.

Now there was no mistaking the purposeful way that the Scorpion was aiming straight at them, and Tsaro's split-second decision ultimately saved Sìlpey and his life. _"Jump!" _he shouted as he leapt up from his prone position, yanking on Sìlpey's arm as he did so to reinforce the command.

It did not matter to Tsaro whether or not Sìlpey was ready - he none too gently shoved her off of the rocky outcropping just as the Scorpion let loose with a salvo of rockets. Their sniping post was pulverized into a cloud of small rocks, dust, and debris only seconds after they had vacated it, and Tsaro felt the sharp stinging impacts of stone chips against his skin as he fell.

The rifle's extra weight caused Tsaro to land wrong; he started to tumble down the hillside, only to come to stop in a cloud of spores by smashing ungracefully into a torukspxam. Tsaro, now finely coated in an orange-brown dusting of mushroom spores, shakily regained his footing. He was coughing and sneezing violently, but was otherwise unharmed. _"Sìlpey!"_ he shouted in a hoarse voice. He sneezed again. Oh, if something had happened to her... _"Sìlpey!" _he frantically yelled again.

A quick scan of the sky through the treetops revealed no sign of the Tawtute kunsìp. Tsaro's ears strained for any sign of it, but all he could hear was ringing. For better or for worse, it had apparently flown on. Even so, Tsaro smoothly ejected the rifle's magazine and replaced it with a full clip from a pouch hung around his waist.

_"Stop screaming, I am right here," _came back the acerbic response that just barely managed to register over all of the white noise.

Tsaro turned around so fast that he almost lost his footing again on the slope, and he smiled and slumped in relief when he caught sight of the young woman, who appeared mildly shaken but thankfully unharmed. _"I was afraid that... That...," _he trailed off.

Sìlpey cracked a small, wry smile. Tsaro was amazed that she could manage to hold herself with such dignity and poise, despite being tossed down a hillside and nearly being blown up. _"I am safe, thanks to your quick action, Tsaro," _she replied. Sìlpey reached forward and gently rubbed the tip of her finger against Tsaro's cheek, scrubbing away the mushroom dust to reveal the blue skin beneath.

Both of them smiled when Sìlpey sneezed, too.

* * *

Chaos reigned at Hell's Gate. The radio waves were jammed full of voices shouting questions and orders back and forth, but for a moment Major Elias Link was deaf to it all. He stood on the grass just outside of the avatar prep room, his eyes smoldering with silent rage as he watched the Samson clatter off over the fence and disappear from sight.

Link holstered his sidearm and went back inside, calmly stepping over Thiele's fallen avatar. His only regret concerning that particular matter was the loss of an asset, and of an able-bodied fighter. Ultimately, it was Thiele's lack of awareness that had gotten him killed, and Link refused to feel even remotely sorry for that.

The Major's boots crunched across shattered glass, and spent shell casings clinked about as he kicked them out of the way. He knelt beside the supine form of his own avatar and set his hand against the skin beside its throat. He could feel the avatar's heartbeat thumping steadily along. It was strange, seeing his own face on this alien body. In a way, he almost resented the avatar's presence - he felt insulted somehow that he needed its help to do his job here.

A familiar voice finally registered with him over the radio - Tanya Keyes came out swinging, making demands and issuing threats that were more than likely genuine if she did not get answers. She was doing her job well, all things considered. Given the lack of a command structure above her, Tanya Keyes was managing the crisis exceptionally well, actually.

It was time to remedy that, however; Link reached up to key his throat mic. "Commander Keyes, this is Major Link," he said.

"Major! Sir, with all due respect, where the hell is Colonel Barnes?" Tanya asked. She sounded positively livid, and quite frankly Link did not blame her if the chaotic background noise was any indication of how events were unfolding up in the control room.

"Samantha Barnes is dead, Commander," Major Link reported in a completely emotionless voice. He looked up at the smoke that hung in the air up by the ceiling. He had seen exactly where that grenade had detonated inside the link room. Oh, yes, Colonel Samantha Barnes was unfortunately quite dead. "I am assuming command at this time."

It took several beats for Keyes to respond. "Understood, sir," she replied in a flat voice. "We scrambled our two Scorpions to pursue whoever broke Sully out. One was disabled by the sniper, but the second chopper was able to neutralize that threat and resume pursuit. They are within missile range now - we are just waiting on the techs to remove the enemy chopper's IFF indicator from the friendlies list. Dryers has authorized these actions, sir."

While that would be the by-the-book approach, to be brutally honest Link had no desire to follow the rules at this time. "That's fine," Link growled. "To hasten the process, take down all of the Samsons from the list. We'll sort it out later, after we've confirmed the kill. And have damage control teams and medical personnel report to the link room as soon as possible. We have a sizable leak that needs to be sealed. Remember, the room is locked down - they will need to approach from outside. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Keyes replied.

"And Tanya?" Link said. His face contorted into a rageful mask, and it took all of Elias Link's effort to remain calm. The day had not turned out the way he had planned it, but perhaps it could still be ended well. "Call me the instant that our pilot brings that chopper down. You tell him not to come back until it's done."

* * *

_"You wished to know if we are being followed. It would appear that this is the case," _Mal'ek stated in a deceptively calm voice.

Jake leaned out of the other cargo door, grasping an overhead rail for support. "Shit," he muttered. This was unfortunate.

"Jake. How close?" Kyle asked as he turned on the targeting system for their own missiles.

"Too close. They should have fired by now," the Olo'eyktan replied. It felt like it was less than 2,000 yards away. He never looked away from the pursuing Scorpion.

Kyle felt oddly detached, like he was listening to anyone other than himself speak. "Then it won't be long before they're able to," he said. Kyle ran the calculations in his head - with clinical detachment, he came up with a negative response. "We aren't going to make it to the rendezvous point," he declared. The young Kelutral that pushed up above the horizon up ahead was simply too far away. Even as he spoke, Kyle was scanning the terrain for any kind of clearing that they could land in. They needed to get out of the air right now - there would be no way that the Scorpion could track them on the ground, once they were under the cover of the trees.

"You do have flares, right?" Jake asked.

Mal'ek remained quiet, content to sit back against the rear bulkhead and nurse his wounds. Things were out of his hands, now. Jake and Kyle were speaking about things of which he had no knowledge. There was no fear of the unknown for Mal'ek to hide - the simple fact was that he trusted his friends to take care of things.

Kyle snorted derisively from up in the cockpit at Jake's question. His first thought was simply, _Hell no, _but then a memory piped up from way back in his mind. It was something that Collins had said, all the way back when they had first built this Samson for him. Something about the fact that all of the choppers retained their infrared countermeasures... Collins had made a joke about how a face-full of burning magnesium could be quite the deterrent against an overly eager banshee or Great Leonopteryx. "Yeah, we -"

"Launch, launch, launch!" Jake screamed. "Flares, Kyle!"

Kyle prayed to whomever might be listening that his passengers were holding on. As Kyle popped flares he pulled back on the throttle, dropped the aircraft's nose to maintain speed, and jammed them into a 90 degree turn.

He never heard or even saw the pair of missiles that Jake had warned him about, but Kyle surmised that since they were still alive, his evasive maneuvers had been successful.

Now it was time to bite back. Kyle completed his turn - now they were flying backwards, and as soon as he was able Kyle launched off their return fire.

The Scorpion pilot was good, though. He waited until the last possible moment before deploying his own flares, fooling both of Kyle's oncoming missiles.

Their position was not good, Kyle knew. Even if they were not already damaged, Kyle's Samson was slower and not as heavily armed as their opponent. They only had five missiles left, and their simple transport chopper would run out of both ammunition and decoys before the Scorpion ever did.

Then, to compound their problems, some unknown part deep within the Samson's innards gave out after succumbing to the stress of their most recent quick turn. A new set alarms and lights populated the dashboard, telling of more bad news - they had obviously taken more damage on the ground than Kyle had first thought. The controls in Kyle's hands became markedly sluggish, as if the chopper were flying with a massive bucket of water suspended below its belly.

"Guys, we're gonna have to bail sooner rather than later, here!" Kyle shouted. They had only seconds before their enemy would be able to fire again.

"Can we set it down?" Jake asked.

Kyle was grim-faced. Oh, how he would like to be able to do that... "I doubt it, Jake. We may have to make a jump for the treetops. You and Mal'ek get ready!" Other than a small lake that was nearby, there were no clear landing places, anyway. Against Kyle's better judgement, he decided to unfasten his seatbelt.

Jake's mind was spinning from the recent turn of events. Having anticipated Kyle's evasive maneuver, he had been able to throw his body across Mal'ek's and hold on tightly to the cargo netting against the back wall, keeping the both of them inside the chopper as Kyle dodged the missiles. "Looks like we're jumping, brother," Jake said to Mal'ek. He was sympathetic to Mal'ek's wounds, but they had no choice.

The fierce warrior, himself holding on for dear life, could only nod grimly. _"I heard," _he said through gritted teeth. Already, Kyle was beginning to slow over the trees - with a sick sense of déjà vu Jake recognized the same broad, springy leaves of the same kind of tree that had saved him after falling from Quaritch's Dragon. That memory already felt like it was from another lifetime for Jake.

Jake opened his mouth to speak, but his words were stolen when the Samson tilted viciously to the side with no warning, propelling both Jake and Mal'ek and anything else that was not tied down right out of the cargo bay so quickly that they did not even have time to yell. Jake's stomach lurched up into his throat as he spun and fell, and in one of the split seconds that he was facing the sky Jake caught a glimpse of another missile scream by. It almost looked like it had flown right through their Samson, but before Jake could ponder this, or anything else for that matter he was facing the ground again.

Neytiri might just save my ass again, Jake thought morosely as he instinctively twisted his body into the proper orientation. And not a moment too soon! The next thing Jake knew was that he was falling down through the canopy as giant leaves slapped and tugged at him. He reached out, trying to grasp with his arms and legs and take some sort of control over his descent. At the very least Jake wished to avoid impaling himself on some ill-placed branch.

It was not a pointy branch but rather a fortunate tangle of vines and jungle creepers that caught Jake only 30 feet above the ground, or at least slowed him enough that when he finally landed with a pained grunt it was only because the wind was knocked out of him. It was times like this that Jake felt inordinately grateful to Pandora's thicker atmosphere, cushy plants, and less-than-Earth gravity.

Fucking hell, that still really _hurt..._

A loud commotion in the bushes a short distance away accompanied by vile cursing in Na'vi marked the landing of Mal'ek, who was no doubt in great pain but at least alive.

Jake climbed shakily to his feet as he searched around them. Where the hell was Kyle? He could not have fallen too far away...

The roar of aircraft turbines and missiles flying by overhead finally registered with Jake's addled mind. "Oh, God no...," Jake breathed as he craned his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of something...anything through the canopy overhead.

A deafening explosion followed by the sound of something heavy crashing down through the trees a short distance away made Jake's ears pin back, and he instinctively crouched down low to the ground. Over the noise of one helicopter's death throes Jake could still hear the frantic whine of another aircraft's engines, and from his time in the marines Jake could easily pick out the sound of a second helicopter going down. Another massive explosion, much further away, made Jake wince. But he could still hear the second chopper...

Mal'ek was carefully picking himself up off the ground, left hand clasped protectively over his wounded side, as he followed the helicopter's sound with his ears. From the way the noise was growing softer Mal'ek could tell that it was angling away from them.

Then the noise simply snuffed out. No crash, no flaming explosion, no throttling-down noise that signaled a landing - the sound simply ended off in the distance, as if a speaker had been unplugged.

"Can you move?" Jake quickly asked.

Mal'ek nodded. His blue skin was noticeably paled, and Jake suspected it did not have anything to do with his pain. _"I have no choice in the matter," _he replied. He could indeed move, but not quickly. _"Go, run ahead. I will catch up!" _he told Jake.

Jake nodded and sprinted forward. It only took him a few minutes of beating his way through thick jungle to reach the first wreck, with the noise of flames and the stench of burning fuel easily leading the way. Jake grimaced - it was hard to tell what was what, since there were seemingly hundreds of exploded bits of scorched metal everywhere. As Jake carefully searched about the wreckage he silently dreaded finding certain other...mangled parts.

Mal'ek appeared just as Jake found a piece of evidence that made him slump in relief. It was a section of a helicopter's tail, dangling from a tree branch 20 feet above the ground. The unique design definitely came from a Scorpion attack chopper, and it was just the positive sign he had needed.

There were undoubtedly pieces of the pilot lying around here somewhere, if one looked hard enough, and Jake was quite relieved to have not yet come across any. Fine, then let the forest claim him, Jake thought bitterly.

"Kyle got 'em," Jake breathed out with a relieved sigh.

Mal'ek nodded slowly. _"Then where is he?" _he asked.

Jake's expression hardened. "I don't know, Mal'ek. Let's keep moving." Though Jake never said anything, he was quite disturbed by the way that the battle had ended. He never heard Kyle's Samson land, or even crash for that matter. What the hell had happened to him?

* * *

"You and Mal'ek get ready!"

As he spoke these words Kyle was already eyeing the door handle. He at least wanted to unlatch the damn thing, but with the way the Samson was behaving he did not dare to remove his hands from the controls until the last possible second. He glanced briefly back over his shoulder - Jake was helping Mal'ek.

In the instant that Kyle's gaze returned to his opponent, he caught a glimpse of sunlight glinting off of sleek metal skin.

Kyle had felt time slow down once before in his life. He had been riding his motorcycle, a beautiful 900cc Kawasaki sportbike, up Highway 1 along the coast. That marvelous piece of machinery was the fastest thing that money could buy, at least ever since the damned government had outlawed engines bigger than a liter. Up ahead, Kyle watched in utter amazement as a car on a side road came up to the highway - the driver had seemingly looked right at Kyle - then proceeded to pull right out on the road anyway.

Kyle distinctly remembered feeling surprise, and then outright anger at the driver. Was he really that invisible? This was one of the few times that Kyle was actually _not_ riding extralegally on that damn bike, and he was about to die anyway! Then his mind processed the fact that, yes, he did indeed have to slam on the brakes. So he did - Kyle jammed on the brakes, right up to the point where they were about to lock up. But the analytical Kyle's mind reasoned that this was still not enough - he would never stop in time, not without risk of going off the road himself. He need to honk, to do something to inform the idiot up ahead that he was about to pull right out in front of someone.

It felt like it had taken a minute for Kyle to come to the conclusion that he had to use his horn, look down, find the button, and then move his left thumb over to hit said button.

The other driver stopped half-way out into the road, a shocked and surprised expression clear on his face, as Kyle flashed by at 50 miles per hour less than two feet in front of his bumper.

That same kind of strange time dilation happened now, as Kyle caught sight of the two missiles flying right at him. He seemingly had all the time in the world to ruminate over his own imminent demise. As for Jake and Mal'ek, it was really no more than a desperate ploy to save them that guided Kyle's next actions. Even if it was already a foregone conclusion that he was dead, that did not mean that his friends had to go now, too.

No more than mere fractions of a second had probably passed between Kyle catching sight of the oncoming missile and his decision to dump Jake and Mal'ek out the back in a frantic bid to save their lives, but to Kyle it felt almost like hours. He could only hope that Jake and Mal'ek would be able to pull off a survivable landing, that he had not condemned them to simply a different death.

Actually, Kyle had saved all of their lives by doing this. Suddenly emptied of almost a thousand pounds of Na'vi bodies, the Samson bobbled upwards a few feet. That distance was enough that the first missile, already locked on and angling towards the hot turbine exhaust vents, missed and instead soared straight through the Samson's open cargo bay without ever impacting. Suddenly finding itself a hundred yards past what it thought was its intended target, the missile's primitive electronic brain self-destructed lest it should loop backwards and lock onto the parent aircraft by mistake.

Through providential blessing, the second missile had never managed to lock onto Kyle's Samson owing to the short distance from which it was launched.

Kyle's mind was still being fueled by pure adrenaline. He reached up to advance the throttles in a frantic attempt to keep his chopper out of the trees; the tough Samson obligingly began to gain altitude, but several nasty vibrations from the engines told him he would not have much time before his bird finally gave out.

Kyle fired two more air-to-air missiles without even bothering to aim. His actions had the desired effect, though - the Scorpion pilot retaliated with a fast snapshot of his own and deployed flares for a second time. Kyle snarled triumphantly as he fired a second salvo - this time taking great care to aim. His enemy had been caught flat-footed, still cycling his flares, and could only turn away in an attempt to dodge the oncoming missile.

A glaring flash outside would seem to indicate a successful hit, but Kyle was too busy avoiding his own troubles to see for certain - besides, there would be no second chance, anyway, so what did it ultimately really matter? Carefully juggling the flight controls and throttle, Kyle allowed his Samson to slip sideways and downwards, dirty smoke trailing in its wake, as the final enemy missile, launched just before the Scorpion's own demise, scythed down through the air after him. Kyle glanced back over his left shoulder, trying to gauge his path through the air - there would only be one chance at this...

The projectile burrowed into the treetops and detonated only 50 yards away; as for Kyle, he had managed to avoid destruction by dropping down towards the lake that he had seen, fooling the missile into hitting the trees on the lakeshore. "Just a little longer, oh please," Kyle pleaded with his chopper as its landing skids all but grazed the water's surface.

His Samson stubbornly refused to gain altitude now, and it felt like its engines wanted to shake the whole aircraft apart. Up ahead Kyle could see the opposite shore; a wide, inviting stretch of sandy beach awaited him if he could only just make it there. He let a frantic, incredulous laugh - I'll just land right over there, he thought giddily. I'll relax in the sun, maybe work on my tan, and sip a margarita while I wait for Jake and Mal'ek. Yeah, that'd be just perfect!

Unfortunately, a margarita on the beach was not in Kyle's cards. Seemingly a stone's throw away from shore and safety, the Samson's bullet-riddled driveline finally shredded itself. The left rotor assembly seized up, and all Kyle could do was frantically brace a hand against the ceiling as the Samson pitched over and slammed into the water.

The last thing Kyle remembered, besides the cockpit windows blowing in, was inhaling cold lake water instead of the breath of fresh air that he really wanted.

* * *

_"Kyle! Kyle, wake up!"_

Tanhi sobbed, then screamed angrily as she shook Kyle's limp form by the shoulders. He could _not_ just leave her like this! _"Wake up!" _she shrieked. Kyle seemed to ignore her. His head lolled listlessly, and his eyes remained closed as if he were slumbering.

Forcing herself to maintain some shred of rational thought, Tanhi leaned down and rested her head against her mate's chest. Tanhi sobbed again, but this time with joy - she could still hear his heartbeat!

Next she leaned down over his face, her cheek turned to his lips as if she hoped that he would kiss her. He did not do so - and for that matter, Tanhi could not even feel his breath.

Of course! How could she have been so stupid? Using her healer training as a shield against her growing panic, Tanhi went back to Kyle's face and pried open his slack jaws. She swiftly shoved her finger into his mouth, making sure that his tongue was down, then sealed her lips over his own, and blew. He had not spent much time in the water before she had managed to pull him out, Tanhi desperately reasoned. If she could only jump-start his body -

That one breath did it. His eyes fluttered open, and Tanhi jerked back when Kyle's body convulsed as he began to cough and heave, his body seeking to force out the water that he had unintentionally swallowed.

Tanhi grunted as she grasped Kyle by his arm and hip and shoved him over on his side, lest he should re-drown himself on the very water he was trying to get rid of. Her mate continued to hack and spit violently, and Tanhi winced when she felt him reflexively try to curl up. For the moment she simply knelt down, wearily resting her forehead against Kyle's side as he continued to cough and catch his breath. At the moment Tanhi was so emotionally exhausted that she did not know if she could even cry, and only now did she begin to tremble as she realized how close she had come to losing the man that she loved.

Tanhi gently stroked Kyle's arm in an effort to comfort him, but then frowned when her fingers traced over broken, marred skin. Her head snapped up as her eyes settled on the injury - he had been shot. Three times, apparently. And judging from the placement of the wounds in his tricep, the bullets were still in there.

"Tanhi...?" Kyle croaked. He began to stir, groaning in pain as he tried to orientate himself again.

"Mawey, Yawne, mawey," Tanhi murmured as she stroked Kyle's head, lovingly tracing his ears that were pinned back against his head from the pain. He tried to roll onto his back to face her, but then he started to cough again. Tanhi made sure to keep him on his side. _"You are safe, now, my Kyle," _she whispered in his ear, as much a reassurance to him as it was to her.

He managed to turn his head to peer at her with pain-filled eyes. "How are you here?" he whispered, his voice cracking. Kyle winced as he tried to move. "My hand...," he moaned, cradling his right arm against his stomach.

Tanhi cooed comfortingly to him as she leaned over his body to take a look, and she sucked in a sharp breath when she saw what the problem was. She had been so preoccupied before that she had never noticed that the fourth and fifth fingers of Kyle's right hand were bent out at an angle that they were clearly not meant to be in. She hoped they were not broken - if they were, they would take a long time to heal, and it would be quite the inconvenience to the Na'vi lifestyle. But if they were only disjointed it would be at least an easier, though no less painful thing to correct.

Either way, Kyle would need to be treated fast. If left unattended, that relatively simple injury could turn him into a walking cripple, unable to provide for his family or clan in any useful way.

Tanhi tried to hide her growing unease. It was Kyle's fifth finger... What if it was different somehow than the other four? Than her own four? Fortunately, Kyle was still in too much of a state of confusion and pain to notice her own consternation. _"Give me your hand, Yawne," _Tanhi gently commanded. Kyle did not respond - he gave no indication that he even heard her. "Kyle? Let me see your hand," she repeated in English.

Kyle began to offer her his right hand, but Tanhi smiled and shook her head. Instead she grasped his uninjured left hand, gently stroking his skin like he did so many times for her, and knelt down to kiss his knuckles. Kyle silently watched, sucking in shallow breaths, as she seemed to explore the limb. She gently pressed this way and that, lifting and kneading each finger, taking note of exactly how the muscles, tendons, and bones were all perfectly interconnected. Kyle focused on that feeling, perhaps the one part of him that did not hurt at the moment, and he smiled faintly.

After what seemed like much too short a time Tanhi released Kyle's good hand and reached for the injured one. "I am sorry," Tanhi murmured when her mate hissed in pained objection. "You are being very brave," she gently encouraged as she examined his twisted fingers.

"Fucking hurts," he said through gritted teeth.

"This is good," Tanhi replied softly after she had looked closer at his injury. "Your fingers are only out of joint, not broken. The bones are merely misplaced. Yawne...it would be best if I fix this now. If we wait, the injury will swell, and it will be much more difficult to correct. Can you understand this?"

Kyle closed his eyes, swallowed stiffly, and nodded.

"I will count to four," Tanhi solemnly informed him.

Kyle huffed out a short, incredulous laugh. "Four?" he wheezed. "Why not three? It's always been three."

Tanhi was quite sure that she did not understand this train of thought. "It has always been four. But would three be easier?"

Kyle wheezed again in what Tanhi reasoned was supposed to be another laugh. "Fine, four. Whatever. Just do it, please." Even with his eyes closed he turned his head away - he did not particularly like revealing to anyone, even Tanhi, exactly how much pain he was in right now. Tanhi's gentle grip on his injured hand became agonizingly firm, and he fought back some kind of pained outburst.

_Eywa forgive me, _Tanhi silently prayed. "'Aw, mune...," At only the count of two, before Kyle could reflexively tense up, Tanhi applied a precise twist and push to his two dislocated fingers. The _pop-pop_ of the bones sliding back into place was clearly audible.

A second passed and Tanhi winced, closing her eyes as Kyle sucked in a breath and then let out a heart-wrenching scream. After that the only noise he made was the rhythmic hiss of his rapid breaths through clenched teeth.

"You t-tease," he finally gasped in an almost-accusing voice. He coughed and managed a weak smile as he shook his head. "I'll g-get you back f-for that."

Tanhi laughed too, and only now did she realize that she was crying. She leaned over his body to kiss him, and she smiled at Kyle's weak but sincere attempt to return the gesture. "As you say, Yawne," she murmured against his lips. "As you say."

The two of them rested there for a while. Kyle did not think he could move, even if he tried - his arm was throbbing, his hand still hurt like hell, and overall his entire body felt like it was one big bruise. Every breath was a struggle in and of itself, and his stomach was still screwed up into a quivering knot after having unwillingly ingested all of that lake water. Kyle essentially felt like a truck had run him over - and then reversed back over him again for good measure.

It was so relaxing for Kyle to rest there on the warm sand with his mate that he nearly forgot to ask a very pressing question: where the heck had she come from? Kyle's eyes snapped open and he sucked in a quick breath.

_"Yawne? What is it?" _Tanhi asked when she felt her mate tense up. She was still draped over his body, both protecting and comforting.

As Kyle finally summoned the energy to take into perspective the world around them, he became aware of the fact that it was not just Tanhi who was looking after him.

Txopuluke, along with a second ikran, rested on the sand a short distance away; both creatures stared intently at the two Na'vi, and Txopuluke snorted in greeting when Kyle offered him a weak smile. Even though he was no doubt uncomfortably hot, Kyle's ikran refused to leave. The second ikran was a strikingly beautiful creature, with green skin that was interlaced with almost iridescent stripes of blue and purple.

"How -" Kyle coughed again. "How did you get here? How did you know...?"

Tanhi was silent for a long time, and Kyle did not have the energy to ask again. Truth be told, Tanhi was still shaken to the core at how realistic last night's dream had been...and at how close that dream had been to becoming reality. It was literally a supernatural strength that kept her from locking up in absolute horror when she saw Kyle's kunsìp crash into the lake. At last, Tanhi replied in a shaky voice, _"Eywa knew that I needed to be at this place, that you would need me." _Eywa, among other people...

Tanhi's answer did little to satisfy Kyle. He slowly shook his head. "But how...? You weren't supposed to be here... You were supposed to wait at Hometree for us." There was something afoot, something that Tanhi was not telling him. It would not be unreasonable or inaccurate for Kyle to believe that Tanhi's anxiety had been caused by his near-death experience. It would also not be the entire truth, either.

Tanhi leaned over to kiss the bare skin above Kyle's ear. _"I am ikran makto now, my Kyle. Like you are," _she whispered into his ear.

Kyle glanced quickly back towards the ikran that rested beside Txopuluke, his eyes widening with realization. "Txopuluke's mate?" he gasped. This raised just as many questions as it answered!

Despite all of the stress of the day, Tanhi could not help but smile. She also knew that it would be in Kyle's best interest to answer his questions before he asked them, lest he mentally strain himself further as he tried to figure things out on his own. It had been a miraculous occurrence, after all, one that would be worthy of being enshrined within the songs of the People.

The memory of her dream with Kyle after their first mating welled back up, and she gasped in surprise. Kyle looked up at her with concern - he asked her a question, but she did not hear him. In the dream they had been flying together, each with their own ikran! Tears anew began to well up in Tanhi's beautiful golden eyes. It all made sense to her, now! The dream, not only back then, but this morning as well... Everything nested perfectly into place.

"Tanhi? What's wrong?" Kyle asked again as he brought his injured hand up to her face, gently caressing her cheek with his knuckles.

_"Hufwetsyìp chose me as her hunter," _Tanhi sobbed. Her mate's expression clearly showed confusion - how could this be a bad thing? Kyle nodded slowly in acknowledgement, and Tanhi sniffed and wiped at her nose with the back of her hand before continuing. _"Oh, Yawne... Hufwetsyìp was Keoni's ikran."_

Kyle felt a chill race down his spine, all the way through to his tail, and to be brutally honest he had no idea how to respond to this news. The implications from this revelation began to unfold in his mind almost faster than Kyle could keep up with them.

There was so much more that she needed to say, but Tanhi shoved all of it back for the moment. This was not the time or place. She sniffed back her tears again and forced herself to calm down - after all, this was supposed to be a joyful time! Her mate was alive and well after having helped rescue the sixth Toruk Makto. This was not something to be taken lightly! _"I saw Jakesully and my father jump from the kunsìp," _Tanhi stated. She cracked a wry smile and added, _"I suppose that I should inform them that you are still among the living." _

Kyle's eyes widened with alarm as he remembered Jake and Mal'ek. He attempted to sit up and he began to say something, but Tanhi hushed him and told him in no uncertain terms not to move his txìm from its current location. The spike of pain that shot through Kyle's left arm and stole his breath away served as confirmation of Tanhi's words.

_"I said I would get them!" _Tanhi repeated firmly. _"The only place you should travel to is back to the healers' alcoves! Do not make me tie your tail to a tree!" _She spoke with such conviction that Kyle suspected she was being entirely serious. Tanhi gave Kyle another quick kiss on the lips before standing. _"You have more than earned a respite from your work, Brave One," _she said in a softer voice, her eyes twinkling warmly.

Kyle called out to his mate just before she was about to climb onto her ikran's back. "Wait!" Kyle blurted. Tanhi paused to glance back over his shoulder. "Our dream, when we were flying together... When we first mated. This is it, isn't it? It came true."

"Srane, Yawne," Tanhi said simply before swinging herself up onto Hufwetsyìp's back. A small smile formed over her features. All of it was true.

* * *

Neytiri had been coping with it all by going numb. Since her unborn child seemed to react based off of her own feelings, Neytiri purposed to have no feelings on the matter whatsoever. Through pure mental force of will, Neytiri kept all of her anxiety, nervousness, fear, and loneliness contained within herself. She kept it shoved up into whatever corners of her psyche that she could separate from Tommy.

The trouble with this plan was that it was a terribly near-sighted solution to her current problem. Neytiri could not bear to wallow in her pain, or to let Tommy feel how torn up she was. Neither could she indefinitely keep all of what was going on separate from her son. She knew that eventually the dam would break, and that the ensuing flood might just drown them both.

It was not unheard of for a Na'vi mother to miscarry due to severe emotional trauma. Two had done so, back when their original Hometree had been razed by Quaritch and his ilk. The intimate tie between mother and child was absolutely tight enough that a painful enough mental blow could cause the mother to lose her child.

Neytiri suspected that Tommy was far enough along in his development that this worst-case scenario would not happen to her. But if the unimaginable had happened... Neytiri could not begin to fathom the effects it might have on Tommy and her.

The Omaticaya were carrying on with their normal clan life with a strange facsimile of normalcy, as if their own Olo'eyktan had not been taken captive by the enemy. There were some among the council of elders that had pressed for an immediate response, or at least some kind of plan of action. The Omaticaya's fighting numbers were still depleted after the Great Battle. If they were to attack the Tawtute, they would need help.

Moat had ruthlessly crushed this train of thought.

The Omaticaya's Tsahìk had generally led from a place of quiet strength when Jake had become Olo'eyktan after Tsu'tey. It was not because she did not get along with her son-in-law...it was simply that she had taken a natural step back as the end of her time serving the Omaticaya grew nearer. Her own mate was no longer Olo'eyktan, and a great deal of Moat's time had been spent working with Neytiri, so that she would be an able partner to Jake's own leadership.

So suffice it to say that it came as a bit of a shock when Moat gave the overeager elders a verbal dressing-down that would surely be worthy of recording in song. Her words had been sharper than any knife or spear or arrow.

There would be no duality within the Omaticaya. To be sure, Moat fully realized the necessity of planning for war, but she refused to plan for battle while there was still a chance that their Olo'eyktan could be returned to them. She would not allow Kylefischer's plan to be subverted in any way. Of the many reasons that Moat had for doing this, at the top of the list was her own daughter's - and grandchild's - wellbeing. Moat would not stand to have the Omaticaya act as if their Olo'eyktan had already gone to be with Eywa.

So for now, they would wait, and pray.

Late in the day, Moat found her daughter in the clan's nursery, assisting the child-watchers there in the minding of some of the Omaticaya's youngest members. The Tsahìk smiled faintly as she observed her daughter play with and entertain a young toddler. The young, tiny Na'vi would laugh and happily wave her still-pudgy hands about as Neytiri played peek-a-boo with a large leaf frond. Neytiri would hide her face behind the leaf, causing the baby to go completely still in wonder as she contemplated how Neytiri could possibly have disappeared so fast.

Then Neytiri would peek out from around the leaf, and the baby would laugh and squeal as if Neytiri had just told the best joke that she had ever heard.

Neytiri glanced up upon sensing her mother's appearance, and though the warm, beautiful smile remained on her face for the toddler's sake, Moat could plainly see the pain in Neytiri's golden eyes.

At an unspoken signal, one of the child-watchers came over to Neytiri and gently relieved her of her young burden. As if by magic, a small island of privacy appeared around Moat and Neytiri in the midst of Kelutral's nursery.

Before Neytiri could stand, Moat crouched down so that she was level with her daughter. She had not come to the nursery empty-handed, and now she offered Neytiri the drinking gourd that she had been carrying. Neytiri waved her off. _"I am fine, sa'nok," _she said. The way her ears lowered was evidence that this was not the case.

Moat gently shook her head. _"It is not water, my Neytiri," _Moat said._ "It is broth. You need to eat. You and your son need the strength." _Moat did not remind Neytiri that she had not really consumed anything in over a day.

Neytiri's nostrils flared when the warm smell from the gourd's contents wafted by her nose, and her mouth began to water. She nodded and accepted Moat's offering. Even though the soup was positively delicious, Neytiri could only manage small sips. _"I have been feeling ill," _Neytiri admitted with downcast eyes.

Moat's expression crumpled briefly, and the Tsahìk was glad that her daughter did not see it. _"I will have Tanhi prepare some medicine for you, then," _she offered.

_"Tanhi left a long time ago, to seek solitude along the river path," _Neytiri said after she managed another tiny drink. _"She has not returned."_

Neither woman spoke for a spell after that. Neytiri silently loathed the fact that Kyle was risking his life. What if Tanhi ended up landing in the same position that she was in? Neytiri did not think that she could handle guilt, along with the grief. For once in her life, Moat found herself without the right words to say.

The sound of the sentry horn cut through the late afternoon air, and it struck Neytiri like an electric current. She jolted as though stung and the gourd slipped from her fingers and dropped to the ground; neither mother nor daughter paid attention to the spilled soup. A gasp was dragged unwillingly from her lips.

Moat helped Neytiri regain her feet, and she watched as hope waged a fierce war with despair across the battlefield of her daughter's features. _"They are returning," _Neytiri observed in a numb voice. The horn could only signal that news was coming, and gave no indication as to whether or not it was good or bad.

Moat wrapped an arm around Neytiri's waist and lovingly rubbed her swollen belly. _"They are, Neytiri. Come, let us see what word they bring."_

The gentle murmur of dozens and dozens of hushed conversations could be heard, like the wind whispering through the trees, as nearly every member of the Omaticaya clan stopped what they were doing. Moat and Neytiri carefully made their way through Kelutral's den, slowly navigating through a rapidly growing crowd of people.

The staccato beat of pa'li hooves upon the earth reached Neytiri's ears, and Neytiri fought to keep herself calm. The party could well be returning with bad news, just as easily as good news. The feeling of Tommy turning within her belly made Neytiri briefly nauseous.

Triumphant whoops and hollers sounded out as the returning warriors vigorously pumped their bows in the air, creating a visual ripple through the crowd. Neytiri's knees weakened, and Moat held tighter to her daughter's waist.

Neytiri gently but insistently shrugged out of her mother's supportive grip, and she began to stumble forward. "Jake?" she whispered, her eyes searching each face before her. She just had to see... A growing roar, a joyful ululating cry from her clan mates was lost on her and simply faded away into the background.

When her eyes finally landed on the familiar, handsome features of her life mate, she almost did not believe them. Neytiri had been so stone-cold these last few days that she had seemingly forgotten how to feel joyful. The apparition of her mate before her was fidgeting nervously as his pa'li slowed down from its trot. The horselike creature nickered and tossed its head as it shifted back and forth on its six legs, no doubt sensing its rider's anxious thoughts.

Then Jake's searching eyes found her face in the sea of their brethren, and Neytiri knew joy again.

"Neytiri!" Jake yelled, shouting himself hoarse with that one word as he broke tsaheylu with his pa'li and threw his braid back behind him. Jake practically flung himself from his mount's back, tumbling gracelessly to the ground and nearly tripping over his own tail in the process. Neytiri laughed and cried at the same time - her Jake had never, ever become as proficient at riding pa'li as he had ikran.

_"Jake!"_ she tried to shout his name, but the word only came out as a happy squeak. Neytiri took a single step on unsteady legs before her strength gave out and she fell to the ground on her knees.

He was probably shouting her name again, but Neytiri did not hear him - all the noise around her had mixed into one undistinguishable, unintelligible roar. Jake sprinted full bore towards his mate as fast as his legs would move. He dropped to his own knees in front of her, skidding to a halt in the last few feet before throwing his arms around her in a tight embrace.

Neytiri gladly reciprocated, hugging him in return and weeping freely as Jake gently rocked her back and forth and cradled her head beside his own. "Neytiri, Neytiri, oh Neytiri...," he kept repeating over and over in her ear, acting for all the world like he would never ever stop saying her name.

And she loved it! Oh, how Neytiri missed his voice saying her name. She missed his accent and how he said her name wrong. She missed his touch, his scent - Neytiri buried her face against the side of his neck and took in a huge breath, inhaling as if she had been suffocating for days. She tightly gripped his back, her fingernails digging almost painfully into his blue skin. But Jake did not mind. No, he appreciated every vivid reminder of Neytiri's presence that he could get.

Jake pulled back just long enough to kiss her ear, her cheek, and her nose. He landed a sloppy kiss right on Neytiri's lips that made both of them laugh giddily before tucking her head back underneath his chin. "Oh God, I've missed you both so much! I'm so sorry, so sorry...," he began. "Daddy's back, and he's not ever going anywhere again, I promise."

* * *

Major Link was finding that his desire for revenge was being gradually strangled by the necessity of taking charge over a complete and utter disaster. It felt completely humiliating. To compound things, the Scorpion pilot had not reported back after radioing in that he was engaging the enemy.

Eleven men were dead, including Colonel Barnes. That number should probably be moved up to twelve, considering the absent Scorpion gunship. Barnes and Smith had been killed by nothing more than bad luck when that errant grenade had shot into the link room and destroyed their human bodies. Stoltz was hung up in the infirmary after nearly going into cardiac arrest from having his avatar shot. As for his avatar...it was probably as good as dead. Two invaluable mechanical assets, a Scorpion and Samson, had each been destroyed. The only other Scorpion that Hell's Gate had would need a serious mechanical overhaul before it could ever fly again, and its pilot was confined to the infirmary with several compressed disks in his spine after being injured by his rough landing.

Their prisoner, their biggest lever against the Na'vi, was gone.

The link room was a wreck and would need major repairs before it would be operational again, which meant that if RDA avatar team wanted to link up anytime soon they would have to use the link beds aboard Valkyrie 38.

Their fighting force had taken a severe hit, and now they only had five working transport helicopters and one gunship. These were the resources that Major Link had to work with in order to defend Hell's Gate for at least another year. It was them against an entire planet.

To say that Major Elias Link was upset would be a vast, vast understatement.

Link had taken over in the control room while Keyes supervised the emergency repairs on the link room. They needed to get that room repressurized with Earth atmosphere quickly so that they could begin repairs and...recovery.

It took three attempts for the poor radio operator to gain Link's attention. "What?" he finally snarled.

The young man cringed as though struck. "Sir, David Faison is on the line." The man gingerly offered Link a radio headset with all the enthusiasm of one who was holding a chunk of meat before a starving lion.

Link snatched the headset out of the man's hand without a word and set it over his ears. "What the hell do you want, Dave?" Link snapped.

Faison sighed. He really wished that Tanya Keyes was out here with him, and not just because she was his smoking-hot girlfriend. While Faison was not opposed to going head-to-head with the Major, the process would have been considerably easier if he were actually a ranking officer. He had not made it into the RDA's Sec-Ops avatar program because of his rank, but because of his skill. "Sir, I am requesting your presence at our location. We have a situation that needs your direct attention."

Link suppressed his rage, instead pinching the bridge of his nose as he fought for some semblance of self-control. "David, I'm sure that whatever it is, you can handle it. My hands are full up here," Link gritted out.

"Major Link, come outside," Faison said curtly. Then the radio clicked off.

Link stood there, stunned for a moment before he ripped his headset off and threw it onto a console. Damn right he would come outside, now. There was no one within four lightyears of this place that could give orders to him.

"Tobias, you're driving up here for the moment. I've got to step outside and hold Faison's hand," Major Link said.

Tobias Foucault watched as Link stormed out of the room. "Yes, sir," he said to no one in particular as he shook his head in exasperation.

It took Link ten minutes to get outside and make it out to the refinery. Faison and three other Sec-Ops troopers had been assigned the undesirable task of disposing of the now useless avatar bodies of Thiele, Smith, and Barnes.

"What the fuck is so important?" Link snapped. The three other troopers all looked nervous and scared, as if they had seen a ghost, and would not meet Link's gaze. Then Major Link frowned as he looked around - he could only see Smith's avatar resting on a collapsable gurney. The second gurney was empty. "Where the hell is Barnes' avatar?" he demanded.

David Faison's arms were folded over his chest, and Link instantly resented the man's obstinate posture. "Follow me please, Major," he said.

Faison led Link a short distance away down a tight passageway between the Unobtanium refinery's unknowable tangle of pipings, girders, buildings, and catwalks. "Faison, you'd better -" Link began.

"Shhh, keep your voice down, sir," Faison interrupted. "She doesn't like loud noises, and I think she's in a state of shock or something." They stopped at a corner beneath some condensing equipment, and Faison motioned for Link to continue. "Don't make any sudden moves," he advised.

Something about Faison's demeanor indicated that this was no joke. Link took the man up on his advise and crept carefully around the final corner. His blood ran cold when he caught sight of the giant figure that was curled up in the corner in a fetal position, knees clasped tightly against her chest, and was watching him with terrified, golden eyes.

Link finally found his voice. "Colonel Barnes?" he whispered incredulously.


	39. Chapter 39

**Hey everyone! Thank you all for hanging in there over the long wait. And yes, don't worry, there will be more to come! We're not done yet, I promise.**

**Well, by way of explanation... Life happened, work schedules changed, and plenty of things rose up for my attention during these last few weeks. One of my grandmothers passed away. It wasn't anything any more sinister than old age, though, so we had plenty of time to get ready for it...if that makes sense. I'm absolutely not fishing for sympathy, but I do want to try and explain the long delay. Everyone has been very patient, and I really appreciate it. The kind notes I've gotten from some of you have been very encouraging, and I can't thank you all enough.**

**So I've figured that writing is kind of like learning how to fly an airplane. Incredibly rewarding, but it always takes longer and costs more than you think it would. I know for me, getting to write this has been some of the best fun that I've ever had! Things may not always happen according to plan, but I guess that unpredictability only adds to the excitement. At least, that's how I try to look at it! **

**Hopefully you all enjoy the new chapter, and have a happy Easter!**

Chapter 39

Kyle managed not to flinch away when Tanhi pricked his arm with a Smaoe thorn; instead he only briefly curled his lip when the needlelike thorn pierced his skin. As much as he despised the big medicinal thorns, essentially Na'vi local anesthesia, he fully realized that it would be a better alternative than to feel Tanhi rooting around with forceps in his arm, looking for the three bullets that were still there. Now _that_ would really hurt, he reasoned.

Thankfully there was no pain, only odd tugging sensations as Tanhi probed the first wound. The tiny bullet was swiftly found and extracted. Two more to go.

"You are quiet," Tanhi noted after a while.

"I -" Kyle paused and blinked in surprise as a unique tingly sensation shot through his arm. "I don't want to distract you," he replied when the feeling had passed.

Tanhi simply grunted. "I am able to walk and sing at the same time, Yawne," she said. A wry smile briefly tugged up the corners of her lips.

Kyle sighed and closed his eyes. "Today has just been a really, really long day," he said after a while. Kyle was well into the post-adrenaline crash after all that had happened. He had too many things going on inside his head and he just wanted all of it to stop, at least for a little while. The worst part was that he did not even know how he should feel. Everything had turned out well, right? They had rescued Jake, and no one had died - no one on their side, anyway. That was worth celebrating! Eywa knows that the whole clan was celebrating. Kyle and Tanhi could clearly hear the spontaneous festivities carrying on down below.

_"Yes, it has been a long day," _Tanhi breathed, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "Rolun," Tanhi muttered after a moment; Kyle quietly bared his teeth and his tail curled in subconscious agitation as Tanhi found and withdrew the second bullet. He steadfastly refused to look at the bloody forceps that Tanhi held in her hand.

"I'm just... I don't really know how to reconcile the fact that I've killed at least four people today. My cousin's life is still in danger. I crashed yet another aircraft of mine, and I almost died. And my beautiful, wonderful mate, a woman more amazing than any of my wildest dreams, literally swooped down out of the bright blue sky and saved my life." Kyle paused, sucking in a breath as his eyes glanced upwards for a moment. "So other than that, I'm great. So what's new with you?"

Kyle's words brought a blush to his mate's cheeks, and her tanhi brightened tellingly. Tanhi lightly nibbled her lower lip as she silently debated her response. It was not as if she had to struggle to form thoughts. No, the real question for her was whether or not she could speak aloud what was on her mind at the present moment. The memory of that fateful trip on the Valkyrie, of whispered promises to never hide anything from the other person, weighed on her conscience.

The turmoil behind Tanhi's golden eyes was not lost on him. "Oel ngati kameie, Tanhi," he whispered. Tanhi flinched subtly and looked away. "Tanhi...," Kyle said again, his tone dropping a notch.

Tanhi made an elaborate show of cleaning her bone forceps; Kyle's head was tilted inquisitively to the side as he watched her work. After a few seconds, Tanhi finally glanced up to meet his gaze. _"I do not believe that now is the right time to speak of such things," _she murmured.

Kyle's serious eyes narrowed fractionally. Not angry, so much as curious, but Tanhi was saved from further questions when Tsaro appeared in the room. Neither Kyle nor Tanhi had heard him enter, but both of them thought well enough of the young hunter to trust that he had not been standing there for too long.

"I See you, brother," Tsaro greeted softly in smooth English. His eyes flickered to the messy evidence of Tanhi's work on Kyle's arm. "Mal'ek said that you had been injured."

Kyle shook his head dismissively. "Nothing serious," he excused. He cracked a wry smile and held up his bandaged hand as he added, "Though I probably won't be able to shoot my bow for a while."

_"I am sure I can still find some use for you," _Tanhi muttered under her breath as she continued to work.

Even in the dimness it was easy to see Kyle's features color, and Tsaro grinned. "I - I wanted to thank you, Tsaro. For everything that you did today. You no doubt saved all of our lives," Kyle said, his sincerity pushing through his embarrassment from Tanhi's comment.

Tsaro's grin faded as he became more serious. "There is nothing to thank for, Kyle," he softly replied. "I would do so again. And...," Tsaro heaved a great sigh before continuing. "And it is good that you, and Jakesully, have returned safe to your mates."

Kyle tilted his head to the side as he studied his friend. "And that you and your intended have returned safely as well, no?" he added. In spite of all that was on her mind at the moment, Tanhi cracked a brief smile at her mate's words.

Tsaro chuckled softly as his gaze flickered downwards for a moment. While Tsaro was still holding true to his reserved, aloof demeanor, Kyle thought that, at least in the limited time that they had been friends, he had never seen Tsaro break into a smile so readily before. "As you say, Kyle," he replied, the grin plainly evident in his tone. "I will be leaving, now. Tanhi, please work swiftly - the skxawng needs to return to his duties."

Fond farewells of "Eywa ngahu," were exchanged as Tsaro quietly bowed out, and Tanhi and Kyle remained in silence as Tanhi worked to extract the third and final bullet from her mate's arm. "It will take time for the muscle to heal, Yawne," she murmured as she dropped the third bullet into a clay bowl. "We must find a balance between allowing the wounds to heal and maintaining the strength of your arm. Do you understand this?"

Kyle nodded absently, having already figured out as much. Hopefully this would heal even faster than his back had after the palulukan attack. "Tanhi, what's on your mind?" he asked as his mate sponged the skin around the puckered wounds clean.

Tanhi's motions paused for a brief moment, and Kyle heard a weary sigh. He held his arm out so that Tanhi could finish bandaging the injury. _"It is not wise to hunt in the darkest hour of the night, Taronyu," _she carefully replied as she finished tying the bandage off. She rose and said, _"Please, Kyle..." _Tanhi opened her mouth as if to say more, but it seemed that the words had escaped her. Instead she gently kissed his forehead before turning and quietly exiting the healer alcoves, leaving Kyle with a faint frown upon his face as he struggled to understand why Tanhi seemed to be acting so evasive.

* * *

There was only so much work that Dr. Max Patel could do without actually being in the lab, and since the RDA had suspended the civilian avatar drivers from duty indefinitely, Max was finding himself with more and more free time. Right now Max's meager hopes of keeping busy hinged on him being able to work remotely from the computer in his room. That is, if the RDA had not locked him out of everything entirely.

Max was returning from the infirmary where he had visited Hoshiro Tanaka. The purpose of his visit had been twofold - he wanted to...to check on his still-comatose friend, as well as to see how anal their captors would be on restricting his movements around the base. So far the RDA had been too busy rushing around in damage control mode to pay them much of any attention. Word on the street was that Colonel Barnes was among the dead.

A smirk, unseen by anyone else, tugged up the corners of Max's mouth. He always got a bit of a thrill out of being rebellious.

Maybe Max was more than a little rebellious, but he was still no soldier and when two people appeared around the corner up ahead and shouted his name, Max nearly jumped out of his own skin. The man and woman both wore Sec-Ops fatigues, and Max felt his stomach clench up. "Hold it right there!" the woman shouted. Crap.

The looks on their faces were not so much stern as worried, Max realized. "What's this about?" he managed to stammer. It was not a struggle for him to act nervous.

"You need to come with us," the man said. "Now, please."

Not really having any other options, Max shrugged and nodded. "Fine. Can you at least tell me what's going on?" The man reached out to grasp Max's elbow, but the scientist moved his arm away and shot him a dirty look in return.

"We need your -" the man began to say, but the woman interrupted him.

"David," she said, the authority in her one word enough to make him stop.

There was an awkward silence between the three people for a moment. Neither of the Sec-Ops troopers had deigned to introduce themselves, even though both of them were at least somewhat familiar to him. They were part of the Sec-Ops avatar team, and Max had helped oversee their links at least once. Max could not readily recall the man's name, but after a moment of thought he placed the woman as Commander Tanya Keyes. He remembered that she was of high rank, being third in command of the base.

Max decided to do some fishing as they walked. "Am I in any trouble?" he asked, trying to make his voice sound innocent and inconspicuous. They appeared to be heading for the biolab.

"No, Dr. Patel," Keyes replied stiffly. "You are aware that the base was attacked today, right?"

"Yeah, that's a real shame," Max answered, his voice dripping sarcasm and malice. To be honest, Max surprised even himself with how quickly he could turn mean. "Forgive me if I don't seem disappointed on your behalf, seeing as how you were about to execute my friend. I hear that Barnes got the short end of the stick on that one, anyway."

Tanya Keyes stopped, spun, and shoved him against the wall so fast that Max's glasses were nearly dislodged from his head. "You will address Samantha Barnes by the title she has been given and with the respect that she has earned, is that clear?" At first Keyes' expression twisted up into an angry snarl, but to Max's surprise she seemed to relax again nearly as quickly. She took a step back, holding her hands up in apology. "Dr. Patel, we probably don't see eye to eye on many things. But for a moment let's try to put our differences aside. We need your help saving a life. Can you do that?"

Max's eyes widened with alarm. Though the RDA had been mum about the results of the raid, it had been assumed from everyone's sour mood that Jake had been successfully broken out, along with Colonel Barnes being killed. Now Keyes' words caused the terrifying thought that Jake had been gravely injured to form in Max's mind. "Has Jake been hurt?" he quickly asked.

"No. Not Sully," Keyes nearly sneered in response. They had halted outside of the biolab, and Max's curiosity was beginning to outweigh his trepidation.

Max moaned when they entered the biolab. The place was destroyed! Work crews were still busy cleaning up debris, and the harsh glare of work lights made him squint as he peered around. One of the observation windows into the ambient room had been covered with a breach tarp. It looked like all of the link beds against the east wall had been taken out by some kind of explosion. Already, Max was completing a mental inventory of the running projects that the scientists had been working on. Fortunately, most of their experiments had been temporarily put away as they turned their focus onto trying to get rid of the _Commerce Star. _And at the very least, everything had been well documented on the computers should they ever have to start from scratch.

Curiosity was now giving way to anger. "What the hell did you do to my lab?" he growled.

Keyes merely grunted in response, but to Max's surprise the man named David answered in a low voice, "Sorry about that, Doctor." He actually sounded sincere.

"Put on an exopack," Keyes commanded after the three of them had threaded their way through the mess and arrived at the airlock. Then she said, "All of the other scientists tell me that you're the best avatar technician here. I hope that's true."

After that, Max was herded into the airlock along with David Faison and Tanya Keyes. He received the distinct impression that he did not have much of a choice on the matter.

The airlock noisily finished cycling, and Faison shoved open the outer door. Apparently all of the medical and diagnostic equipment had been reinstalled, though Max noted with irritation that none of it had been put back in the right place. There were two humans and an avatar inside the ambient room, and Dr. Max Patel felt his blood chill when he noticed exactly who the avatar was.

It was Colonel Samantha Barnes, very much alive and well.

Or, at least alive. Upon closer examination, Barnes did not appear to be very well, not at all.

Dr. Janelle Huxley and one of the RDA avatar techs were apparently trying to examine the Colonel, and she was not being very cooperative about it. And an uncooperative avatar was a big problem indeed.

"Don't you fucking stick me with anything!" she snarled, sounding more animal than human, as she slapped a giant syringe out of the RDA tech's hand. Max and Tanya Keyes ducked as the needle shattered against the wall beside them. The tech backpedaled away, eyes wide with terror, as he clutched his hand to his chest. He had been lucky that Barnes had not broken his wrist.

Janelle backed up as well, her hands up in supplication. "Please, Colonel, you have to let us help you. We can't do anything for you if we don't know what's going on."

Barnes rounded on Janelle, her teeth bared in aggression. "I think it's pretty obvious what the problem is," she seethed. Her ears were flattened angrily back, and her tail whipped about behind her in agitation. Her blue skin was slicked with sweat, and Barnes' breathing was labored as if she were in great pain.

"Colonel? Samantha...?" The sound of Tanya Keyes speaking her first name finally seemed to register with Colonel Barnes, who stopped short and blinked as if dazed. Barnes forced out a long exhale through clenched teeth as she fought to relax, to try to stay calm. "All of us are trying to help you, we promise."

"I don't really think I can be helped," Barnes replied in a strained, contemptuous voice.

Max locked eyes with Janelle, his expression clearly asking, what the _hell_ happened?

Janelle nervously licked her lips out of habit, then instantly regretted her actions. Chapped lips were an absolute pain to deal with when wearing an exopack. "She had been using Kyle's link all day, apparently," Janelle explained in a low voice. "When her human body was killed..." Janelle trailed off. The rest of the story clearly spoke for itself.

Max's eyes widened as the pieces came together in his mind. "My God," he breathed.

"Why wasn't that link unit taken off-line?" Keyes demanded.

Max turned and gave her a cold stare. "Because I wanted to protect Kyle Fischer's identity for as long as possible. The RDA already tried to kill him once."

"Then why did you let someone else use it?" Keyes shot back.

"I wasn't in the room when everyone linked up today!" Max retorted.

"It saved her life, in any event," David Faison quietly pointed out. Everyone in the room glared at him, and he turned his hands palm-out and shrugged. "What? It's true. You'd be dead, along with Smith, if you had used any other link bed."

Barnes clenched her teeth - Faison's words, though indeed accurate, were a small comfort at this point. A shudder racked her body, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach and moaned piteously. "Everything fucking hurts," she gritted out. "My head feels like it's going to explode."

Her words made Max mentally change gears. He turned to Janelle and asked, "What have you already done for her?"

The RDA tech opened his mouth to reply, but Dr. Huxley beat him to it. She quickly listed off the limited tests that they had run, as well as the two different painkillers that they had administered. Barnes had not cooperated much beyond that.

Max had already deduced what Colonel Barnes needed, but he doubted she would be receptive to it. "May I...?" Max asked as he stepped up to Barnes. "I want to start at the beginning with the basic sensory tests, just to see where we stand. Is that okay?"

Barnes' fierce golden eyes flashed dangerously. "They've already done that," she hissed.

"I know," Max said soothingly. "I want to run them again, so I can see the results myself. Please, trust me." It took a second or two, but Barnes finally sighed and nodded her approval. Max was exceedingly careful as he worked, not only as a sign of respect but because Barnes honestly scared him in her current state, and he did not want to get himself hurt. "Here's what I need," Max murmured as he worked. "Someone has to get Dr. Spellman. Tell him to go out to the garden and to gather precisely what I ask for." Max then listed off the names of several Pandoran plants.

"Spellman is an anthropologist, not a botanist," Keyes objected. "Isn't there anyone -"

Max interrupted. "No, get Dr. Spellman," he said, speaking slowly for emphasis. "He's spent the most time with the Omaticaya, and he will know exactly what is required. Do you want to get better or not?" This last question was directed right at Colonel Barnes.

Barnes did not take long to think before she nodded her permission. Another spasm racked her body, and Max and Janelle both stepped back, memories of how Kyle had unintentionally lashed out now fresh in their minds. "What do you need the plants for?" Barnes managed to ask.

Max sighed and drew back from Samantha Barnes. He cast an uncertain look towards Janelle, who was meeting his eyes with an understanding expression. She could see where this was heading. "Ma'am, do you want to talk facts, or not?" Max suddenly asked. He hoped that he would be able to explain things adequately to the Colonel, and he was hoping that a "zero bullshit" approach would be best.

Barnes unwaveringly met his gaze. Her breathing was still labored from the pain. "Tell me," she replied.

Max closed his eyes and made to pinch at the bridge of his nose - he grunted in frustration when his exopack stopped the motion. "Ma'am, it wasn't just a modified link unit that allowed Kyle Fischer to transfer his...his spirit from his human body to his avatar body. There was more, more that I don't think I can readily explain. I can probably put together some things to help ease the discomfort, but I won't entirely be able to fix what's wrong."

There was an uncomfortable silence that was finally broken when Tanya Keyes demanded, "Well, what _is_ wrong with her?" Besides the obvious, at least.

Max could feel a blush rushing up his cheeks. "I think that...that her 'spirit,' for lack of a better word, isn't adapting well to her new body," he ventured.

While Barnes remained curiously silent upon hearing this, Keyes had no qualms about voicing her disbelief. "Oh, for God's sake! Really? Dr. Patel, I thought you were going to be able to help us here," she fumed.

"Let him finish," Janelle interjected with quiet, firm authority. "We have both seen this before. You haven't. So shut up."

The unexpectedness of Janelle's rather forceful comment was enough to stun everyone into silence, and Max raced to fill it before he lost all chance of swaying his audience. "The Na'vi helped us when we saved Kyle," he blurted. "Moat, the Omaticaya's spiritual leader, prepared some kind of herbal concoction to give to both of Kyle's bodies to aid in the transfer. She said that it would help his spirit switch forms, that without it he would eventually perish." Max could see the objections building again, and he moved to cut them off. "Can't you admit for a minute that there could be more going on here than meets the eye? Do you think a person's mind can be so easily explained away? Just because you can't rationalize it doesn't mean that it's not real!"

Max blinked, surprising even himself with his words.

"Get out."

Max turned to face Commander Keyes, his expression slackening with surprise.

"Get out," she repeated. "You were brought here to help us, not to promote some savage's form of witchcraft!"

"Tanya, please -" Faison tried to say, but Keyes cut him off.

"No, enough!" she said. "And you would do well to address me by my rank," she said in a low voice.

Faison clamped his jaw shut, his teeth clacking together. He said no more, though his furious gaze spoke volumes.

Max felt unreasonably disappointed by this turn of events and with a sigh and shake of his head he turned and made to step over to the airlock. He was suddenly tired. The stress of almost having one of his friends executed was beginning to weigh on him. Max was quite sure that there would be some form of reprisal against the "traitorous" humans for what had transpired today. Hopefully that reprisal would at least come tomorrow.

"Wait."

Much to his own surprise, Max did. He had not expected Colonel Barnes to address him again - he felt that Tanya Keyes had sufficiently shut him down. He tried to hide his cringe when he glanced back at Barnes, who was still seated on the gurney. Her avatar's towering stature could not hide her dejected slump, and Max thought that she looked distinctly pathetic. The RDA avatar tech was busy trying to appear useful, preparing some more medicine that might help relieve the Colonel's suffering. Max doubted that they would work, not for this kind of pain.

"Can you make some kind of...natural remedy for this?" Barnes asked, speaking slowly, as if saying the words aloud would weaken any chance of success. Her tail, which had been hanging limply off of the other side of the gurney, began to subtly wag back and forth with interest.

The confident, proud woman who had managed to retake Hell's Gate was gone, now. Both Jake and Kyle had a choice regarding their transformation. Samantha Barnes never had that chance. Now Barnes was a fidgety, nervous wreck who barely seemed to be keeping her terror in check. You could see it in her eyes - though she made a valiant effort to disguise that particular emotion, one could see it if you looked hard enough.

"Norm...Dr. Spellman and I can probably come up with something basic," Max hedged. "But it would only be a stopgap, a patch. No one knows how to make the full concoction but Moat herself. And maybe Neytiri. I think we could come up with something that could help you, but..." Max trailed off, the rest of his unsaid sentence clear.

The full "cure" would not ever come from within Hell's Gate.

"Who are Moat and Neytiri?" Faison asked curiously.

Max and Janelle exchanged a quick look, and for a moment Max wondered if he had just let slip something extremely vital. Then, he relaxed. What did it matter, now, anyway? Max's expression twisted into a brief smirk behind his exopack. "Why, Neytiri is Jake's mate, and Moat is Neytiri's mother," he said.

He let that proclamation hang in the air between all of them for a moment. Barnes and Keyes adequately hid their reaction to this revelation, but Faison did not even try to bother. "Nice," he groaned with a wince and shake of his head. Keyes shot him a dirty look.

"I'll go speak to Dr. Spellman," Max said. He gave Commander Keyes a pointed look and said, "With your permission, he and I will head outside and see if we can't come up with anything."

Keyes pursed her lips and frowned, but nodded anyway. She may not have liked it, but she would not cross her boss on this. Or really anything else, for that matter. She trusted Colonel Barnes implicitly.

"I'm sorry about all of this," Janelle murmured before she and Max stepped into the airlock.

* * *

Colonel Barnes groaned and eased herself down so that she was reclining on the gurney. She made sure her movements were slow and deliberate - anything too fast would drive a railroad spike of pain through her skull. Once she was down on her side she groaned again and rubbed at her closed eyes with the palm of her hand. It felt like something was trying to push her eyeballs out from their sockets.

"What do you think, Colonel?" Tanya Keyes asked after a while. The RDA tech had left several minutes ago. Only Barnes, Keyes, and Faison remained in the avatar prep room.

"I think I'm running out of options," Barnes gritted out in reply.

"Permission to speak more freely than my rank would allow?" came the acerbic question from David Faison.

Barnes cracked an eye open and peered blearily at the tall, dark-haired man who was leaning back against the wall, arms folded grumpily over his chest. For a few seconds, the only sounds to be heard were the construction-like noises coming through the breach tarp as the damage control crew continued to try to repair the Hell's Gate link room. The high-pitched whine from some power tool made Barnes wince. If she had a gun, she would gladly use it - whether it would be against the tool's operator or to put herself out of her own misery, she was not quite sure at the moment.

"If this was still the military, I'd fire both of your asses for inappropriate fraternization," Barnes said with a laugh that ended up turning into a cough. Keyes muttered something unflattering under her breath.

Indeed, Faison and she were about to be discharged from the United States army for that very thing. They had both voluntarily joined the RDA Sec-Ops in an attempt to continue the line of work that they both enjoyed while still preserving their relationship. Barnes knew this, and had made it patently clear that if they could still both operate professionally, then she did not give a damn what happened between them during off hours.

"Fine, _dear," _Keyes relented.

Faison flashed his girlfriend a winning smile before growing serious again. "Colonel, ma'am... Obviously this turn of events changes everything for us. I think... I can't help but wonder if we need to give some credence to what Dr. Patel has said."

Commander Keyes snorted derisively. "What? That we ask the Na'vi for help?" she scoffed.

"If it's the only option...," Faison hedged. Any port in a storm, and all that.

Keyes sighed. What the hell good would that do, after all that they had already done to Jake Sully? The Na'vi had every reason _not_ to help them. Ultimately, it would be Colonel Barnes' choice. Keyes would respect whatever the decision was, even if she did not particularly like it. It was simply what good soldiers did. She was about to voice her thoughts on the matter, but she stopped short when she looked over and saw the expression on the Colonel's face.

Barnes was gazing fixedly up at the ceiling, her jaw muscles tensed tight. Had she been human, the blue of her eyes would have best been described as frigid. Now, her avatar's golden irises blazed and shimmered with a fiery determination.

* * *

No one could ever accuse the Omaticaya of not knowing how to party. The Na'vi had scraped together an admirable celebration out of thin air - the feat was all the more amazing when one considered how events could have easily taken a turn for the worst. All of Jake's Olo'eyktan gear had been taken from him back at Hell's Gate, and he had arrived back to his clan with only the clothing he was wearing and a healthy appetite.

The Omaticaya were quick to rectify this.

Jake was hungry, and so the clan's cooks eagerly hauled out reserves of the choicest foods that the Na'vi kept on hand. At first Jake had been nearly mortified, and it had only been Neytiri's whispered assurance in his ear that this was simply his people's way of honoring him. After that, Jake's empty stomach made its opinion on the matter known and took care of the rest.

Jake's appearance belied the fact that he was a Na'vi Olo'eyktan, and the sixth Toruk Makto, so the clan's weavers and artisans swiftly brought out the finest of their works, dressing Jake in the regalia that was normally reserved for the most solemn of ceremonies.

Normally such garments were kept by a clan for many generations and passed down from one Olo'eyktan to another, but the Omaticaya did not have this benefit. Nearly _everything_ had been lost with their first Hometree, including the richest physical aspects of their culture - everything that they had now was brand new, having either been crafted by the Omaticaya themselves or gifted to them from another clan. So while Neytiri at first was highly amused as she watched Jake squirm under all of the attention, she was then struck by a revelation of sorts.

All of this was Jake's, anyway.

Never in her wildest dreams could Neytiri have imagined that the blind, ignorant, deaf and dumb dreamwalker that she had nearly struck down in the forest could be the same man that was before her now. The differences were almost too vast for her to comprehend.

To be sure, Jake was amazed, honored, and humbled by the Omaticaya's homecoming celebration. There was one person in particular that Jake wanted to be with, though, and not necessarily in a public setting. It could never have been too soon for Neytiri and him to find the time to be alone. Only now as he followed Neytiri up towards their private area within Kelutral did he fully become aware of how profoundly he had missed his mate, of how much he _craved_ her scent, her touch...everything. He needed her not like he needed food, but like he needed air. One could only hold their breath for so long.

The "come hither" look that Neytiri coyly shot his way just before she stepped out of sight behind a column of Kelutral nearly made Jake weak in the knees. His mate was unbelievably beautiful. The expression that she so readily gave him, the way that her stomach bulged with the fruit of their passion...it made Jake flush with a distinct feeling of masculine pride. He growled as he struggled out of his vestments.

Neytiri was hanging her necklaces up on their p'ah s'ivil chey when she sensed a presence behind her, a split second before a tall, muscular body pressed itself firmly up against her. She purred contently when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, and two five-fingered hands settled on her pregnant stomach. She felt Jake brush her queue aside with his nose so that he could kiss the back of her neck. Neytiri shivered when she felt him lightly nip and nibble on her skin; she groaned when she felt him lightly drag his canines down the side of her neck.

"Missed you so much," Jake breathed, his voice husky and deep. "Being away from you..." He tenderly rubbed Neytiri's abdomen. "Being away from both of you was like slowly dying. I can't imagine it was any easier for you, and I'm so sorry, Neytiri."

Neytiri tilted her head back against Jake's shoulder, sighing as Jake lazily kissed the graceful column of her neck, lovingly tracing a line of glowing tanhi on her skin. "You are with us now," she murmured. _"How much did you miss me?"_ she asked after a moment, slipping into Na'vi as she smiled softly to herself. She suspected she already knew the answer.

Behind her a low growl rumbled in Jake's throat, and he none too subtly bumped his hips forward against her rump in response, making sure Neytiri could feel precisely how much he had missed her. A second growl was choked off into a strangled wheeze when Jake felt Neytiri grind back against him; her tail slipped between his legs and wrapped tightly around his thigh as they moved against one another. The rawness of it all set Jake's mind to spinning, cloying his thoughts like thick incense in the air.

"I should have known they'd try something," Jake whispered breathlessly, even as he kissed the shell of Neytiri's ear. "I should have been more prepared -" Jake was silenced when Neytiri turned her head and captured his lips with her own.

This time, Neytiri growled as Jake thrust his tongue into her mouth. She reached up behind her, tangling her long fingers into Jake's braided hair. Neytiri bit Jake's lip when she felt him reach up and caress one of her bare breasts, his skillful fingers easily teasing a nipple to peaked attention. Jake was not discouraged in the slightest, and he kissed her all the more fervently in response.

"You're going to undo me," Jake managed to gasp when they pulled apart for air a short time later.

Neytiri nodded numbly as she turned around in Jake's arms. Almost as an afterthought, she placed a four-fingered hand against his chest; the feeling of Jake's heart beating beneath her palm brought unspeakable comfort to her. Jake's own arms settled back around Neytiri's waist, simultaneously keeping her close to him and helping her stay on her feet.

She could not hold back any longer. _"I want you," _Neytiri declared as she grasped Jake's queue.

Maybe if the circumstances had been different Jake would have come up with some kind of equally direct retort to such a statement, but now he could only nod in agreement as he took Neytiri's braid and gently positioned it over her shoulder. Jake's pupils dilated in anticipation as he watched the ends of their queues reaching for one another.

"Oh fuck," Jake breathed as the sensation of the tsaheylu bond washed over him. Perhaps not the most brilliant of responses, but Jake was well beyond caring about eloquence by this point. Jake and Neytiri gripped one another as if to save themselves from drowning.

It seemed like every muscle in Jake's body was tingling, and he cast a helpless glance towards their nivi as he debated the odds of making it to the bed. Neytiri stumbled first, which in turn set off a chain reaction in Jake; it took all of his strength and concentration to guide his suddenly limp mate to the ground, and then to avoid collapsing right there on the spot himself. They lay there together on their sides, panting and gasping for breath as if each had just run a marathon. Neytiri found that tears were leaking from her eyes for seemingly no apparent reason; Jake brushed the moisture away from her face with his lips as he hummed comfortingly.

Their tumultuous thoughts and emotions were overwhelming, and Jake and Neytiri simply stared at one another in blank, wide-eyed amazement. Everything that they could have done, said, or thought was put on hold as they basked in the wonder of simply _being_ together.

Then a second sensation pushed through their bond. It would have knocked Jake off of his feet were he not already lying down. It was an ethereal, wordless tangle of happiness, of childlike joy that enthusiastically crash-tackled Jake's consciousness, rendering him incapable of coherent thought for a moment. Tommy had missed his dad.

It was fortunate that Neytiri was lying down as well; she sighed and went utterly limp as the emotional download of her unborn son's feelings passed through his parents' bond. Neytiri chuckled softly as she watched Jake's features go slack with astonishment, his pupils dilating even further until she could not even see his gold irises. The bioluminescent spots all over Jake's body blazed brightly with emotion. If anything, she basked in the sweet relief of not being the sole focus of Tommy's attention, at least for a little bit. It was as if a physical burden had been lifted from Neytiri's shoulders.

It took a minute for Jake to recover, and even then his mouth moved wordlessly as if he had forgotten how to speak. "Has he... Has he always been like this?" he finally managed to stutter out. Jake blinked rapidly, his eyes darting about as he fought to comprehend everything that he was feeling.

Neytiri offered him a knowing smile and nodded.

Summoning all of his internal strength, Jake gingerly pushed back through the bond, not using words but rather sending a general thought of, _I'm right here, Little One. _The simple feeling of giddy amusement that was returned to him was profound enough that Jake almost giggled aloud himself. The sensation was sweet and pure, unlike anything that Jake had ever known.

Jake could not help but gape in amazement, and his ears flicked back upon comprehending this revelation of all that Neytiri had been bearing - both literally and figuratively. He felt a flash of fond, feminine irritation through the link as his thoughts were made known to Neytiri. It was _not_ easy being pregnant. Though Neytiri was physically carrying their child, Na'vi pregnancy was something that was to be borne by both parents. Jake's absence had been painful on multiple levels for his family.

"Skxawng," Neytiri laughed softly before kissing Jake again.

* * *

Tanhi tread softly along the path, her bare feet carrying her silently through the forest towards Utral Aymokriyä. Though hundreds of thoughts and emotions waged a war within her spirit, her features were relatively blank. Tanhi had no more tears, no more energy for much outward expression - all of that had been spent earlier today, out over the prone, still form of her mate as she had fought to save his life.

Behind her she could still hear the sound of the clan celebrating. Tanhi growled lowly and shook her head with irritation - she should be with them, with Kyle. They certainly had reason to celebrate!

But try as she might, Tanhi just could not wrap her mind around all that had happened today. It pained her to step away from her mate like she did, though to be sure it was not permanent. No, Kyle and she had firmly decided that they would be beyond secrets after all that had happened between them thus far. It was only that right now, the people whom she wanted to talk with and the solitude to do so could be found only in this one place.

Tanhi's head was bowed in thought as she entered the sacred grove. Above her head, several atokirina' hovered about, glowing faintly in the dimness and gliding to and fro like tiny fish in their own sea. Tanhi was about to kneel before the great tree when the presence of another person finally registered with her, and she sucked in a short, surprised breath. Tsaro had not moved a muscle or made a noise and Tanhi, with all that was on her mind, had failed to notice him kneeling there until she was almost on top of the young man.

_"Forgive my intrusion," _she managed to mumble as she turned away. _Wiya, _she silently cursed. _Must I make a fool of myself before everyone this evening?_

Tsaro actually startled a little bit himself, and he swiftly disengaged his queue from one of the tree's fronds. _"Tanhi, wait," _he implored, gently shaking his head in an attempt to clear his own thoughts and recenter his senses in a different world. _"Tanhi, please!" _he added, addressing Tanhi's retreating form.

For reasons unknown, Tanhi stopped short and waited. A barely discernible rustle revealed that Tsaro had stood, and a second later Tanhi felt a calloused hand gently touch her shoulder.

_"You are doing it again," _Tsaro murmured.

Tsaro's words were curious enough to make Tanhi turn back around and face him, a puzzled expression on her face. _"What are you speaking of, Tsaro?" _she asked him.

The expression on Tsaro's face was gravely serious as he replied, _"You are isolating yourself from everyone who can lend you their strength."_

Tanhi felt a flash of irritation, as well as a frustrating sense of déjà vu. _"Well, what are_ you _doing here by yourself, then?" _she shot back as she folded her arms over her chest. Tsaro let his hand fall away from her upper arm.

_"I have ended the life of another, several times this day. This killing that I have done is not like hunting in order to provide for the People, Tanhi. I was asking Eywa to forgive me, and to judge fairly the spirits of those that I have pushed into her embrace," _Tsaro readily answered. Tanhi's ears flicked back upon hearing this reply. "_But we were not speaking of why I was here, now were we?" _Tsaro watched as Tanhi wrestled internally with what was burdening her mind.

_"Do you know that I am now ikran makto?" _Tanhi blurted. She went from crossing her arms over her chest to wrapping them protectively around her own stomach, as if she were cold.

Tsaro nodded as both corners of his mouth turned up in a fleeting, nervous grin. _"You know how Sorewn cannot keep a secret," _he said with a hollow chuckle. _"Congratulations," _he added after a moment.

Tanhi snorted and rolled her eyes, then nervously chewed her lower lip. _"There is more, Tsaro," _she slowly said. Now Tanhi closed her eyes - this would not be easy for either of them.

_"I am sure that Hufwetsyìp will be as loyal to you as she was to Keoni," _Tsaro murmured, his gaze turning to settle upon the ground between them.

Tanhi was completely taken aback. _"How...how did you know?" _she gasped, her eyes flying back open in shock. _"Tsaro, I am sorry! I wanted to tell you myself..."_

Tsaro dismissed her words with a wave of his hand as he glanced away again for a moment. Word traveled fast through Kelutral. _"You cannot control what others say, Tanhi. I know that you had to attend to your mate's wellbeing." _He finally met her gaze and said, _"Eywa works in strange ways. Have faith that she knows what is best for you." _

Rather than comfort Tanhi, as had been his intention, his words almost seemed to upset her further. Tsaro took a step forward and gently set his hands on Tanhi's shoulders. He was about to draw her into an embrace when Tanhi suddenly blurted, _"Tsaro, I am with child!"_

Tsaro froze in shock for a moment. _"How?" _he demanded incredulously, still poised in a half-hug. The irritated look that Tanhi shot his way could not quite mask her growing blush, and Tsaro quickly took a step back, holding up his hands and rapidly shaking his head. _"What I meant was that you and Kyle have only been mates for a short time! I did not expect this to happen so...so quickly," _he finished. They must be very...compatible, for Tanhi to have conceived so quickly. Tsaro was suddenly self-conscious of how lame he was sounding. _"Congratulations?" _he offered again, trying to rectify the situation.

The sight of Tsaro so visibly squirming was amusing enough to make Tanhi snort once with barely contained laughter.

_"Does Kyle know of this yet?" _Tsaro asked.

Any trace of humor vanished from Tanhi's features, and she quickly glanced away towards the ground. _"No, he does not," _she quietly replied. _"I only found out today. Hufwetsyìp told me, when we first bonded. She could sense my child growing within me. I...I was not ready to hear it." _Tanhi closed her eyes against the heady rush of emotion and barely suppressed a shudder._ "With everything that has happened today, I still do not think I am ready to hear it."_

Tsaro let out an exasperated growl. _"Tanhi, you cannot keep this from him!" _he said. _"He will know when the two of you make tsaheylu, anyway."_

_ "Do you think that I do not realize that?" _Tanhi snapped back. Then she apologized again, just as quickly. _"I did not mean to speak so harshly, brother," _she sighed. She glanced back over her shoulder towards Hometree and said, _"I do not know how he will receive this news. We...did not expect this so soon, either. And my mate has many things that are fighting for his attention now."_

Tsaro let out a deep sigh as well, and in that moment both of them seemed to deflate as the weariness from the day's events crashed over them again. _"How is Kyle doing?" _Tsaro asked - he had not yet had the chance to really speak in private with his friend yet, and Tanhi realized that his question was not regarding Kyle's physical health.

_"He worries for his family, Tsaro," _Tanhi replied. _"After Amberferris visited us, and we saw how weak she was, Kyle has taken to caring for her dreamwalker body and that of his cousin. We are going to move them twice a day so that they do not rest for too long in one position, and we have been able to get them to drink small amounts of broth. It is like tending to someone who cannot care for themselves."_

Tsaro winced and nodded. He took in a deep, measured breath and held it as he debated his next words. He exhaled slowly once he was ready to speak. _"I am sorry that this news came to you on a day that has been full of hardship. But irregardless, Tanhi, this is a good thing! Please do not discount that." _He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Tanhi in an embrace that he knew she needed, even if she would not admit it. Tsaro began to say more, but cut himself off before any words made it out. It was not his place to say that kind of thing, he decided.

Even still, Tanhi knew him well enough to know what he was about to say. She smiled as she withdrew from his embrace, but not before giving his shoulders a fond squeeze. _"I will tell Kyle soon, I promise," _she reassured him. _"I only want to make sure the time is right. Thank you, Tsaro."_

One corner of Tsaro's mouth turned up in a brief smile. _"You did not come here to listen to me lecture you. My reason for being here has passed, and I will let you do what you must without bothering you anymore. Good night, sister."_

"Txon lefpom," Tanhi softly replied as Tsaro stepped silently past her. Tanhi's gaze returned to the Tree of Voices' gently glowing fronds. Tsaro was right - this was something to be celebrated, and Tanhi suspected that her mother's words would echo what Tsaro had already told her.

* * *

Commander Tanya Keyes' mind was whirling as she strode with purposeful steps through Hell's Gate. Relief that her commanding officer, and yes, her friend, was still alive churned with the anxiety and frustration that their new situation brought on. They were supposed to be focusing on the mission: secure the base, no recourse. Dryers' one ill-fated mission over the fence had proven to all that this was an incredibly hostile world that should not be taken lightly. And the admittedly bold and impressively executed rescue of Jake Sully proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that their...their enemy was both cunning and determined. The thought that they had all bitten off more than they could chew began to nag at the corner of her mind.

Tanya frowned. Were the Na'vi the enemy? In any event, they were mighty pissed off. While she was in no way sorry for the RDA's actions, she did not necessarily hold the Na'vi's reaction against them. And these were the people that they now might have to go to for help? Great.

Tanya pushed all of this from her mind with one brusque mental shove. She knew that the team could not afford to have her distracted. Not now, not ever. Even still, she blinked in surprise when she found herself in the base's control room. Why was she up here again? She did not have watch duty. Oh, right - she wanted to fill in Major Link on the Colonel's condition.

So much for not being distracted.

The watch standers murmured low greetings to her as she angled across the room towards the administrator's office, and she nodded tersely in return. The office's glass was tinted opaque and the door was just barely ajar. Hushed conversation could be barely heard through the crack in the door; she was about to knock and announce her presence when the words finally began to register. A dangerous chill raced up her spine, making her freeze.

"I..I'm not sure if I can do this, sir," a voice quavered, clearly nervous.

A frustrated sigh came in response, and Keyes recognized Major Link's voice. "I'm quite sure that you can. No one will ever know but the three of us. It will not be difficult, and a painless end for her would be best, don't you think? By your own admission the Colonel is not doing well at all. She's apparently in great pain."

"Yes, but...," the other man said in weak objection. "Some of the scientists are going to try and come up with a cure that the Na'vi-"

"A cure for what, exactly?" a new voice cut in. It sounded like Dr. Todd Dryers. "How would you describe Barnes' 'condition' at the moment? Do you think that we can 'cure' her? Do you think that the _Na'vi_ have anything worthwhile that we could use, or that they would even be willing to help? Keep in mind who you're dealing with, here." Dryers referred to the natives with clear disgust, and Keyes was not sure whether or not the "who" was the Na'vi or Dryers himself. Both seemed almost equally dangerous right now, in her opinion.

"Samantha doesn't deserve to suffer any longer," Link said, sounding regretful even as the words flowed with deceptive ease.

"Of course," Dryers confirmed, sounding suddenly contrite. "I know this is difficult. For all of us, and for you personally, because I know that you've been working closely with the Colonel for a while now. If it helps, I'll put in a word with Corporate to see if there is anything that we can do to...ease your conscience."

What the _hell? _Do they really mean what I think they mean, Tanya frantically thought.

"Alright," came the reluctant agreement after a pregnant pause.

Keyes jerked away from the door when it opened and one of the RDA avatar technicians stepped out; his back was facing her as he softly closed the office door behind him. When he turned he came face to face with Keyes, who could not decide whether or not to be scared, shocked, or just plain confused.

She settled on confused.

The young man flinched and visibly paled when he finally registered Keyes' presence. For a split second the two people stared at one another in mute surprise before the tech ducked his head and quickly turned to leave. He looked miserable.

Tanya's breaths came in short, sharp pants as her eyes darted about the room. No one else in the control room had overheard what she had just listened to; indeed, no one was even watching. Everyone was completely absorbed with their various duties. Keyes wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her fatigues, and she forced herself to count to ten in an effort to collect herself.

And to wait. It just would not do to walk into that office so soon after Link and Dryers apparently ordered Colonel Samantha Barnes' murder. But that could not be what she had _actually_ overheard... Right?

Keyes had no idea how long she waited. Even though it was not true, it felt like at least ten minutes had passed and that everyone in the room was staring oddly at her. After one last breath for good measure, Keyes schooled her features and knocked on the door.

"Enter," Major Link commanded.

Link and Dryers were both behind the desk, hunched over the computer terminal; a veritable storm of paperwork and no less than three data pads cluttered the desktop. Link's expression brightened in greeting when he looked up and saw Keyes. "Tanya, how are you? I've been meaning to thank you for all of your help during this crisis. You've been handling things extremely well, and I'm very grateful. You've handled the duties of second-in-command very admirably," he said.

The compliment completely rubbed her the wrong way, and it was all that Commander Keyes could do to repress her disgusted shudder. Instead she cocked her head to the side and smiled faintly. "I'm third in line," she said in a casual voice.

Major Link blinked twice and smiled back. "Of course. It's unfortunate that the Colonel has been sidelined like she has, is all."

Keyes found herself nodding mechanically in agreement. "I wanted to let you know how Colonel Barnes was doing, Major," she replied. She hoped her expression was simply weary, rather than wary.

"Go on," Dryers encouraged. Tanya tried to avoid staring at the stump of the man's right hand.

Keyes sighed before giving her report. It did not take long to lay out the Colonel's condition, and both Dryers and Link appeared to be listening attentively. She finished with the heartfelt comment of, "I wish that there was something...anything that we could do to make her more comfortable."

"I wish there was, too," Link agreed. "It's frustrating that there isn't more that we can do from here to ease her pain. We just have to try to make her as comfortable as possible, and hope for a full recovery."

With another smile, Keyes responded, "Of course. We all know how tough she is. I'm sure she'll be back on feet in no time." Her gaze flickered meaningfully towards Dryers. "Who knows, maybe she'll be in a mood for vengeance. I'm sure that all of us would be able to put our heads together to come up with a workable plan to strike back at the natives, after all."

The small smile that briefly graced Dryers' face appeared most unkind. "I would look forward to that." Then he laughed ruefully as if someone had told a joke and said, "You know, perhaps we should be grateful for this odd turn of events. If Colonel Barnes had been in any other link, she might well be dead right now."

"Why don't you get some rest, Tanya," Link interjected. "You've been at it all day. Dryers and I will stay up to mind things here. You've earned a break."

"Thank you, Major," Keyes said before she bowed out of the room.

* * *

They never said anything. That fact was not lost on Keyes. If they wanted to kill Barnes...maybe they wanted it to look like an accident, or that she had simply...expired. She tromped down the stairs, away from the control room. She should probably head to her room at the barracks and get some rack, like Link had "suggested" she do. But somehow, sleep was the last thing on her mind.

She felt a flash of relief when she rounded a corner by the cafeteria and caught sight of David Faison. Even if she did outrank him, his mere presence caused her to relax. "David!" she called out.

Faison turned around, eyebrows elevated in surprise. "Back to a first name basis, Commander?" he queried. His eyes flashed tellingly up and down his girlfriend's frame. "And I haven't even had to earn the privilege back yet."

His words were meant to both flatter and sting, and Keyes caught it. She kissed him swiftly on the lips. "I'm sorry for being such a bitch earlier," she hastily apologized.

Faison opened his mouth to retort, but suddenly held his tongue when he noticed the way that Keyes glanced suspiciously around them. "What's wrong?" he demanded in a low, serious voice.

Keyes screwed her eyes shut with a pained expression. Had she _really_ heard everything correctly? She desperately hoped that she was wrong, that she had simply heard a conversation that she should not have and taken everything out of context. Then she remembered the skittish look on the technician's face.

Movement up the hall to her left drew her attention. Tobias Foucault was heading towards the cafeteria, probably searching for the cup of coffee that he looked like he desperately needed.

When Faison picked that moment to draw her into a reassuring embrace, she did not resist. She moved her lips close to his ear and whispered, "Smile and laugh like I just promised to give you the best blow job of your life."

Faison snickered and smiled. "You're so dirty," he murmured. When Foucault stepped past them into the cafeteria he just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

The cafeteria door shut with a soft _thunk, _and Keyes gently disengaged herself from Faison's arms. "Walk with me," she said in a curt voice, and Faison did so without complaint. When Keyes spoke again her voice was low and conspiratorial. "I think I overheard a conversation involving Major Link and Dr. Dryers that I shouldn't have," she admitted.

Faison stiffened beside her. "In what capacity are we speaking right now?" he asked.

"Privately. Professionally." Keyes growled in exasperation. "Both and neither...I don't know! But I need you to keep this confidential, okay?"

Faison nodded without hesitation. They both knew that they were putting the other person at risk with this conversation.

Keyes breathlessly relayed the brief, truncated conversation that she had overheard between Link, Dryers, and the link tech. Faison did not interrupt or object when she added her impressions and perceptions, and if he picked up on the dangerous implications of what they were discussing, he did not show it. "Am I completely off the reservation with this whole thing?" she finally asked.

"Damn, I hope you are," Faison hissed lowly in reply. "Why the hell would Link and Dryers want to...to _murder_ Colonel Barnes? That doesn't make any sense! She's been nothing but good to us, and she's done a hell of a job given our circumstances. They should give her a medal!"

Keyes racked her brain for an answer and came up empty. Her sleep-deprived mind could not come up with anything that was even remotely plausible. "I don't know," she admitted with a weary sigh. "But something stinks. I can't shake that impression. I'm probably all wrong."

"Yeah, maybe...," Faison hedged. Then his eyes flared wide and he sucked in a sharp breath. "Johnson passed me maybe ten minutes ago. He said he was going to check on the Colonel one last time tonight. I didn't think anything of it."

"I thought we had all agreed to let her rest," Keyes hissed back. That was how the last conversation had ended in the avatar prep room. This could not be a coincidence.

Faison's expression darkened dangerously. "I'll go look," he growled. His hand settled on the grip of his sidearm.

Keyes' brain kicked into overdrive. "No, I'll do it," she said. "You find Dr. Spellman and Dr. Patel. I think they're in botany lab."

"And do what?" Faison objected with a frown, but Keyes was already walking swiftly away, looking for the nearest airlock.

"I don't know, why don't you...guard them or something?" she snapped over her shoulder. "I'm going outside to check on some seals. Some of the building joints were stressed when that grenade exploded today."

"In the middle of the night?" Faison called after her.

In response Keyes drew her own sidearm and pulled back slightly on the gun's slide. Satisfied that a round was chambered, she let the slide _snick_ back into place and holstered the weapon. She gave Faison one last pointed look before disappearing into the stairwell that led to the ground level.

* * *

As she waited for the airlock to cycle through Keyes drummed her fingers impatiently against her leg. A part of her was shocked at how easily she seemed to adapt to the thought of a conspiracy. She was avoiding the biolab because of the cameras in the hall. The light over the exterior door turned green, and she shoved open the hatch and stepped out into the warm Pandoran night.

The base's lights were all blazing, and the jungle outside of the fence was dark and dangerous-looking. The artificial illumination kept the forest's natural bioluminescence at bay. Strange animal calls could be heard, and she shivered at the thought of all of the vicious alien creatures that were no doubt poised just outside the reach of the lights. What a creepy planet this was, she thought.

Tanya turned and kept the building on her right side as she made her way around towards the avatar compound. No one else was outside, not at this time of night.

When she reached the ambient room's outside door, Keyes drew her sidearm. She rapped on the door with her knuckles to announce her presence, then grasped the handle and pushed it open. She resolutely ignored the messy stain of Thiele's blood that still remained. Some odd, detached part of her mind made a note to have some grunt from the damage control team wash the damn door down.

It was quiet, and Keyes was painfully aware of how loud her breath was hissing behind her exopack. She pawed at the wall until she found the panel of switches that would turn on the lights. "Colonel? Colonel Barnes," she called. No answer, not even when the fluorescent lights in the room switched on. She began to creep cautiously down the short hall and shifted her weapon into a two-handed grip. "Hey Johnson, you there? I need to talk to you!"

The sound of movement made Keyes freeze. "I'm coming in there!" she announced after she took a moment to gather her courage.

It was the sight of the avatar tech's body, shoved up against the wall beneath the observation windows, that caught her attention first. Johnson's neck was bent at an odd angle, and his eyes stared up through his exopack without blinking. A medical hypo-gun was still clutched in one hand, the syringe inside still full.

"Are you here to kill me, too?" a voice asked from right beside and above Keyes' head.

"No, ma'am," Keyes quickly gasped. She exhaled a shaky breath that she had not even known that she was holding. She felt a burning need to prove her sincerity, and she let the pistol in her hands slip until she was holding it by only two fingers.

Colonel Barnes was on her feet, pressed up against the wall. She had been out of sight just around the corner, at least until Keyes had stepped right up beside her without even realizing that she was there. Barnes slumped down and staggered once before dropping to her knees - it had taken all of her strength and concentration to hold herself in that position without moving. A metal pole from one of the equipment racks that she had been clutching in her hand clattered to the ground.

"He kept saying that it was one last round of painkillers," Barnes gasped, her ears flat against her head. "I didn't want the shot, the drugs make me too groggy. But he kept insisting, and then he tried anyway..." Barnes trailed off and simply rested there, gasping for breath. Her face and neck was still shiny with perspiration. Some of the hair from her braid had come out and was hanging raggedly around her face. When she looked up at Keyes, her lips were pulled back from her canines in a silent snarl, and her golden eyes flashed dangerously. "Whose idea was this?" she hissed.

Keyes carefully holstered her weapon. "Link and Dryers," she said simply. She thought about recapping what she had overheard, but the way that Barnes seemed to draw sudden strength from her anger made her rethink things. It seemed that the Colonel had readily accepted that explanation. Instead, she asked, "Why would they do that? Why?"

Barnes leaned back, trying to catch her breath. "Because they were ordered to," she said at last.

"What?" Keyes exclaimed in a strangled, disbelieving voice.

"We had...orders to...send Sully's body back," Barnes managed to get out. She took several deep breaths before continuing. "On the _Commerce Star. _Or Fischer, I guess it didn't matter. Corporate wanted to know how it had happened, how a human could live on in a different body. It would be...profound, to learn that secret. Do you understand this?"

Keyes sucked in a surprised breath. Oh yes, now she most certainly understood. And she made the next mental leap without needing it explained to her. "And now you're the next best thing. How could they do something like this to you?"

Barnes tried laughing but ended up coughing instead. Every ragged hack was pure agony. "It doesn't matter who I am," she wheezed. Or even that I got their fucking base back for them, she mentally added.

This changed everything in Keyes' mind. "We have to get you out of here," she hissed.

Barnes nodded in agreement. "If they want me dead, they have to be subtle about it," Barnes gritted out. "Link and Dryers can't blatantly off me without inciting everyone here," she said.

"Well, we'll have to come up with something quick," Keyes growled. "I'll have to take care of the body," she grumbled as she cast a disdainful look in Johnson's direction.

"You don't have to do this," Barnes said in a tired voice. "You're putting yourself at risk."

Keyes shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I'll talk with David - we'll come up with a way to get you away from Hell's Gate. You just stay with us, you hear?" It felt odd speaking to her commanding officer like this.

Barnes simply nodded in reluctant agreement.


	40. Chapter 40

**Well, hopefully that was quick enough for all of you! I'll certainly try my best to keep the story coming at a respectable rate. Thank you once again for the great feedback, both from familiar and new people alike! It never gets old to hear from you guys. And though he has not (yet) been publicly named, I can't thank my beta reader enough. The effort you've put into making this thing possible, especially with all of the technical issues, can't be overstated.**

Chapter 40

The plants of the forest had been blazing with their own light for a long while by the time Tanhi made it up to her and Kyle's nivi. She kept telling herself that she had needed to be busy with the hope that if she repeated that half-truth enough, it might become the whole truth. Her own father needed her attentions as a healer; so had Jakesully because of the knife cuts on his arms. She had decided to make Tsaro a medicinal draught to take after another sneezing fit gripped him. Not to mention she had needed to fish out three Tawtute arrows from her own mate's arm.

Just as Tanhi had subconsciously hoped, Kyle was fast asleep when she finally slipped into the hammock with him. Her mate's heavy slumber was the debt he paid from the action of the day, and he did not wake when Tanhi gently spooned up behind him.

Oddly enough, she was also mentally kicking herself at the same time. She ached, actually physically ached, with the desire to bond with her life mate. So _this_ is why she had been craving tsaheylu with Kyle lately. _Oh, well...just a little bit longer._

Mindful of the bruises and scrapes that decorated his body, Tanhi carefully wrapped her arms around her mate's chest. She leaned her cheek against Kyle's shoulder blade and focused on his breathing, using the steady rhythm to lull herself into the place where she felt safe and secure.

Tomorrow, she decided. Tomorrow she would reveal to Kyle how Eywa had blessed them so.

* * *

Three pairs of eyes locked onto Tanya Keyes as soon as she set foot inside of the botany lab. Drs. Patel and Spellman were huddled over a workbench, mixing disgusting-looking green concoctions of this or that. At the other end of the table was a small pile of unidentifiable Pandoran plants. Tanya had to fight to hide her disgusted expression. Off to the side, appearing distinctly uncomfortable, was David Faison. He straightened as soon as Keyes stepped into the room, the question clear on his face.

"She's alright," Tanya answered. "But yes, we do have a problem." To Dr. Patel she asked in as civil and casual tone as she could muster, "Do you know if the link units are operational yet?" Even though the scientist had been booted from the lab when the RDA wanted to execute Jake, he had been called back in several hours later so that he could assist the damage control team with some of the more sensitive pieces of equipment.

Max and Norm traded a look. So far this evening had been quite strange. Finally, Max offered, "The link beds that weren't outright blown to bits should up and running. The lab is still a mess last time I checked, but yes, you could link up if you needed to as long as the air leaks have been sealed. Why?"

Tanya's eyes glanced up to the ceiling in thought for a moment. "I need to dispose of a body," Keyes replied almost nonchalantly.

Keyes was quickly barraged by multiple questions from everyone in the room, and she had to hold up her hands to stop the onslaught. "Yes, David, they tried something tonight."

"Who tried what?" Norm blurted before she could say anything else.

Tanya suppressed a flash of irritation. She reminded herself that she had apparently been thrust into their camp, after all. Best to preserve whatever bridges, if any, that had not yet been burned. "Major Link and Dr. Dryers want Colonel Barnes dead, that's what," she replied.

Max's brow was creased in thought as he and Norm traded a look, seemingly communicating without speaking.

"Okay Tanya, so you heard right," Faison said with a sigh. "What's the angle here?"

Keyes' lip curled with anger. "RDA corporate wants Barnes dead so that they can dissect her like a lab rat, so that they can find out how her mind became locked inside of her avatar. She doesn't matter to them. It's like she isn't even a person anymore."

Norm swore and flung himself back from the table - the movement ended up surprising everyone in the room. "You were going to do the same thing with Jake!" he accused. The pieces had come together inside his head with remarkable speed and accuracy. "With my cousin! _They_ aren't people to you, either! Am I right?" Faison looked down at the ground, and Keyes' answer did not come quickly enough for Norm's taste. "Am I right?" he demanded again, louder this time.

Something inside of Keyes snapped, and she stepped forward until she was practically nose-to-nose with Norm, who did not give an inch. "Listen, you. It's been a really long, shitty day, and I'm tired. And I _still_ have to go out and bury a body. So lay off, because I have zero patience for you right now. So how about both of us just take a chill pill and see if we can't have a sane conversation here, alright?"

Norm glanced down at his watch.

"Late for a hot date?" Keyes growled.

Norm looked back up. "Oh, sorry. Bullshit filter's full, I guess," he sneered. To Max, he asked, "And we're _helping_ these people? If they want a lab rat, why not let 'em slice up one of their own?" Norm's face was beginning to redden with anger.

Keyes turned away and threw her hands up in the air. "I can't work with this," she muttered to herself.

"We might have to," Faison said with a sigh.

Max's chair creaked as he leaned back and tiredly rubbed his face. "You know, Norm, as distasteful as this may be, I'm hoping that this will turn into a two-way street for us. You know, just saying, is all..."

Norm muttered something unkind under his breath; he reached down to grip his chair's backrest, and his knuckles began to whiten as he viciously squeezed the poor piece of furniture. Let the Colonel get a taste of her own medicine, he silently seethed.

A moment passed as Max's words settled on everyone's mind before Keyes spun on her heel and pointed to the sealed container that held the product of Norm and Max's work. "Is your voodoo done yet?" she snapped. Max answered that it was. "And can you run a link for me? I've got a lot of work to do before the sun comes up."

"Do you even have an inkling of a plan, darling?" Faison inquired dryly.

"Yeah, something like that," Keyes sighed.

Max began to walk towards the door. "Let's get this over with," he muttered. Keyes fell in behind him. As Max opened the door, he paused and gave Norm a pointed look before saying, "Oh, Norm. Maybe you should take Mr. Faison down to the infirmary. He doesn't look so well. And on second thought, maybe you could do with some fresh perspective, too."

* * *

"Why the hell are we down here?" Faison muttered just outside of the infirmary door.

"Shut up and get inside, before one of the other RDA goons questions why we're both out here," was Norm's non-answer. He stepped inside, but Faison remained out in the hallway, arms stubbornly folded over his chest. "Do you want our help or not?" Norm asked, sounding exasperated.

Faison set his hand on pistol holstered to his right hip. "Fine," he growled, his eyes darting suspiciously about the room. "Who all is in here?" he demanded.

"No one. Stoltz was already released, or so I'm told. It's just you and me," Norm replied as he closed the door behind them. "And Hoshiro Tanaka, of course. He's still laid up with atmospheric poisoning. Hasn't woken up yet. I hope he pulls through. Dr. Mirhadi is asleep in her room, I'm sure."

Norm navigated his way through the dimly lit room, leaving Faison with no choice but to follow. David's eyes kept flitting about, his senses on high alert for any threat - he even glanced beneath some of the empty hospital beds, just to make sure that no one was hiding there. This all was too odd not to have some kind deeper meaning.

"David Faison. You're part of the RDA avatar team, aren't you?" Norm asked, speaking back over his shoulder. The scientist did not stop walking until he was at the foot of Hoshiro's bed. "Right, guess you already knew that," Norm muttered in a lower voice as he stared thoughtfully at the comatose man on the bed. The sound of medical equipment beeping softly filled the silence for a moment. "Let's see, Colonel Barnes used the same link unit that Kyle did, and now she's stuck in her avatar. Now the RDA wants her dead, just like Jake and Kyle. They want to slice her brain up into little bits to see how she ticks." Norm turned to look back at Faison. "Right or wrong?"

Faison was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable with this whole scenario. "Listen, I don't know what you're up to here, but I don't like it," he said as he took a step backwards.

Norm ignored him. "And now, because Barnes' life is in danger, you want _our_ help, want the _Na'vi_ to help you. Barnes didn't have Moat and Neytiri to help her through the transfer, and now she's slowly dying. You and Commander Keyes are now questioning the orders of your RDA minders. Somehow, you're gonna have Barnes whisked away from Hell's Gate tomorrow. My guess is that you'd somehow get her to the Omaticaya Hometree, so that she can cast herself at Jake's feet and beg for mercy. How am I doing so far, David?"

The man had to be insane. As he took another step back Faison placed his hand on his gun, fully prepared to shoot Norm in the leg should he try anything. "I don't know what your deal is, but -" he began to say.

"If you go to the Na'vi for help, you need to offer something else in return."

David Faison almost died of fright, right there on the spot. "Holy shit!" he shrieked. He stumbled blindly backwards, bumping into a counter and knocking a tray of medical instruments to the ground with a painfully loud crash. He grasped desperately at the countertop in an effort to regain his balance, his handgun completely forgotten.

Hoshiro Tanaka, very much conscious and alive and well except for a rather hoarse voice, calmly unhooked his oxygen cannula as he sat up in the bed. Save for a faintly smug smile, Norm was utterly unfazed by this turn of events. "Of course, I cannot guarantee that the Omaticaya would not kill Colonel Barnes on the spot. Such a move would be understandable, considering her rather disagreeable history with them. But Mr. Sully is a reasonable man. If you make it worth his while, I'm sure he would be more than willing to spare the good Colonel's life."

Faison's mouth moved, but he could not seem to get any words to come out.

Hoshiro flashed a brief smile that did not quite manage to come across as entirely friendly. "My apologies for startling you so, Mr. Faison," he said. "I appreciate your candid honesty concerning this unfortunate situation. Now that I know...your little secret, and that you now know mine, I do look forward to working together in the near future."

* * *

Samantha Barnes did not feel much better the next morning. Dr. Patel had not promised a miracle, only stating that the herbal tea would help hold off the inevitable. He could not give her any guess on how long she might have before...whatever was happening to her was made permanent. The one thing that he was sure of was that time was not on her side. After a fitful night's sleep that could barely qualify as "rest," Barnes had managed to shower and change into a fresh set of Sec-Ops fatigues. Even still, she did not quite manage to feel human. Come to think of it, perhaps that goal was a stretch too far, now...

Tanya Keyes had "disposed" of Johnson's body last night. She did not offer any details, and Barnes never pressed for any. Whatever the case may be, both women knew that at the very least, they only needed to buy enough time to somehow get Barnes off of the base. Faison and Keyes were both driving their avatars at the moment, and it seemed that neither one of them was ever willing to leave Barnes alone for more than a moment.

Barnes had at first been concerned about the thought of two of her most loyal soldiers spending so much time in link, thus leaving their human bodies unguarded and vulnerable. Dr. Max Patel had helped with that - he and Mo Ye were overseeing the link units themselves. Dr. Patel was even able to recommend a few Sec-Ops troopers who would be up to the task of making sure that they were "guarded," so that appearances would still be maintained. This was how troopers Fletcher and Lovell found themselves assigned to the link room today.

Speaking of their exit... Barnes leaned wearily against an exterior wall and quietly observed the goings on outside of the main hangar. David Faison was overseeing the preflight of a Samson. While it was not that difficult for Commander Keyes to procure a helicopter, finding a trustworthy pilot was another matter entirely.

Fortunately, Barnes had an idea of where to find one of those. Keyes should be back with him any minute, now.

"It's good to see you up and about, boss," a voice spoke from behind her.

Colonel Barnes turned her surprised flinch into a sickly shiver - it really was not too much of a stretch. Even with her avatar's amazing senses, somehow Major Link had managed to sneak up on her. She turned to find him staring up at her with a concerned expression. "The fresh air helps," Barnes managed.

Link smiled wanly and motioned to his exopack. "If you can really call this fresh air," he said. Link nodded in the direction of the airfield. "I hear that you're planning a flight. I was never made aware of anything. Is everything alright, ma'am?" The other unspoken question was clear: what the hell are you doing?

Barnes silently debated the pros and cons of breaking Link's neck right then and there. "I authorized it myself, just now," she said instead. "I'm just...following up on a lead. There may be some information on a stand-alone computer at one of the mobile link sites that could prove useful." She absolutely despised having to play this game, to act as if she was unaware of this man's order to kill her and ship her body back to be dissected.

Major Link composed himself well, she had to give him at least that much. He never asked about a certain absent avatar technician. Either it was too early for Johnson to be missed, or Link was playing things extremely cool. Link's guarded, unreadable caginess that Barnes had always appreciated having on her side was now a distinct liability. "Really," he said. "Well, what can I do to help? I can have a flight crew -"

A quick glance towards the hangar revealed that Faison had noticed who Barnes was speaking with. The avatar soldier had noticeably tensed and shifted the rifle he was holding into a more readied stance.

"No, that's alright, Major," Barnes interrupted. She shook her head for both Link's and Faison's benefit. "I have the pilot picked out. We should be ready to go any minute now, actually."

"Well, then I will at least make sure to assign two men to serve as door gunners," Link replied. "It's the least I can do for you. Hey...are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Barnes forced herself to stand up straighter, even as she inwardly cursed her weakened state. "I'm feeling better, Elias," she said. It was a complete lie. "This just...takes some getting used to. Thank you for your concern."

Link nodded respectfully. "Of course, Colonel. I'm just glad that you're alright. It's amazingly fortunate that you are still with us. Please, let me know if there is anything else that I can do for you."

* * *

While the small storage closet that Lieutenant Thom Collins now called home was not in any way, shape, or form comfortable, it was at least safe. Somehow, a sizable load of tapirus dung had made its way into his bunk at some point during the day before. While no one was forthcoming about revealing who the prankster was, the amount of people who were snickering when Collins found out about it was suspiciously large.

There was a particularly nasty glint in the eye of one of the men who had been on the receiving end of Collins' shotgun blast, back from when the RDA had retaken Hell's Gate.

Apparently, there were still some hard feelings about that little incident.

Collins was in a semi-deep, fitful sleep, tucked back into a corner with only a spare pillow and blanket for comfort, when a ten-foot-tall figure unceremoniously yanked the closet door open. "Lieutenant!" a loud voice bellowed.

Collins snapped awake with a start, and when he saw who was towering over him he could not help but recoil. He let out a strangled yell and reflexively reached for the closest thing that he could use to protect himself; the mop that he held defensively across his chest seemed woefully inadequate against the enormous avatar soldier.

Commander Keyes could not help but smirk at the sight. "You're needed on the flight line," she informed him without preamble.

Collins tried to force his mind into gear. "What?" he stammered. "My...my shift doesn't start until after noon," he objected. And if there was any flying to be done, it would not likely be done by someone like him.

Keyes' fangy smile was not exactly reassuring. "Special assignment," she said. "Colonel's orders. You have five minutes to get ready and get your ass outside."

Sensing no viable alternatives, Collins nodded numbly, climbed stiffly to his feet, and stepped past Keyes' towering bulk. A few Sec-Ops troopers who happened to be passing by in the hall smirked upon observing the pilot's sorry state.

Collins was in the restroom, splashing his face with nearly scalding hot water in an attempt to wake himself sans coffee, when the door opened and someone entered. In the mirror he saw that it was Alec Petrov, one of the other few Sec-Ops pilots who had chosen to stay behind at Hell's Gate, and he allowed himself to relax fractionally.

"What the hell is going -" Collins started, but Petrov cut him off.

"They're prepping a Samson for you," the other man said. Unlike Collins, Petrov had already been "working" for the last several hours - or at the very least, he had been kept busy. Needless to say, the RDA did not place even one iota of trust in the people who had sided with the Na'vi. "It looks like you're taking Colonel Barnes out on some kind of mission over the fence. I haven't been able to figure out what's going on, though, or where you'll be going."

"Why would they need _me_ to fly?" Collins hissed. There had to be someone else that the goon squad trusted more than him. Unless they were using him simply because he was...expendable.

Petrov shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "I do know that the two troopers who are going with you are mean sons of bitches. Don't turn your back on them. And one of 'em _is_ a pilot. If you get my drift."

Collins suppressed a shiver. Yeah, he got the idea. Expendability was looking more and more like the reason he had drawn the short straw.

"I gotta get back to work," Petrov said. His hand was already back on the door. "One more thing, Thom. Make sure you take my flight bag - just trust me, okay?" Then without another word he slipped out.

* * *

A few seconds shy of five minutes later, Collins was wearing an exopack and stepping out of building's airlock into a bright, welcoming Pandoran day. Commander Keyes was waiting for him, her arms folded sternly across her chest. Now that Collins was not reeling from fright and he had a chance to regather his wits, he could better observe the woman's demeanor.

And Collins was more than a little surprised to see that she appeared nervous.

"Follow me," Keyes commanded. Her voice was still crisp with authority, but it had lost its arrogant edge.

"What's our, ah, destination?" Collins ventured as they walked. He had to move in an awkward half-jog in order to keep up with the avatar's longer stride. Petrov's flight bag kept bumping annoyingly against his hip as he moved.

The way that Keyes glanced warily about before responding was not lost on Collins. "You need to take the Colonel to the Omaticaya Hometree," she responded.

Collins slammed to a halt. "Oh, hell no," he snapped.

Keyes was several paces ahead when she came to a stop and turned back to shoot the man an annoyed glare. "Yes, you will," she hissed, her tail flicking back and forth behind her with angry strokes.

"Why should I take the likes of you right to the home of the very people that the RDA wants dead?" he shot back. "I - I won't betray them like that." His voice caught when too late he realized what his insolence might cost him.

Surprisingly, Commander Keyes did not threaten him with imminent dismemberment, or any other kind of bodily harm. She merely pinched at the bridge of her nose as she squelched down an irritated growl. When she crouched down to speak with him on a level plane, Collins almost did not believe the words that were coming out of her mouth.

"We need to ask the Na'vi for help," Keyes explained in a low voice. "Colonel Barnes is slowly dying. Her...mind...isn't settling very well into her avatar, apparently. To add to that, the RDA wants her dead, for just about the same reason that they want Sully and Fischer dead - to see how a human being can live on in a different body."

It was all Collins could do to suppress an incredulous laugh. "So after all that just happened within the last couple of days, you think the Na'vi are going to welcome you with open arms? Really?"

A fleeting, almost sick look flickered across Keyes' face, and her ears flicked temporarily back against her head. "Well, maybe some of us are willing to change our position on certain issues," she conceded.

Keyes' ears rotated as David Faison shouted something that Collins could not quite hear.

"We need to go," she gritted out before continuing to trudge in the direction of the hangar. Within a few seconds, she could hear the sound of Collins' footfalls as he moved to keep up.

The helicopter was fueled up and ready to go by the time Collins and Keyes arrived - there were only a few last-minute things that Collins felt obliged to check out on the aircraft himself. The atmosphere was tense, to say the least. Faison and Keyes both seemed wound up about something - they seemed nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, so to speak. If what Keyes had said was true, then Collins could forgive the both of them for being a little nervous about crossing the RDA.

Collins was up on a ladder, checking the fuel levels, when he sensed a presence behind him. Colonel Barnes was right there, at eye level. "Can I help you?" Collins stiffly asked as he stuck his finger into one of the fuel tanks. The fluid level was just below the cap - perfect. Fuel gauges were one of an aircraft's systems that pilots put the least faith in.

The Colonel appeared to be holding herself together by sheer willpower alone. "Maybe," she replied in a soft voice so that only Collins could hear. "If you play this right, maybe both of us will make it out alive." Then she walked away to converse one last time with Keyes and Faison.

Collins slid down the ladder and opened the cockpit door, still mulling the Colonel's words over again in his mind. Across from him, one of the Sec-Ops troopers that would be accompanying them opened the copilot door and pulled himself inside. "Aren't you supposed to be on one of the door guns?" Collins asked with a glowering expression.

The mercenary flashed him an unkind smile and patted his holstered sidearm. "Nope, I'm just here to make sure you don't fuck things up too bad, is all," he responded easily. "Sir," he added, his voice dripping with contempt.

"What are you gonna do, shoot me?" Collins asked with forced sarcasm.

"Only if I have to, Lieutenant," the other man calmly replied as set about buckling in. "Only if I have to." Great. So it really did appear that he had no problems offing the man who was supposed to be flying the damn chopper.

"Ready when you are." Collins looked aft as Colonel Barnes gingerly eased herself into the Samson's open passenger compartment, along with the second Sec-Ops trooper. Barnes locked eyes with Collins for a brief second, and Collins thought he saw her give him a barely perceptible nod.

He forced himself to remain calm. There's got to be a way out of this, Collins thought. If I panic, I'm done for. He would just have to think of something. With a grunt, Collins hoisted Petrov's flight bag onto the pilot seat and unzipped it. Geeze, did his friend keep a lead brick in here? He lifted out his helmet and was about to place it on the dashboard when something else in the bag caught his eye and made him stiffen in surprise.

There, tucked in amongst various logbooks, maps, and miscellaneous tools, was a Wasp revolver.

* * *

Inside the control room, Major Link stepped up beside Dr. Dryers. They peered together out through the windows at the activity on the airfield. "What's she up to?" Dryers asked in a low voice. "She doesn't have anywhere to run to. Not in her...condition."

"I'm not sure yet," Link admitted. Then, after a pause, he said, "I hope a bullet hole won't be too much of an obstruction to any research."

Dryers shrugged. "I'm sure we could work around it," he candidly replied before walking away.

* * *

Tanhi was up and out of bed well before Kyle was. Just because she had tentatively decided to tell Kyle that he was now a father did not mean it had to be the _first_ thing that she did in her day. The fluttery sensation in her middle made it seem like a small flock of six-winged hì'ang had taken up residence in her belly. The first tendrils of joy were making inroads into her consciousness, now that the stress of yesterday was behind them.

_I am going to be a mother!_

The thought nearly caused Tanhi to jump for joy, to shout the news to all of Kelutral at the top of her lungs. She wanted to go run and find Sorewn, to tell her friend everything, and laugh and giggle and do things like scheme about potential baby names.

_I am going to be a mother!_

That same thought, only in a different tone of voice, almost seemed to paralyze her with trepidation. She had the sudden urge to go run right back up to the healer alcoves and hide, to never come out until that infernal little creature was finished growing within her and had emerged safely from her womb. She would not dare step foot outside of the safety of Hometree for fear that something..._anything_ might happen to endanger her child.

The sight of her father, who was just finishing up with the early morning hunters' meeting, interrupted her mental stampede of thoughts. She could tell he was favoring his wounded side, perhaps a little more than he should be. Tanhi marched right up to him and demanded a report on his condition.

A quick, dry-witted smile flitted across Mal'ek's features. Issues regarding his health were perhaps the one area where Tanhi could now legitimately boss him around. While his pride demanded that he tell his daughter that everything was fine, the truth of the matter was that it was not. And Mal'ek was, if anything, a practical man. He would never recover properly if he hid any issues from the clan's healers.

_"It hurts still, 'ite." _Mal'ek wrinkled his nose and frowned. _"And...I do not think that the wound smells well."_

Tanhi pursed her lips and jerked her head up in the direction of the healer alcoves. _"Come," _she ordered before spinning on her heel and walking towards the nearest spiral.

Safely out of sight behind Tanhi's back, Mal'ek smiled. _"Yes, ma'am,"_ he replied, which earned him a derisive snort from his daughter.

Once some privacy had been gained within the alcoves, Tanhi carefully peeled back the bandage that covered Mal'ek's right side. She hissed in disappointment at what she saw - and smelled. She could see the telltale signs of septicity beginning to set in. To be sure, it was not serious...yet. But left unattended, it could grow into a very serious problem. The bullet had actually glanced off of a rib bone, cleaving a broad but relatively shallow gash on Mal'ek's flank. The exposed ragged edges of flesh had begun to curdle with a pending infection.

_"I am sorry, sempul," _she sighed as her ears drooped with shame. _"I must not have properly cleaned your wound yesterday. This is my fault."_

Mal'ek was quick to object. _"You did no wrong, Tanhi. You cannot control all things. I am glad that you are here now, and can properly tend to me. I do not fear this." _Mal'ek placed a finger under Tanhi's chin and gently encouraged her to lift her head and look him in the eye. Then he lightly flicked her nose and smiled.

This caused Tanhi to let out a giggle, along with a small grin, which was exactly what Mal'ek had intended. It was a move that Mal'ek had often used when Tanhi was only a little girl to defuse a tense situation, and apparently it worked just as well now as it had years ago.

_"We will need to give extra attention to your injury, sempul," _Tanhi said. She still spoke officiously, but at least she was smiling again. _"Whether it is with me or Loak or one of the other healers, it does not matter. You must have this checked on at least twice a day, if not more." _Tanhi set about gathering a fresh bandage as she spoke; she smiled again as she rummaged about for a more powerful healing ointment. Everyone involved would simply need to take extra care and be extra dedicated to see to it that Mal'ek healed properly.

Mal'ek watched her carefully as she worked. _"You are filled with joy this morning, Tanhi," _he observed.

Something in Tanhi seemed to hitch disconcertingly, and she faltered in her movements for the briefest of moments. The slip-up was so slight that even Kyle might have missed it, had he been present. Mal'ek, obviously having known Tanhi for her whole life, definitely noticed. It certainly helped that Tanhi's tell was quite similar to her mother's. Now Mal'ek was curious.

_"I am relieved to have everyone that I care about safely back home," _Tanhi explained.

It was not a lie, but Mal'ek could tell that it was not the answer he had been looking for. Instead Mal'ek simply shrugged and nodded as if in agreement. Tanhi seemed to relax a little. Father and daughter continued to make small talk as Tanhi set about recleaning Mal'ek's injury. Tanhi knew that some of the ointments that she was applying in order to curtail the infection had to sting something awful, but Mal'ek only reacted with a faint frown.

_"Your mother is proud of you, Tanhi. I hope you know this," _Mal'ek said after a while.

Tanhi's eyes darted down to the ground for a brief second. _"I know she is, sempul," _Tanhi replied, almost shyly.

Mal'ek chuckled and nodded in agreement. _"This is good," _he acknowledged. Then he laughed again and said, _"I remember, when you were much younger. When you were changing from that gangly little girl into the beautiful woman that you are now -"_

_ "Sempul!" _Tanhi objected.

_"Do not interrupt me," _Mal'ek chastized, but his face was creased with a warm smile. _"As I was saying... I remember when your mother had commissioned the weapons makers to make me a new bow. After that palulukan had wrecked the one that I had made myself. Do you remember...?"_

Tanhi grinned and nodded as she began to put away her supplies. _"I was with sa'nok when she had described to Ìstaw what she wanted made for you. It was a...daunting commission, to be sure." _It certainly had been! Li'ona had made it patently clear that her mate was worthy of only the best work that the Omaticaya's artisans could accomplish.

Mal'ek nodded as well and his eyes unfocused for a moment as his memory went back in time. _"The new bow was supposed to be a surprise, if I recall correctly. It was what your mother had intended, anyway..."_

Tanhi rolled her eyes. She knew where this was going. While Tanhi had not outright told her father what was coming, the young girl had been hopelessly inept at keeping the news of the pending surprise a secret. Mal'ek had known that something was afoot, simply because Tanhi seemed like she might explode from the pressure of keeping the secret contained within her little body. Thus, Mal'ek was not nearly as surprised as Li'ona thought he should have been when she presented her mate with a brand new, finely-crafted bow. It would be years before Tanhi realized the good-natured frustration that her mother felt about that little event.

Mal'ek would simply laugh it off every time. It was more than amusing enough for him to watch his two favorite women bicker about who had really spoiled the surprise that day.

After a second or two, father and daughter both laughed. The old family joke never got old for them. While Mal'ek would always enjoy teasing Tanhi about it, there was another reason that he chose to bring the event back up. _"You know, you remind me now of that little girl that I used to know. It looks like you are about to blow up like a pxorna'lor plant if you do not get what is on your mind out into the open. Tell me, daughter, what news do you carry?" _

Tanhi's brief, almost agonized expression was not lost on Mal'ek, and he hastily moved to reassure her.

_"You know you may tell me anything, my Tanhi," _he said. He offered Tanhi one of his rare smiles and added, _"Unlike you, I can keep a secret."_

Tanhi heaved a deep sigh and nodded. She heard her father's unspoken words loud and clear. _If it is something good, then tell me so that we may celebrate! If it is something bad, then I will protect you and keep you safe from anything that would harm you._

Mal'ek watched as Tanhi lightly nibbled upon her lower lip in that way that meant she was involved in an intense debate with herself. Finally one side won out, and she huffed softly with laughter and met her father's expectant gaze. _"Are you ready to be a grandfather, sempul?" _she asked. The lines of tanhi all along her body brightened with a flush of emotion.

It was a rare thing to catch Mal'ek off guard, in either combat or conversation, but with this announcement Tanhi managed to do exactly that. He was at a complete loss for words. Multiple thoughts all formed at the same time inside his head, all vying for Mal'ek's attention, and the end result was a jumbled bottleneck of reactions.

Finally, some semblance of order began to form, and Mal'ek began to realize several things at once. The first thing he felt, oddly enough, was a strange sense of sadness. No, sadness was not the right word... No, it was more like a sense of profound change, a sense that things could never go back to the way they were before. There would be no going back to the little girl that he had helped raise. While Mal'ek would only ever admit this to his own mate, he was more than a little intimidated by all of these changes. And Mal'ek was not used to feeling intimidated.

Her father's silence was not exactly the reaction she had been hoping for. _"Sempul?" _Tanhi asked. She reached forward and flicked his nose. _"I would like for you to say something now, please."_

Mal'ek jumped as though startled and rapidly blinked his eyes. Finally he offered Tanhi a small, nervous laugh and admitted, _"I do not know if I will ever be ready to be a grandfather." _He held his arms open for an embrace that Tanhi readily stepped into, and for a moment they simply held each other in loving silence. _"Daughter, I am so happy for you!" _Mal'ek said after a while._ "How great it is that Eywa has blessed you and Kyle with a child. I am thrilled for the both of you."_

_ "My Kyle does not yet know," _Tanhi admitted. Mal'ek leaned back, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes, and Tanhi swiftly spoke up again to head off the impending lecture. _"I will tell him today, as soon as the time is right."_

* * *

Even though they were well away from Hell's Gate, Collins still felt like he had a big target painted on his back. Maybe that was literally the case - he half expected the man beside him to shoot him on the spot for seemingly no reason at all. If Petrov's warning was true - and by all accounts, it certainly seemed to be - then Collins was really not needed for anything right now, least of all flying their chopper.

Below them, the vivid green carpet of the Pandoran jungle streamed by in an uninterrupted flow. Off to their right was the river, the landmark that Collins was using to guide them to the Omaticaya Hometree. Several times a minute Collins would lean forward and scan the sky around them. He really did not want an encounter with any of Pandora's apex aerial predators. That would be a surefire way to make his day go from bad to worse in an instant.

The exchanges with Hell's Gate over the radio had been awkward, and laced with tension. Susan was still serving as the resident air traffic controller, but all of the friendliness and familiarity was gone from her voice. Collins wondered what hardships and consequences she might be experiencing for her decision to side with the Na'vi and the rebellious science department. Hopefully she had been having a better time than he had.

"Where are we going?" The voice over the intercom of the man sitting beside him cut into Collins' thoughts.

"Site 26," Collins lied, painfully aware of the fact that everyone in the chopper could hear their conversation. "In the Hallelujah Mountains."

The man grunted as he reached forward to work the Samson's navigation computer. He compared it with a plot on his data pad and gave Collins an accusing look that seemed to indicate that he knew that they were not traveling in the right direction. But he remained silent about it...for now.

Collins swallowed back against the nervous lump in his throat, and he silently contemplated the presence of the Wasp revolver that he had managed to covertly tuck into his seat's side pocket when no one had been looking.

The trooper beside him never spoke into the radio, but Collins could not help but wonder if he was communicating with Hell's Gate by some other means. He kept glancing down at the data pad, and every now and then he typed something on the glass screen. He kept the device angled away so that Collins had no chance of sneaking a glance at the screen. The two Sec-Ops men wore their own radio sets, but if they spoke both Collins and Barnes would still have been able to hear it over the Samson's intercom. So far they had remained silent.

If someone was speaking to them, Collins reasoned that he would never know. But when the man beside him seemed to subtly freeze and stiffen, Collins had the sick feeling that he knew exactly what was being said, even without hearing it. Adrenaline began to thunder through his veins.

Colonel Barnes was no fool, either. She knew exactly why Major Link had "requested" that these men go with them. The only reason that she had so readily caved to his demands was that she did not want to raise more suspicion than necessary, and to give the impression that she was desperate enough to not be thinking straight. And, quite frankly, she was confident enough that she could handle the situation, anyway.

Sure, she felt like shit. But maybe she did not feel quite as bad as she led everyone to believe... Then again, hopefully one of the people that she was fooling was _not_ herself.

Barnes was staring right at the trooper who was stationed on the port door gun when she saw him faintly tilt his head as though someone were whispering in his ear.

The only warning before a stray round from Colonel Barnes' handgun punched through the clear polycarb bulkhead door, passed straight through the cockpit, and exited through the windshield was a deceptively quiet grunt over the intercom. Both men in the chopper's cockpit flinched and reflexively looked backwards to see what the hell was going on. Collins froze when he felt the cold, hard muzzle of a handgun press into his temple.

"Face forward and fly," was the growled command.

Collins only managed to catch a glimpse of the scuffle that was occurring back in the cargo bay before he did as he was told. The fact that a puny human even seemed to stand a chance against the much larger and stronger avatar was a testament to how bad off Colonel Barnes must have been. Collins had no idea how the fight had started - maybe the door gunner had tried to draw on the Colonel, and had not moved fast enough.

By that first wayward shot, clearly Barnes had not been able to move fast enough, either.

Now the two were locked into some kind of deadly embrace on the cargo bay floor, with neither person able to bring their weapon to bear on the other. Barnes was shocked...and utterly terrified by how weak she felt. It was all she could do to hold the trooper's gun away from her head. The man growled at her, the noise coming over her headset as an unintelligible grunt, as his face reddened from exertion. Barnes had to think of something fast, for she stood a very real chance of losing this contest of strength.

She shifted her position, and with a quick motion that was more a result of her own greater body weight than any real strength, Barnes was able twist the man's arm enough so that she could dislocate his elbow. The move involved a sharp jerk, and with that single action Barnes knew that her strength was all but gone.

Even with the Samson's engines roaring right overhead, she was close enough to hear the joint give with a satisfying _pop. _Behind his exopack, the man's eyes widened in pain as he let out an agonized scream. His gun clattered to the deck and slid up under one of the jump seats.

Barnes reached deep within herself for one last reserve of strength. She wrapped her large, blue fist around the front of his fatigues and heaved him right out of the chopper.

"Freeze, Colonel!" a voice shouted. Barnes glanced forward, her golden eyes narrowed and smoldering with rage. The second Sec-Ops trooper was twisted around in his seat so he could face her, his own gun trained squarely on her forehead. The man frowned. "I really am sorry about this," he said.

I bet you're not, Barnes thought grumpily.

"Hey."

The trooper looked to his left just in time to register the appearance of the Wasp in Collins' grasp. The pilot's stance may have been awkward - he was holding the revolver across his body with his right hand, but from point-blank range he really could not miss. He squeezed the trigger.

Collins grimaced and turned away from the bloody mess that he had just created against the copilot door on the opposite side of the now very dead trooper's head. With a groan, he pushed the dead man away from him until he was recentered back in his seat.

"Thank you," came Barnes' voice after a moment. She was still panting from exertion.

"You might want to finish your man off," Collins commented with forced calm. The smell of blood and gunpowder was still thick inside the cockpit. It made his nose itch and sting. He leaned over and began to flick off the Samson's air handlers - there were already three bullet holes that would need patching, and he did not want to waste the oxygen. Besides, it stinks in here, he thought as he pulled an exopack over his face.

Barnes glanced down, and only now did she notice the door gunner's safety strap. The heavy nylon cord ran outside and was pulled taut against the door sill, indicating that there was still a weight hanging on it beneath the chopper. With a shrug, Barnes unsheathed her avatar knife and severed the cord without a second thought.

"How far from the Omaticaya's Hometree are we?" Barnes asked as she leaned wearily against the back wall. She really wanted to go to sleep right about now...

"Maybe fifteen minutes," Collins replied. He reached for the radio and said, "I should call ahead -"

"No!" Barnes shouted. She had to gasp for breath afterwards. "No... Hell's Gate will be listening. No radio," she wheezed. "Link...doesn't know where we're going."

Collins risked an incredulous glance backwards. "You want to just drop in on the Omaticaya unannounced? And just hope that the both of us aren't shot on sight?" he demanded.

Colonel Barnes' eyes were screwed shut and her chest heaved with deep, seemingly painful breaths. She nodded. "That's...the idea," she said. "Don't want...Sully to...have time to...get ready either. May be better for both of us...that way."

Collins could only shake his head. "You're fucking insane, you know that?" he growled.

Barnes smiled sickly and nodded.

Collins swore again to himself and returned his full attention to flying. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place, he silently groaned.

* * *

When Kyle woke up, he found himself alone. He groaned in sympathetic acknowledgment of his stiff joints as he reached out to feel the material of the hammock beside him. It was cool, with no trace of Tanhi's warmth remaining. Kyle's brow creased with a faint frown - why did it seem like Tanhi was avoiding him?

It took more effort than Kyle would ever care to admit to haul his sorry tail out of the nivi. The anesthesia from the Smaoe thorn had worn off long ago, and now the triplicate wounds in his upper arm throbbed with a dull, steady pain. Hopefully the general soreness that he felt all over would go away once he got moving. The helicopter crash had taken a toll on him, to be sure - he felt like a giant, walking bruise.

After a moment's debate, Kyle decided to head over to where Norm and Amber kept their avatars. It was a new day, and their bodies would need to be turned.

When Kyle laid eyes on his cousin's avatar body, he pushed down a surge of emotion. Norm was safe. He...he just had to be. They'd get through this, one way or another.

Holding onto an overhead branch with his right hand, Kyle leaned out over the hammock and grasped his cousin's limp avatar. A bolt of pain shot through his left arm when he tried adjusting Norm's position, and Kyle let out a sharp hiss. He gave himself a second to recover before gritting his teeth and reaching out to try again. Come hell or high water, Kyle would make sure that he took care of Norm's and Amber's avatars in their absence.

_"You skxawng, let me help you," _a familiar voice said. Tsaro unceremoniously grasped Kyle by the back of his weapons harness and hauled him back. _"Injuring yourself further benefits no one," _he harumphed as he easily repositioned Norm's avatar.

Kyle felt a flash of irritation that was directed towards his friend, and at first he bristled at the idea of him needing help for even this simple task. But then he gingerly rubbed his bandaged arm, and he found himself agreeing, albeit unwillingly, with Tsaro's assessment. "Thanks," he muttered without really meeting Tsaro's gaze.

Tsaro was never really one to say, "You're welcome," and he simply grunted in response. Tsaro continued to stare at Kyle with an inscrutable expression.

"What?" Kyle demanded, suddenly feeling unreasonably defensive.

Tsaro's head gave a faint, curious tilt. _"I did not say anything," _he replied.

Kyle snorted in exasperation and rolled his eyes, once again feeling a little more irritated at the culture gap than perhaps the situation deserved. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you," Kyle sighed. "I'm still a little wound up." He motioned to his arm and admitted, "I can't even go out and hunt. I don't know what to do right now."

The tiny smirk that flitted across Tsaro's features went unnoticed by Kyle. _He must not know yet. "There is always plenty to do, Kyle," _Tsaro said aloud. _"There are other things that you may do besides hunt that would serve the People. You could assist the cooks, help the weavers or leather workers. Perhaps the weapons makers' work might interest you." _Tsaro frowned thoughtfully before adding in English, "You could also clean my rifle for me."

Tsaro cringed and hissed in irritation when Kyle reached into the water-carry system and gave him a cold splash.

"Have you seen Tanhi?" Kyle asked after he had finished chuckling. "She was gone by the time I woke up."

So Kyle definitely did not know, then. "I only saw her for a short time around breakfast," Tsaro admitted.

Kyle's brow creased in thought. "She's been acting weird ever since we got back to Hometree. She won't talk to me about it," he admitted. He gave Tsaro a helpless shrug. "Do you have any idea what's bothering her?"

Tsaro should have seen that question coming, and Kyle gave him a funny look when he stuttered out a negative answer. For better or worse, Tsaro was saved from further questioning when both men took notice of a quiet, but still distinctive, noise at the same time; they both froze, their ears rotating slightly to track the sound.

A helicopter was approaching.

Tsaro's eyes widened in alarm. _"Is that...?" _he began, lapsing back into Na'vi.

"Yes, it is," Kyle growled. Both of them turned and practically sprinted towards the nearest spiral.

The sounds of the approaching chopper began to grow steadily louder, and for a minute Kyle thought it might actually try to land right outside of Hometree. Then the sound began to lessen again, and from its direction Kyle surmised that it must be heading towards the standard meadow landing zone. Kyle racked his brain for some kind of explanation - could this be an attack? If so, it seemed poorly conceived. Could someone have somehow escaped from Hell's Gate? Maybe Norm had managed to get out. But then Kyle had to reassess that particular thought - what good would it do for a human to be out here?

Most of the Na'vi had taken note of the alien sound as well. It was a little bizarre to see nearly each and every Na'vi go quiet, stop what they were doing, and all turn to face the same direction. The Omaticaya's expressions ranged from puzzled to fearful to angry. Everyone knew what that noise entailed.

Kyle's eyes landed on Tanhi, who was standing next to Mal'ek. She turned to face him with wide, concerned eyes when he called her name.

"Where's Jake?" Kyle asked them when he and Tsaro had jogged closer.

Mal'ek was staring out into the forest, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. _"He has not come down yet," _he replied. None of the Omaticaya begrudged their leader his desire to spend time alone with his mate.

"I'm right here," Jake suddenly interjected as he approached from behind them with Neytiri. Both of them were armed with bows and arrows.

Mal'ek straightened noticeably at Jake's appearance. _"What are your orders, Olo'eyktan?" _he asked.

_"Organize the hunters between Kelutral and the meadow," _Jake quickly replied. _"Kill anyone that approaches that you do not recognize. Tsaro and I will scout ahead to see who exactly has paid us a visit. The location of our home may not be a secret to our enemies, but so far their behavior does not seem threatening." _He paused, and his gaze hardened. _"But take no risks," _he added. Jake turned to look back at Neytiri, and the question was clear in his expression: Do I have to tell you to stay here?

_"Be careful, my Jake," _Neytiri told her mate. Her eyes flashed with determination as she renewed her grip on her bow. Though it disappointed her, she knew that it was not reasonable to expect to go with Jake. But even if she had to remain behind, that did not mean that she needed to be helpless.

_"It is only one kunsìp," _Jake reassured._ "I just want to know who is here, and why."_

Kyle frowned. "What about me?" he asked. He ignored the glare that Mal'ek shot his way.

"You can't shoot a bow, Kyle," Jake stated. "You need to stay here."

Kyle's ears flattened back. "I can shoot a gun. I'm more helpful out there, with you guys. Come on, Jake!"

Jake frowned as he regarded Kyle. "Fine." He jerked his head in the direction of the storage alcoves where their small arsenal of custom weaponry had been safely stored. "Grab a rifle and a magazine with the Whisper rounds. Hurry!"

"Kyle!" Tanhi shouted, but Kyle was already dashing away.

"I love you!" he replied back over his shoulder. "Be right back, I promise!"

* * *

"Why are we landing here?" Barnes demanded from the back of the chopper.

Collins bit his lip to squelch his first response. "Because I don't want to be turned into a pincushion," he replied instead. His fly-by past Hometree's perimeter had been gut-wrenching enough. He half-expected to be skewered by some arrow fired from an angry banshee rider. Collins did not think he would be able to force himself to defend against any aerial attacks by the Na'vi. "I'm about done with taking huge risks for you today, thank you very much."

They flared for a gentle landing at the familiar meadow, and Collins reached up to throttle the engines back. He kept one eye on the forest at all times as he raced through his shutdown procedures. The sound of the engines faded and was replaced by a steady _whump-whump-whump_ as the rotors began to slow down.

"Alright, we're here," Collins said unnecessarily in a morose tone of voice. "Let's see how we're received."

"How will they know -" Barnes began to ask.

"They know! Trust me, they know," Collins snapped. His patience was all but gone by this point in time. "Now out!" To further drive home his point Collins unbelted himself with an angry flourish and shoved open the cockpit door. He stepped out himself and took a half-dozen measured steps away from the Samson. Tall, Pandoran trees towered overhead and the sounds of the jungle began to reappear now that the helicopter was quiet. Collins felt very exposed and vulnerable; his stomach was screwing itself up into a nervous knot.

Collins prayed to God that whoever Jake sent out to investigate would recognize him as a friend.

A glance back behind him showed that Barnes was carefully unfolding herself from the Samson's cargo bay. She moved stiffly, and her expression was one of great concentration, as if each motion required intense planning. Collins wondered how much time she had left - she barely seemed capable of standing up on her own, and she kept one hand against the side of the chopper to help maintain her balance.

"Get rid of the gun," Collins hissed in a low voice when he noticed the Colonel's weapon was still holstered against her hip.

Barnes did not reply aloud, but the expression she shot his way was not just "No," but "Hell no."

"Do you realize that the remainder of both of our lives could be measured in minutes, if not seconds?" he said in an exasperated tone of voice. His own Wasp revolver was well out of reach, having been left on his seat.

With a disagreeing growl, Colonel Barnes unshipped her sidearm and set it down inside the Samson.

Time seemed to crawl by. Collins was starting to sweat, and not just from the heat and humidity. The Na'vi knew they were here - he was certain of it. But it did seem odd that no one had intercepted them yet. Collins would have thought that the meadow would have been swarmed with bow-and-arrow-wielding warriors the instant that they had touched down. Nothing like that happened - it was as if they were being ignored, or had been dismissed.

Collins debated trying to reach Jake on his radio, but objection after objection rose up to disagree. What if Hell's Gate was listening? Would Jake believe what he had to say? Heck, was Jake's radio even turned on?

The skin at the back of Collins' neck prickled in warning and despite the warm temperature Collins felt a chill race down his spine. Those last few "bird" calls had not sounded right to him. The way they seemed to bounce around the perimeter of the meadow, the way they seemed to come from just out of sight, felt wrong to him somehow.

Any meager knowledge of the Na'vi language that Collins might have possessed fled him in that moment. He wanted to shout out something, _anything, _to try to express that he was not a threat. But all he could get to come out was a rather terrified, unbecoming groan that he hoped no one would notice.

Even though he had an idea of what to expect, Collins visibly started when he finally noticed the lone Na'vi that had detached himself from the cover of the forest. Familiar though he was with their ways, it was still incredibly unnerving how a ten-foot-tall giant could move about in utter silence, and his blue-striped skin camouflaged him well against the clutter of the surrounding forest. Collins did not know whether he should be alarmed or comforted by the fact that the native wielded not a bow and arrow, but one of the custom-made bullpup rifles.

After his initial scare Collins froze, as if to prove the sincerity of his harmlessness by not moving a muscle. He frantically racked his brain for some kind of memory, or a name... At first the Na'vi looked completely unfamiliar, and Collins desperately hoped that maybe they could at least gain an audience with Jake so that they could plead their case.

Then, beneath the cuts, the bruises, and the fiercely-styled mohawk, Collins finally recognized Kyle Fischer. Or at least, that was who he thought the Na'vi was... "Kyle?" he croaked. His voice had gone unexpectedly hoarse.

The Na'vi's ears twitched at the name, and the man's hard eyes settled down on Collins. "Are you under duress?" he asked in perfect, unaccented English.

Collins slumped with relief. "No," he said at first. "Well, I didn't really have a choice, I guess...," he amended after a moment. "Look, I'm sorry for barging right in and -"

"Don't worry about it," Kyle replied.

Collins shrugged. "You look like hell," he commented after a moment.

One corner of Kyle's mouth turned up with a quick grin. "Rough landing. I totaled the Samson you gave me. Sorry."

Collins turned up his palms and offered another shrug. "It was for a good cause, I hear," he excused.

Colonel Barnes hobbled around to the front of the Samson, her tail flailing weakly behind her in an effort to help maintain her balance; she was still leaning much of her weight against the chopper. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed Kyle. "So you're the one who got away," she observed after a brief examination.

Kyle bared his teeth in what was perhaps a smile. "Twice," he noted. The maybe-smile turned into an outright sneer. "Why are you here?" Kyle demanded. "No, scratch that: Why aren't you dead?" This time it was Barnes' turn to smirk. She simply tilted her head and raised an eyebrow in question. "I saw you slump to the ground. Jake saw where that grenade detonated. It wasn't difficult to put two and two together."

"Disappointed?" Barnes quipped.

"Maybe a little," Kyle shot back.

Barnes grunted noncommittally. "I want to talk to Sully," she demanded with as much dignity as she could muster.

Kyle sneered again and shook his head. "What you want isn't worth shit. Jake's not here, he's got more important things to do. You can talk to me instead. Convince me not to put you down for good."

Barnes' eyes narrowed with a suspicion that almost made Kyle squirm. "I don't think that Sully would have sent some flunkie out to investigate an enemy landing, so close to what is so clearly near and dear to his heart," Barnes said. "I think you're lying."

Kyle gritted his teeth against a flash of anger and tilted his chin up in defiance. The muzzle of his rifle rose fractionally as well. "You're doing a terrible job of convincing me of your good intentions," he growled.

Though she tried not to show it, Barnes was painfully aware of some kind of ominous clock ticking in the back of her head. Her time was winding down, and the numbers on the proverbial clock seemed to spin faster with every passing second. "I'm not here to fight," Barnes said. She tried to keep any hints of her growing desperation out of her voice. She _hated_ feeling desperate. "I'm here on my own, to seek asylum."

Kyle kept his eyes on Barnes, even though he really wanted to look off to his right to where Jake was concealed and ask, _what the fuck do you want me to do, now?_ Jake had sent him out here, first, to feel the situation out. Along with Tsaro, Jake was hidden just out of sight with an arrow drawn and poised to end the Colonel's life in a second if she made any kind of threatening move.

But now, Jake was more than a little certain she was not a threat - at least, not immediately. Collins had made the right choice in having Barnes ditch her gun - he never would have sent Kyle out into the open if the avatar soldier had still been armed. Colonel Barnes would probably have been shot before she ever got the chance to talk, had she still been in possession of her weapon. And if what she was saying was indeed true... Then again, why would she come out here all alone and lie to him about it? That would be a pretty big risk.

Maybe not completely alone - the body in the Samson's cockpit along with the bloody starburst against the window had not escaped Jake's observation. That little skirmish told him a great deal about the situation, in fact.

"You were keeping Jake prisoner. You were going to execute him for treason," Kyle objected. "And now you have the balls to ask for help from him?" Kyle all but spat on the ground in disdain.

A flash of anger coursed through Barnes' veins and gave her strength. She pushed away from the Samson and took one shaky step closer to Kyle, her fists clenching at her sides. "I was following orders! Even though I didn't _like_ them, or even though I thought they were _stupid._ That's not too foreign a concept to you, Fischer, is it? I wouldn't be a very good soldier if I didn't do as I was told, now would I?" Barnes took another step. "It's the nature of the game!" If Sully is half the soldier I think he is, then he'll get that, Barnes silently added.

Kyle was not so sold on the idea, though. "You think this is a game?" he hissed. "So what, now you're switching sides mid-play? People like you and yours have only caused death and destruction for the Na'vi. I wouldn't count on help, now. I think we're a little far past that."

"Enough," a new voice commanded.

Jake Sully slid out from the cover of the forest. The arrow in his bow was not strung back, but Jake could still let it fly if need be in a split-second. He moved in that odd half-crouch that was utterly silent, despite his large bulk. Jake was all hunter now, cool and calculating; he approached Barnes warily, like she was a wounded animal. That assessment was not far off the mark, as circumstances would have it. The Colonel's sickly countenance was not lost on Jake.

"Jake, she's selling snake oil here," Kyle began. "We shouldn't trust -"

"Safe your weapon," Jake cut in. Kyle's eyes widened fractionally in objection, and his ears flattened back. Jake snapped another command, this time in Na'vi, and Kyle finally complied. The Olo'eyktan turned to face Barnes. "You have violated the privacy and security of my home. You say you want asylum. What's changed between now and when we spoke last?" When Jake smirked one of his fangs flashed for a brief second. "What has you so...scared, Colonel?"

Jake had seen it in her eyes, in her posture. He had heard it in her voice, even though she tried to hide it. Thus, acting as the hunter that he so effectively was, he aimed straight for that weakness. Barnes' ears flattened back against her head, and she sucked in a great, steadying breath. "I already told you, I'm asking for asylum -" she began.

Jake interrupted. "Haven. Shelter. Retreat. Political refuge from the oppression of your own political state." Another brief, humorless grin flitted across Jake's face. "I get that part. What I don't get, however, is _why?" _Jake unshipped his arrow and resumed holding it parallel with his bow. He spread his arms in an exaggeratedly perplexed gesture. "And I'm also a little...insulted, that you don't trust me enough to come and plead your case in your own body. That's really rude, Colonel." Jake's voice was dripping with sarcasm, and his eyes glinted with ironic mirth. "Oh! Unless you can't... Hmm, pity."

Movement at the very corner of her vision caught Barnes' attention. A third Na'vi warrior was slinking through the brush at the edge of the clearing, moving cat-like into a flanking position. This one held his bow at the ready, with an arrow knocked and drawn back. His fierce, golden eyes did not waver away from Barnes' own gaze when she finally noticed him. Out of habit and instinct, Barnes' eyes flitted back to her pistol. Had it been in her holster and had she been at full strength, Barnes had no doubt that she could draw and shoot before the native would be able to react, if the need were to arise. Yes, she really was that fast, and that good - but not that it mattered anymore, though.

Samantha Barnes could feel her resolve crumbling, along with her strength. That clock was rapidly approaching zero. "Then shoot me now, Sully," she said dejectedly. Samantha drew in a shaky breath and closed her eyes. "I can only ask, with respect, that you make it quick. If you don't kill me, then the RDA will. Everything I've done for them doesn't matter. Why am I here? Because I still want to live, believe it or not. Yes, I'm desperate. But if even this is beyond me, then I want to leave this life with honor. I hope you could at least grant me that much. From one soldier to another."

Jake cocked his head to the side as he regarded Colonel Barnes with clinical curiosity. One part of him was justifiably angry at the woman for keeping him prisoner, away from his clan and his family, with seemingly every intent to have him executed. Maybe he should just shoot her, right now, on the spot.

But somehow, that action did not quite add up in Jake's mind...

A wry smile tugged at the corner of Samantha Barnes' lips. The clock had finally run out, and she dropped to her knees as her flagging strength was exhausted "Come on, Sully," she managed to wheeze. "I don't have all day." And then she slumped gracelessly over on her side, unconscious, a faint grin still on her lips.

Across the clearing Tsaro frowned and loosened his grip on his bowstring.

Kyle and Jake exchanged a look that was equal parts worried and puzzled. "Now what?" Kyle muttered.

Jake crept up to Barnes' prone body and gently tested her throat for a pulse with his left hand. His right hand rested on the hilt of the knife that was scabbarded against his chest, just in case. The thumping of Colonel Barnes' heart was erratic and faint, and her breaths were coming in barely-perceptible pants and wheezes. Jake frowned.

"She was using the same link bed that Kyle used to transfer into his avatar," Collins said, speaking up for the first time since the awkward standoff had begun. "It was actually Dr. Patel's suggestion for her to come to you for help...," he volunteered. "Major Link and Dr. Dryers were gonna have her cut up, just like you. Or Kyle, for that matter, if they could catch either one of you. It's sure as hell not my place to tell you how to handle this, but I for one would much rather have Colonel Barnes around than that sadistic bastard, Link." Collins nervously licked his lips before swallowing against the newly-formed lump in his throat. "If I fly back alone...I think they'll kill me." He shrugged helplessly. "Just saying..."

"Goddamnit," Jake muttered, mostly to himself. He looked up at Collins and demanded, "No one else flew in with you? It's just you and Barnes, correct?"

Collins smirked. "Yeah, just us two," he confirmed. He jerked his head towards the chopper and added, "We offed the two dipshits that Link sent with us."

Jake nodded. "Fine," he said before he scooped up Samantha Barnes' limp body in his arms.

"What the hell are you doing, Jake?" Kyle demanded with an incredulous expression.

"Hopefully the right thing," Jake grunted. For all involved. "Collins, you're coming with us. Kyle and Tsaro, keep a close eye on him. I don't know how this will all be received."

Tsaro regarded Jake with a calm expression. _"You are Olo'eyktan," _he said simply. _"That will be enough."_

Jake chuckled wryly and nodded his thanks. Tell that to my mate, he silently groaned.

* * *

Some of the hunters that were protecting Kelutral took note of the odd group that was approaching Kelutral and had taken the liberty to travel ahead and inform Mal'ek. Thus, the Omaticaya were already abuzz with curiosity when Jake, Kyle, and Tsaro came out of the forest with a Tawtute soldier and an unconscious uniltìranyu. More than a few of the Na'vi let out victorious yips and howls, as if they had won some kind of small victory.

Mal'ek roughly pushed through the growing crowd, with Tanhi following close behind in her father's wake. He stared, slack-jawed for a moment, when he caught sight of precisely who Jake was bearing in his arms. _"Olo'eyktan, what in Eywa's name do you think you are doing?" _he blurted. _"Have you gone mad?"_

Moat and Neytiri trailed along behind Mal'ek, the crowd of Na'vi easily parting around them, and Jake sighed in relief. _"Tsahìk, please," _he began. _"This woman's spirit is in danger of fleeing her body. Her Tawtute body is no more - I saw it die myself. We need to do what we can to save her."_

_ "My Jake...," _Neytiri said with a frown as she stared at her mate's strange burden. _"Who is this?"_

For the moment Jake ignored the question. Moat's expression was unreadable as she gave Barnes a cursory examination. _"What do you hope to gain by doing this, my son?" _she asked as she pinned Jake with one of those intense gazes as only Moat could do.

Jake swallowed. _"Leverage over our enemies," _he answered. _"Perhaps an ally. Please, Moat - can this be done?"_

_ "Jake. Who is this woman?" _Neytiri asked again. There was no mistaking the militaristic nature of the avatar's clothing. She stared intently at her mate as she awaited his answer.

_"She is the Tawtute Tsam'eyktan, my Love," _Jake replied. He watched Neytiri as curiosity turned into realization, and then anger, all within the span of mere seconds. "Neytiri, trust me. Can you do that for me? Please?" Jake pleaded.

Neytiri's lips compressed into a tight line and she squared her shoulders in an unmistakably defiant posture. A dangerous rage danced like firelight in Neytiri's eyes. _"Fine," _she spat after a moment.

_"I will need your help in tending to her, my 'ite, much as I did when we helped Kylefischer," _Moat murmured. _"This is task of a Tsahìk." _

A sudden commotion interrupted Neytiri's righteous anger. Several Na'vi voices, and a single human one, shouted out in alarm. Jake craned his neck back to find that a very pissed-off-looking Kyle had pressed Collins tightly against his leg in order to shield him. The situation would have looked quite humorous had Collins not been so obviously terrified. Tsaro stood in front of both of them, ears flattened with aggression as he faced off against one of the other Omaticayan hunters, who apparently seemed to object to the human's presence here in their home.

"Hey!" Jake bellowed, temporarily freezing everyone within earshot.

_"I will see to this," _Mal'ek growled as he pushed past Jake. The verbal assault that Mal'ek proceeded to unleash on the poor, misguided hunter was enough to make everyone rethink any negative opinions that they might have regarding the human pilot. _"You blind idiot!" _Mal'ek finished. _"Can you not recognize someone who has proven time and time again to be our friend? Your sight needs to be checked!"_

The near-altercation quickly sobered the crowd. "_Bring this woman to my alcove," _Moat commanded. _"We must move quickly if we are to save her. Time is not on our side. Neytiri, do you know what medicines are to be gathered?" _ Moat shot a pointed look at her daughter.

_"I remember," _she all but snarled. She shot Jake a glare that clearly conveyed her displeasure before turning and waddling off with as much dignity as her pregnancy could grant her.

To Tanhi, Moat said, _"We need your help also, as a healer. This woman's body has been sickened because of the poor state of her spirit. Your skills are required as well, if we are to save her."_

Tanhi nodded numbly. She recognized Barnes from that brief but terrifying time back in the avatar cabin, when the RDA had retaken Hell's Gate. It was no stretch at all for her to understand Neytiri's displeasure about this. _"Yes, Tsahìk," _she replied. Her eyes sought out her mate - she had not received a chance to so much as speak to him since he got back.

Kyle only offered her a terse nod in recognition. He was still alert and tense as he scanned warily around him for anyone that might have somehow missed Mal'ek's statement that Collins was friend, not foe.

"Kä, 'ärìp!" Moat snapped, shooing everyone into motion. _Go, move! _Standing around would get nothing done, and there was indeed much to do.


	41. Chapter 41

**Still here! Still writing at the speed of...life, I suppose. A big thank you to my beta reader for turning around the last edit within hours, even though I know it was at a late hour of the day on his side of the world. Thank you! :-)**

Chapter 41

Samantha Barnes was whisked away into Moat's alcove. Jake was told in no uncertain terms not to interfere - if Moat needed anything from him, she would let him know. Until then, it would be decidedly for the best if Jake simply stayed out of the way.

_"We will try our best," _Moat told him. _"But her fate truly rests with Eywa, now."_

Mal'ek had temporarily taken on Jake's Olo'eyktan duties, ostensibly so that Jake would be better able to focus on the current "predicament" that Colonel Barnes' defection now left all of them in. Unfortunately, there was really nothing that Jake could do except pace about outside the Tsahìk's alcove and wait until Moat had finished attending to the Colonel.

"Any word yet?"

The unexpected inquiry, in English no less, startled Jake. He turned to find Kyle, who was leaning up against a column with his arms folded over his chest. Jake shrugged. "Not really, not yet. Tanhi is tending to her physical body... Moat and Neytiri are working to prepare the draught that will tend to her spirit. Hopefully..."

Kyle closed his eyes as a thoughtful expression smoothed over his features for a moment. "How does that work, Jake?" he asked before nodding in the direction of the alcove.

Jake took a moment to form his thoughts before he responded. "What, with her?" he asked. He waited a moment, then added, "Or with you?"

Kyle's eyes snapped open. He did not appear angry, only perhaps surprised that his real motives had been discovered so quickly. He chuckled nervously and looked away. "Was I that obvious?" he asked with an embarrassed smile as he studied the ground in front of his toes.

"Well, maybe I'm just not as blind as Neytiri sometimes says I am," Jake said with fond, self-effacing chuckle of his own. His expression sobered. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how it all works. I'm not sure how...Eywa...let me switch bodies at the Well of Souls. I'm not sure how you were able to switch forms like that back then, or like Barnes apparently has now. I'm sure Max could talk about the scientific angle and all, but even he would admit that there's just something...more going on. I can't put it into words."

Jake shuddered slightly. He had only ever shared his experience of passing through the Eye of Eywa with Neytiri. Even then, it had not been all at once - it had been a halting, drawn-out process for Neytiri to coax the details of that experience out of her mate.

Jake heard Kyle sigh, and he glanced back up to find that the young man was now staring with faintly narrowed eyes towards the Tsahìk's alcove. It would appear that Kyle had already shifted gears, and that his attention was now back on the crisis at hand.

"So I'm pretty sure I know why _I_ don't like her...but what's got you all worked up?" Jake asked. The memory of having to intervene before Barnes and Kyle's conversation could get any more vicious was still fresh in his mind.

Kyle's golden eyes flashed with anger for a split-second. "I guess I hold her responsible for all that's happened here so far. For ruining the good thing that we have going here." Kyle suppressed a wince, but his tail still took two measured flicks behind him. "And I won't ever forget the fear that I felt when I covered Tanhi's body with my own. I don't appreciate having my family threatened like that." He locked eyes with Jake and tilted his chin fractionally upwards, as though daring Jake to disagree.

Jake held up his hands and shook his head. "I can sympathize with that, Kyle, trust me," he soothed. "What I need to know is if you can handle the Colonel's presence here. If not, I'll remove you from the situation. No hard feelings."

Kyle glared at Jake for a moment before he forced himself to take a calming breath. Jake was not just a friend, but clan leader as well. "I don't have much of a choice in the matter, do I?" he grumbled.

"No, not really," Jake replied with a candid smirk. "But I am trying to work on my wording. You know, to help soften the blow."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "I'll do what needs to be done, Jake," he said. "You can depend on me. But I still don't trust her."

"That's fine, Kyle," the Olo'eyktan said. "I'm glad that you don't trust her. Healthy suspicion is a good thing. I value that in you."

The response mollified Kyle's feelings on the matter, at least somewhat. "How do we proceed from here?" Kyle asked.

That is indeed the question of the hour, Jake thought. "Unfortunately, we don't really proceed anywhere until Moat can tell if Barnes is going to make it or not. I need to talk with her, need to get a handle on what all is happening back at Hell's Gate. If what she said is true...that the RDA wants her dead just like they do us, then maybe we can...work with that."

Jake could practically feel Kyle bristle at that suggestion, even across the physical distance that separated them.

"I know you're worried for Norm," Jake said in a gentle voice. "Believe me, Kyle, I am, too. Norm is one of my best friends. I haven't forgotten about him." Kyle seemed to deflate upon hearing this, and he glanced down at the ground again. "I can't help but look at the situation from a tactical standpoint, though. It's who I am. And right now, we've got nothing on Hell's Gate. We're at a stalemate. And if Barnes can help break that stalemate, well, I think I can live with that."

Kyle nodded in agreement. He could definitely live with that, too, if that is what it took to keep his cousin safe.

"When they are all finished tending to Colonel Barnes, I would like for you to watch over her until she wakes back up," Jake declared.

Kyle gave him a quick, surprised look. "Why me?" he asked.

Jake grinned ruefully back in response. "Because you don't trust her," he responded. "And because I trust you. Also, because you and I will be able to communicate with her the easiest. Well, so could Collins, but I wouldn't ask him to do that. Kefyak?"

The Na'vi word slipped easily into Jake's speech. Not that it bothered Kyle at all, of course. "Yeah, I got it," Kyle agreed. "You can count on me. Speaking of Collins, I'd better go check on him..."

Jake nodded. "How is he doing? I'm sorry that Kamun snapped at him like that."

"He's doing fine, although I don't blame him for being nervous, what with being the midget in a land full of giants and all." Kyle chuckled and shook his head. "Kel'rey and his parents are helping to look after him."

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he said, surprised.

"It was actually Va'ru's idea," Kyle said. "He thought that it would be helpful for Collins to be with someone his own size, and who can speak English. And that it would be helpful for any Omaticaya with doubts about Collins to see him interacting with one of the younglings."

That's an incredibly wise and perceptive idea, Jake thought. He made a mental note to thank Va'ru and Sänume profusely for their kindness when he got the chance.

* * *

Collins found that his anxiety was slowly being drowned out in the never-ending deluge of conversation that was currently coming from Kel'rey. Damn, that kid could talk a mile-a-minute! Collins secretly wondered if the young Na'vi even paused to breathe between sentences. Kel'rey was leading Collins on a tour of Kelutral, and since the human pilot had seemed reluctant to engage in conversation, at least initially, Kel'rey saw no reason not to fill the void himself. Nearly all of the Na'vi who observed the odd pair could not help but grin covertly at the one-sided conversation, and at the human's somewhat ragged expression.

"And this is where my sempu works!" Kel'rey carried on. They were where the leather workers had set up shop. Even through his exopack, Collins could catch whiffs every now and then of some of the powerful tanning solutions that the Na'vi used to treat the animal hides. "My sempu is the best! No one works the, ah...skin as good as he!" Kel'rey struggled for a second to get his point across.

"Leather?" Collins ventured without really thinking about it. "I think the word you're looking for is 'leather.'"

Kel'rey rounded on Collins, his eyes wide with surprise as if he had forgotten that the Sky Person could talk. "Oh! But I thought this called 'skin,'" Kel'rey said. He held out a limb in demonstration, right in front of Collins' face, and pulled comically at the blue hide of his forearm for emphasis.

Collins was torn between feeling regretful that he had even spoken up and amused at the new track of the conversation. "Sure," Collins reached out and lightly pinched Kel'rey on the arm, making the youngster laugh. "While it's still on you, it's called 'skin.' But when it's off the animal like this and has been worked on, it's called 'leather.' See the difference?"

Kel'rey wore an expression of grave concentration before he nodded solemnly. "Hey, you want to play frisbee?" Kel'rey suddenly asked, changing the course of the conversation as easily as a leaf carried by the breeze.

"I do not think that would be for the best," a woman's voice interjected. Sänume appeared beside them, and she crouched down on the balls of her feet so that she would not seem so tall. She had never been far away from her son and the good Tawtute who had been forced to seek shelter in their midst. Her amber eyes shined warmly as she observed the hesitant expression on the Sky Person's face at the mention of the frisbee. "You must remember that Thomcollins is not as strong as a big Na'vi like you are, 'itan," she gently scolded.

"Definitely," Collins muttered in agreement, frantically grasping for the proverbial olive branch that Sänume had offered him.

Kel'rey looked crushed. "When you are bigger, then?" he asked hopefully, his ears and tail perking up dramatically at the thought.

Collins could not help but laugh. "Sorry dude, but this is as big as I get," Collins replied, spreading his arms out apologetically. "Tell you what, though. If your mom's okay with it, I'll let you play some games on my data pad. As soon as I can get it out of the chopper, that is."

Sänume smiled and nodded. "I have no objection," she said.

"Hey, there you are!" came Kyle's voice as he trotted up to them. "Everything going okay?" he asked. Kyle's eyes darted over to Sänume, even as he smiled warmly when Kel'rey launched into his detailed report of everything that he had shown Collins.

Sänume gave him a subtle nod in response.

"Great," Kyle said once he could interject a word in edge-wise around Kel'rey's speech. "Hey, are you hungry, Collins? We can probably rustle up something for you to eat around here."

Collins nodded sheepishly. He had not had a chance to so much as eat a real breakfast before he left Hell's Gate.

The capability for the pilot to take care of himself had already been the subject of a short but tense conversation between Collins, Jake, and Kyle. There were emergency rations in the Samson for perhaps a week, along with spare exopacks and filters to go along with them. Collins could use the chopper itself as a temporary Earth-aired retreat. At least, once he had duct-taped the bullet holes in the glass. But all of this was only a short-term solution, and everyone knew it. Any natural food that Collins could substitute would be of great help to him.

"Come on, then," Kyle motioned to Collins and Kel'rey. "Let's go see if we can teach Kel'rey what kind of foods a Tawtute can eat."

* * *

Eating. One of the few nonnegotiable facts of nature that would draw Norm and Amber out of the privacy of their room and into the more public places of Hell's Gate. While the RDA's rule had been amazingly benign thus far - Norm now wondered how much of that was due to Colonel Barnes' considerable influence - now there was a sense of considerable hostility lurking just beneath the surface.

Jake's rescue certainly had a lot to do with it. Suspicious rumors were flitting about all over the place about how the Na'vi could have obtained human technology...and use it with such effectiveness. More than a few of the Sec-Ops people were chomping at the bit for a taste of revenge, an urge that was tempered only by their own limited resources and abilities.

Otherwise, they would gladly have embarked on a smurf hunt.

People like Corporal Lovell and the other Sec-Ops troopers from the _Enterprise Star_ who had "renewed allegiances" with the RDA were generally being treated well. Those who had stayed behind after the RDA had been first kicked off of Pandora, people like Thom Collins, had not been treated kindly at all. Even those people who were supposedly neutral on the whole matter, men and women like Serina Rowley and Miles Kennedy, were starting to see opinions towards them shift towards the negative.

How perfectly ironic that their best chances of a positive resolution now rested with the woman who had formerly led the operation against their cause. However, Norm harbored an understandable fear that things would blow up here at Hell's Gate before Jake and the rest of the Na'vi could figure out a way to rescue them.

"How do you do it?" Amber asked as Norm and she walked down the hallway together towards the cafeteria. It was well after noon, hopefully past the main lunch rush.

Norm blinked rapidly as his thoughts were interrupted. "Do what?" he asked after a second.

"Act so calm," Amber explained. She shivered, and not because she was cold. "I can't stand waiting. I can't stand not knowing what will happen."

Norm could only shrug and smile grimly. "I guess I'm just trying not to let what I can't control get to me, is all," he said.

Amber shot him a sour look. That was much easier said than done, thank you very much.

The cafeteria's entrance was just up the hall, and Norm thought that they were in the clear. Apparently this jinxed them, for that moment four off-duty RDA staff stepped out of the lunchroom and turned down the hall towards them, laughing and chatting amongst themselves. Beside him, Norm felt Amber tense. "What is it?" he whispered.

Amber nodded down the hall. "That guy on the left. He was there when I got caught finding out Jake's location," she hissed back in a low voice.

Norm frowned. "I thought Corporal Lovell covered for you?" he responded.

"He did...but that doesn't mean those guys weren't suspicious of me," Amber said. Ever since the rescue Amber had gone to great lengths to keep a low profile.

"Just...act casual," Norm advised. Great. Brilliant idea, Einstein, Norm silently cringed.

Even though Norm and Amber were both trying to act as casual as humanly possible, the man in question still noticed them. His eyes lit up with recognition, along with something maybe a little more sinister, and he gave a nod of greeting.

Norm dipped his head in response, and he squeezed Amber's hand reassuringly. "Good afternoon," he murmured as he made to step by the group.

"Good afternoon," came the guarded reply. Then, "Hey hold on a sec..." The Sec-Ops trooper sidestepped in front of Norm, halting his progress. "You know, I was wondering something, and maybe you guys can help me out. You know, seeing as how you're such good friends with the blue monkeys and all."

That did it. Norm would rather starve than have to deal with this, and he did not have to ask to know that Amber felt the same way. "Hey, I don't want any trouble," Norm said meekly as he took a step back. A quick glance at the other three men revealed expressions ranging from curious to marginally hostile.

"I don't want any trouble, either," the man said with amazing sincerity. Norm wondered just how quickly the man's attitude could take a turn for the worst. "I just can't shake the feeling that we haven't been told everything that's going on here."

Norm shrugged helplessly. "What's to know? The RDA sees only what it wants to. You don't have to ask me. You know what side I'm on."

"Yeah, that's something I do know for sure," came the sneered response. "You see, I just want to know why some of my friends had to die the other day."

Amber was terrified. It was like being back at Hometree when the palulukan had attacked the Na'vi. She was nearly overwhelmed by sense of facing off against a dangerous, unpredictable force. "Norm, come on, let's just head back. We don't need to be here, now," she pleaded in a low voice.

Amber's voice drew the man's attention to her. "And that reminds me," he said, his eyes narrowing with distrust. "It certainly seems odd that the Na'vi knew exactly where to find Sully. It was like they knew ahead of time... I think you told them something."

This was rapidly getting out of hand. Norm felt himself tensing as his fight-or-flight response instinct began to bubble up from within him. "I haven't left Hell's Gate!" Amber objected. "How could I have told the Na'vi anything?"

That was the wrong thing to say. "How about when you linked up?" the man snapped back. In her momentary panic, Amber had forgotten about that little detail. "That'd seem like a great time to me!"

He took a step closer to Amber but found his way blocked by a suddenly very determined looking Dr. Norman Spellman. "Back off," Norm growled.

In the next second Norm found himself shoved back against the wall, a forearm pressed uncomfortably tight against his throat. He caught a glimpse of a fist drawing back, and then Norm closed his eyes. Lunch was so not worth this, some detached part of his mind groaned.

"Hey, break it up!"

The blow never landed home, and Norm allowed one eye to peek back open. Commander Keyes was striding up to them, and Norm never thought that he would have been so relieved to see that woman.

The man kept his angry gaze on Norm, but to the scientist's great relief he felt the pressure against his throat lessen slightly. "How about we try to maintain some semblance of decorum around here, shall we?" Keyes said in a low, angry voice. "Soldier!" she snapped in a loud voice when the trooper did not respond quickly enough, making everyone jump.

"Sorry, ma'am," the man said. His tone was lacking in sincerity, however.

Keyes rounded on Norm and Amber. "Disruptions to our operation here will _not_ be tolerated," she seethed, stepping up into Norm's personal space. "Stay out of the way. Am I clear?"

It was not difficult for Norm to appear angry, even as he read the double-meaning in Tanya Keyes' words. "Yes, _ma'am," _Norm spat sarcastically back. "Terribly sorry."

"Problems, people?" a new voice smoothly asked. Major Elias Link had just stepped out of the cafeteria and was calmly wiping his hands on a napkin. He stared curiously down his aquiline nose at the odd group.

Tanya Keyes stiffened imperceptibly. "No, sir. Not any more. Just making sure that the workgroups' attention is on the right thing, is all."

Major Link nodded sagely. "Thank you, Commander," he said. "It'll be a long year before we get the reinforcements that we need. Distractions cannot be afforded, yes?" His piercing eyes sought out the mercenary who had been about to slug Norm in the face. "Right?" Link asked again as he casually threaded his way through the small crowd.

"Absolutely right, sir," the man said as Link passed by him. Even he now seemed a little nervous.

"Excellent," Link simpered. He turned to look at Norm, who still had his back against the wall and a wary expression on his face. "Commander Keyes is perfectly correct," he said. In a flash Link lashed out, slamming his fist hard into Norm's stomach, pivoting at the waist to add extra force to his blow. "Distractions really are unacceptable."

Norm dropped to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut as seemingly all of the air in his lungs left with a strangled huff. His eyes were wide as he silently struggled for a breath that he could not manage to pull in, and Norm's face was beginning to redden alarmingly due to lack of oxygen. Amber gasped and fell to her knees beside Norm, where she wrapped an arm protectively around his shoulders. She glared up at Major Link, her blue eyes flashing with anger.

Major Link smiled right back.

"Well, now that we're all clear on things," Link commented in a cheery voice. The Sec-Ops troopers snickered under the breath as they began to walk away.

"I'm...okay...," Norm managed to wheeze - each breath still hurt like hell, but at least he was breathing again. Amber helped him slowly back to his feet; she kept Norm's arm around her own shoulders, for without the support she doubted he would be able to stand at all.

Norm hazarded a glance down the hall after the retreating RDA people. To his surprise, Keyes glanced back at the same time. Her pretty features were drawn tight in dismay as she met Norm's gaze. Their eyes locked for a split-second before Tanya looked away again.

* * *

Jake could tell from the position of Alpha Centauri in the sky that it was past noon by the time Moat, Neytiri, and Tanhi had finished. Moat proceeded to render her news once Tanhi had politely dismissed herself. _"She will live, my son," _she told Jake. _"She sleeps now. The All of her is tired, and needs rest," _Moat said, using the Na'vi word that referred to the whole person; body, soul, and spirit. Moat glanced over at Neytiri, and the pointed expression that her daughter was giving Jake was not lost on her. _"Now we must discuss how we will proceed from here."_

_ "Of course, Tsahìk," _Jake replied as he held Neytiri's gaze.

The three Na'vi retreated to a secluded chamber on the other side of Kelutral from Moat's alcove. _"Before we begin, can I get anything for the two of you to eat?" _Jake asked. _"I would not be surprised to learn that you are hungry after your hard work."_

Moat politely declined, while Neytiri almost looked angrier after Jake had asked this. Her glare clearly conveyed, _you will not butter me up that easily! _Jake simply sighed and shrugged dejectedly.

_"Tell us, Olo'eyktan, what value you see in this woman," _Moat began without preamble once everyone was comfortable. _"What do the Omaticaya gain in saving this Tawtute who is trapped in a Na'vi body?"_

_ "Indeed, Olo'eyktan, what is the purpose of saving the one who only yesterday would have gladly had you killed?" _Neytiri asked in a low, near-seething voice.

Jake's ears rocked back and he fought down the feeling that he was being ganged up on. _"Because if there is any help that she can offer the People, anything that she could do to drive the evil Tawtute home, I would accept it," _Jake replied.

Neytiri muttered darkly under her breath at this. Moat replied, _"Is this a wise decision, Olo'eyktan? How do we know if we can trust this...Colonel Barnes?" _Moat asked. _"There are many among the Omaticaya who would rather pet the palulukan than believe that this woman would side with the People."_

Jake nodded in agreement. _"This is true, Tsahìk," _Jake acknowledged. _"Until we can talk to her, we can only guess what her intentions are."_

_ "How do you know that she is not here to spy on us?" _Neytiri asked. _"How do you know that she has not traveled here to simply kill you?" _Neytiri's fists clenched at the very thought, and her tail thrashed madly behind her.

_"Because our enemies tried to have her killed, Love," _Jake replied in a soothing, steady voice. _"You may speak to Thom Collins, if you do not believe me. I am having Tsaro dispose of the body of the man that Collins killed. The fact that the RDA wants Barnes dead tells me that there is a chance that she may side with us."_

Moat frowned. _"What if she does not...side with us, as you hope?" _she asked.

Jake pressed his lips together and frowned. It was a scenario that he had thought about, but rather hoped would not have to happen. _"Then we treat her as we do one of the People who have committed the gravest of crimes," _Jake said._ "We will take her to the edge of Omaticayan territory and release her. We will give her a knife, provisions for a hand of days...and the instruction to never return, on pain of death. Would this be satisfactory?"_

Of course, it went without saying that this was practically a death sentence for one who was not schooled in the ways of the forest. But that was rather the point, after all.

Neytiri glanced at her mother, for she did not trust herself to speak on the matter. Moat nodded once in agreement.

Her restraint gave out after only a few seconds, however, and Neytiri snarled in wordless displeasure. _"My Jake...I cannot stand to even be near this...this vrrtep, after what happened with you. Jake, if you had not come back to us..." _Neytiri trailed off, unable to finish, and placed both hands over her stomach, tenderly cradling the life that was within.

Jake opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped short before any words made it out. He frowned in puzzlement.

_"What is it, my Jake?" _Neytiri pressed.

Jake blinked as his eyes unfocused for a moment. "I was going to say that it was 'just orders...,'" he said slowly. "Damn, how could I have been so stupid back then," he muttered to himself.

Neytiri looked to Moat, her features scrunched up in confusion. Moat, however, had picked up on Jake's reference immediately. "But then you fell in love," the Tsahìk finished for him, also switching into English. That was a memory that she would never forget, not for as long as she lived.

Jake had a sudden, burning urge to forget that he was Olo'eyktan, at least for a moment. For a second he only wanted to be Neytiri's mate. Jake unceremoniously shuffled across the floor until he was sitting side-by-side with Neytiri. He leaned into her, wrapping his arms protectively around her as behind them their tails coiled together. "Orders aren't an excuse," he said after he had kissed Neytiri on the cheek. "For anyone." Neytiri was surprised to feel Jake shudder beside her. "I've said my piece. The rest is up to you two, I guess. I'll abide by what you say." As soon as Jake finished talking he closed his eyes and buried his nose in Neytiri's hair, breathing deeply to inhale her scent.

Moat could not help but smirk at the sight. Neytiri seemed quite unprepared for the unexpected show of affection, and she seemed torn between responding in kind and remaining angry. _"The decision will be yours, Olo'eyktan," _Moat said. _"I suspect that you have already made it, anyway."_

Jake peeked out from behind Neytiri's head. "I don't want...," he frowned, coughed to clear his throat, and continued in Na'vi. _"I do not want to take action against your advice, Tsahìk, or do what is not best for the People. I do not want to go against the will of Eywa."_

At this, Moat threw her head back and laughed. _"Oh, I think you hear the voice of Eywa much better than you give yourself credit for, my son!" _she said through her chuckles. By now Neytiri had made the decision to relax against Jake as well, and she nodded in silent agreement as she lovingly rubbed her four-fingered hand against his knee. _"In so many ways you speak as one who was born here on Eywa'eveng. You See just as well as any of the People. If not for your ugly features, I would have thought that you had always been Na'vi," _Moat teased.

Jake frowned in confusion over the unexpected insult, and Neytiri snorted with laughter. "My Jake is not ugly," she murmured in reassurance as she lovingly stroked the side of his face.

Jake was still hung up on what Moat had said before. "What do you mean, that I See just fine?" he asked.

Moat's warm gaze turned marginally more serious. _"You still remember to show those who oppose you mercy, even after all that they have done to give you reason not to," _she said.

"But...look at everything that humans have done to the Na'vi!" Jake objected. The schoolhouse, the destruction of the forest, the destruction of their very home! Moat had already lost a daughter and a mate to human greed and ignorance. So much damage. So much taken with no chance for return...

In Moat's mind, however, she had gained the son that she and Eytukan never had. And she was about to gain a grandson. That was not insignificant to her.

_"But that does not change what is the right thing to do," _Moat said with gentle firmness. _"Your decision is like the killing arrow for a talioang - it is the only shot you can take, having been made with great skill and accuracy. And I agree with it." _Moat leaned forward and touched Neytiri's arm, gaining her attention. _"What say you, daughter? Are we in agreement?"_

At last, Neytiri nodded.

_"Then it is decided," _Moat said with a final nod. _"We will wait for Colonel Barnes to recover, so that she may plead her case." _The smile that Moat directed towards her daughter and son-in-law was warm, and full of love. The two of them would surely turn out to be some of the best leaders that the Omaticaya ever possessed._ "Perhaps Colonel Barnes may yet save her own life. Only Eywa knows."_

* * *

Tanhi kept sneaking glances at her mate while she worked to clean up the supplies that had been used to tend to Colonel Barnes. A bit of a mess had been made by her, along with Moat and Neytiri, in their haste to stabilize their charge's condition.

Kyle was crouched down, resting on his haunches and leaning back against the wall. He watched over Barnes with slitted, suspicious eyes.

In the admittedly limited time that she had known Kyle, she could not recall an instance where she had seen him so on edge before. He fairly seethed with emotion, the tension seemingly writhing about just beneath his skin. It was not quite anger, but something deeper, more primal than that. He seemed to be strung tighter than the chord of his bow. Tanhi was struck by how...dangerous he appeared.

The rifle that he held, stock resting on the ground between his feet, only added to that impression.

"My Kyle," she said, speaking softly. She was honestly a little nervous about breaking his concentration. "Yawne?" she said again, a little louder this time, after garnering no response.

Kyle jerked and grunted. His eyes moved to briefly meet Tanhi's own gaze.

"This...Colonel Barnes...will be asleep for a long time. She is very weak," Tanhi informed Kyle.

Kyle simply nodded before resuming his vigil.

"She is not about to spring up and attack us, my Kyle," Tanhi clarified.

Kyle heaved in a deep breath, held it, then released it in a long, drawn-out sigh. If he had relaxed, Tanhi in no way noticed.

Tanhi let out a sigh of her own as she resumed her duties. They had gone through a hefty amount of some of the rarer medicines in their stocks. It would be difficult to replenish, and Tanhi suspected that Moat herself would most likely direct her to see to it that fresh provisions were soon gathered. Tanhi could already see how the rest of her day would most likely form up. Perhaps Sorewn, or maybe Sìlpey, would be willing to assist her.

"Jake ordered me to guard her. To keep an eye on her at all times," Kyle said, speaking up out of blue. Tanhi had given up hope that she could get her mate to say anything. And unlike that night around the campfire, Tanhi doubted she could kiss her way into a reaction this time.

"Will you guard her through the night?" Tanhi questioned. "She will not wake anytime soon."

"If I have to," Kyle readily replied. "Tsaro and I will most likely switch off." Mal'ek would very much have liked to participate in the guarding of their "guest," but Jake had decided that his Second's time would be better spent elsewhere. Besides, Jake wanted Mal'ek to take things easy while they waited for his wound to heal. A potential infection was not something to be taken lightly.

It was clear to Tanhi where her mate's focus rested. She finished cleaning and padded silently towards the exit. She paused in the doorway and cast one last look at Kyle. _You are a father now, _she thought.

But Tanhi did not say anything aloud. She sighed and stepped out, leaving Kyle to his vigil.

* * *

"I don't like not knowing where she is, or what she's up to," Dr. Todd Dryers muttered to himself as he paced back and forth against the back wall of the control room. The view of the sunset behind the mountains outside Hell's Gate was breathtakingly gorgeous, but Dryers saw none of it. "Where could she have gone?"

Major Link was slouched backwards in a chair, resting his forearms against the backrest with seemingly casual indifference. "It would have to be one of the mobile field outposts, right?" he suggested. "That's the only place that they could shelter at."

Dryers sighed and forced himself to calm down a notch. "It's too bad that we can't remote in to any of the sites right now to check that," he grumbled. "The flux vortex has been acting up a lot lately. That storm must have really stirred the atmosphere up more than we had originally thought. We can't even track their chopper."

"If it's any consolation to you, the _Commerce Star_ should have their robotic arm replaced by tomorrow," Link stated. "Then we can have Finlay or Jeffries start shuttling down supplies. That would greatly help our efforts in securing the base." Link was waiting very impatiently for their badly needed influx of military supplies, namely the parts for the Dragon gunship. Some assembly required, he silently grumbled.

"Good, good," Dyers agreed. "Did Captain Silva ever get back to you with an estimate on when their cryovaults will be ready again?" Just because Corporate had seemingly pardoned the Pandoran rebels did not mean that Dryers and Link had to keep them around, especially if there was a risk that they could interfere with the RDA's continued operations.

Link sneered in displeasure. "Silva said it would be a few more days. The systems need to cycle themselves to check for faults, and the cryogenic agents need to have their storage vessels replenished." The captain had made all sorts of excuses about how the system was supposed to have a year to recuperate between occupants.

Quite frankly, Link did not give a damn if the people who had turned against the RDA suffered any ill-effects from being put into cryosleep so soon after the system had disgorged its most recent tenants. He wanted the race-traitors out of Hell's Gate as soon as possible.

"Have you submitted your report regarding the recent turn of events with our dear Colonel?" Dryers asked with a shrewd, sideways glance.

Major Link flashed Dryers a quick, hostile look. "Not yet," he answered. "I don't want to write up anything until I have more facts."

"You know, it's too bad that you've let not one, but two persons of interest escape in just as many days," Dryers said in a relatively neutral tone. "Are you sure you're up to all this?"

Link smirked. "The way I remember it, your best efforts didn't seem to be enough to keep Sully from escaping either." Link's smile widened as Dryers frowned. "And as for Colonel Barnes, I am trying to balance the completion of our orders with the necessity to maintain certain appearances. While you and I both understand the necessity of...sacrifice for the greater good, I have doubts that some of the men would be as wise. I'm sure you see my point, Doctor."

"Fair enough," Dryers conceded. He sighed and narrowed his eyes as he turned to look outside. "You don't think that Barnes went to the Na'vi, do you?" he asked after a moment.

Major Link snorted derisively. "No, I don't," he replied. "Do you really think they'd help her?"

* * *

Samantha Barnes likened her waking to coming out from under anesthesia. She had needed to undergo two separate operations during her time in the service, back on Earth, so she was intimately familiar with the sensation. Apparently, once was not enough to remove all of the shrapnel from the helicopter crash.

Damn RPGs. Those primitive weapons were still a dime a dozen, even after all of the seemingly countless wars that had been fought. You would have thought that they had all been used up by now - apparently not, though.

Even though she was waking up, she kept her eyes closed so as to not betray her condition. So apparently Jake and the Na'vi had decided to do at least something for her. Her head no longer felt like it was trying to turn itself inside out, and her joints and muscles no longer complained like an old woman's. She felt worlds better now than when she had left Hell's Gate. Come to think of it...how long ago was that? Colonel Barnes had no idea.

She strained with all of her other senses to discern what was around her. The brightness against her eyelids seemed to indicate that it was daytime, but it was her sense of hearing that told her the most. Indistinct voices in a foreign language could be discerned outside of...wherever she was. She could hear children laughing and playing. She could hear people working, and the calls of winged creatures from out in the forest. She could hear the gentle breeze as it whispered through the trees. Everything sounded very...domestic, she decided.

In contrast, Barnes realized that this was perhaps the first time in her life that she did _not_ hear certain familiar sounds. No freeways, no honking cars or roaring airplanes. There were no mechanical sounds at all. This new quiet was oddly comforting.

It was utterly still within her immediate area, however. She did not hear any movement or the sound of anyone breathing, no matter how intently she strained her ears. Even if she was alone, Barnes still wanted to wait as long as she was able to before letting the Na'vi know that she was awake, if only to give her as much time as possible to gather her strength.

A tentative breath through her nose pulled in the scents of woodsmoke from fires, tantalizing whiffs of cooking food, and the general though not unpleasant smell of a community of people.

Barnes could tell that she was resting on a soft comfortable pallet, and that she was covered by some kind of blanket. Then, she inwardly groaned - she realized at that moment that she was not wearing any clothes.

"Feel free at any time to drop the illusion that you're still asleep," a male voice suddenly spoke.

Samantha stiffened in surprise and displeasure. A few moments later she allowed her eyes to slowly open, and she blinked against the sudden, intruding brightness. Any examination of the room that she was in was cut short when she noticed Kyle Fischer leaning casually against the opposite wall, perhaps a few dozen feet away. His gaze was cool and calculating. How the hell had she not known he was there?

"Sleep well?" he asked.

Barnes was suddenly aware of how thirsty she was. "How long was I out for?" she asked in a thick, scratchy voice, ignoring Kyle's question and casting out one of her own.

Kyle's eyes never ceased watching her as he turned slightly to face the door and said something in Na'vi. Then, he answered in a flat, emotionless voice, "Over a day. You arrived here at Hometree yesterday morning. It's late afternoon, now."

A slim, beautiful Na'vi woman pushed through the curtained entrance and slipped into the alcove. She and Kyle exchanged a few brief words again in Na'vi, presumably so that Barnes could not understand them. The woman then turned to face Samantha, but before she could take a step towards her Kyle's hand shot out and latched onto her wrist. The woman shot him an annoyed look and muttered something that made Kyle release her arm.

Turning again to face Colonel Barnes, the woman said in soothing, accented English, "My name is Tanhi. I am one of the Omaticaya's healers. Please, how do you feel? Are you well?"

Samantha studied Tanhi's face for a moment before speaking. "You were in the avatar cabin," she stated when she realized why Tanhi looked familiar. She was the woman that Kyle had shielded with his own body when she, along with her soldiers, had stormed into the building.

A flicker of nervousness crossed Tanhi's features as she nodded once in acknowledgement.

Barnes kept her eyes on Kyle, who was watching intently as Tanhi stepped closer and began to examine the once-avatar. It was clear that he was very uncomfortable with Tanhi being so near to her. "Something got your panties all in a wad, Fischer?" Barnes managed to quip after a hoarse cough.

Kyle's eyes flashed dangerously. "Tanhi is my mate," he stated in a cold voice. "Hurt her, and I promise I will kill you. Slowly." He would have gladly used his bare hands if need be, rather than the rifle that he cradled across his chest.

In that moment, strange little details leapt out at Kyle, standing out from the background in stark relief. The feeling of the woody floor against his bare feet, which was beginning to wear smooth from the many footsteps that crossed its surface. The caress of the breeze against his skin. The sight of the faint lines of muscles tensing beneath the skin of Tanhi's shoulders; she was more nervous than she let on. Outside, a child laughed.

A small finger rest had been molded into the rifle, just above the trigger guard, to serve as a place to set one's finger when it was not on the trigger itself. Kyle kept tapping his right forefinger against that divot.

Upon hearing Kyle's words, Tanhi snapped something back to him in Na'vi, and Kyle's response was delivered with just as much vigor. After a quick barrage back and forth, Kyle fell silent and Tanhi resumed tending to her patient. Moat had said that Barnes would either bounce back to near-full health, or simply expire when her spirit gave up the fight to stay in its body. Clearly, the latter had not occurred. Now would begin the laborious process of determining Barnes' intentions, and Tanhi was glad that this particular burden did not rest upon her shoulders.

"Where are my clothes?" Samantha calmly inquired after a moment.

"They needed to be washed," Tanhi explained in a calm, reassuring voice.

"You reeked," Kyle interjected, wrinkling his nose in disgust for emphasis.

Tanhi nibbled lightly on her lower lip, but offered no disagreement. It was true - Tanhi silently wondered how this dreamwalker managed to survive her own stench of sweat and sickness. "I am sure that my Kyle would be willing to fetch them for you," Tanhi said with a pointed look over her shoulder.

Kyle glared. "I'm not leaving you alone," he growled in disagreement.

"I doubt our guest would be so...stupid...as to try to harm me here in the midst of our home," Tanhi noted. "And someone should alert the Olo'eyktan and the Tsahìk that she is awake and coherent."

Kyle's tail lashed back and forth behind him in anger, and his ears were flat back against his head. "Fine," he snapped before slinging the rifle up onto his shoulder and stomping out.

Samantha remained silent and compliant as Tanhi examined her. She was impressed by the Na'vi woman's brisk but professional attitude - it was clear that she was no "dumb savage."

Tanhi made no attempt at further conversation, either. She only spoke when she needed to give her patient specific directions. To Tanhi, this uniltìranyu was a source of both curiosity and apprehension. Even in her weak state, there was something innately...hostile about this woman. At the very least Tanhi could sense that she did not exactly possess a gentle spirit.

"You were burning with fever," Tanhi noted after a while. "But that is all gone, now." She offered Colonel Barnes a water skin, with was gratefully accepted. Right now the best thing that Samantha could do would be to replenish her bodily fluids.

"I believe him, you know," Samantha said after she swallowed a sorely needed gulp of cool, sweet-tasting water. Tanhi frowned in confusion. "When he said that he'd kill me if I harmed you. I believe him," she clarified.

Tanhi was grim-faced as she relieved Colonel Barnes of the now empty water skin. She dipped her head as though shy and said, "This is good," she murmured. "For my Kyle would not lie about such a thing."

Again, the two women fell silent. Someone cleared their throat just outside the entrance a scant few minutes later, and then Kyle stepped inside bearing Colonel Barnes' fatigues, which were freshly washed and neatly folded. "The Tsahìk will be here in a moment to speak with you," he informed them.

Samantha's mind spun as she tried to recall who or what exactly the "Tsahìk" was. She tried to recall the lectures that she had endured back on Earth on Na'vi culture. One must understand their enemy, after all. She vaguely recalled that the Tsahìk was like a clan's matriarch, and had something to do with the spiritual leadership of the Na'vi. Samantha tried to suppress her expression of displeasure at the fact that a witchdoctor would be helping determine her fate.

Then again...that "witchdoctor" had apparently played a vital role in saving her life. Maybe she could give her a chance, Barnes decided.

"All is well here," Tanhi declared. She relieved Kyle of the Colonel's clothing, deposited the bundle by Samantha's bedside, and said, "I am sure that Colonel Barnes would wish to make herself presentable."

Samantha frowned as she suddenly realized something. "Where are my boots?" she asked.

"Oh, you won't be needing those just yet," Kyle explained, and one corner of his mouth quirked up into a brief sneer. "I'm sure you understand." Kyle held the curtain over the entrance open so that Tanhi could pass through unimpeded. He cast one last, baleful glance in the Colonel's direction before silently bowing out himself.

* * *

Samantha was given a few minutes to dress. While she no doubt felt immensely better - she was able to at least stand up without fear of passing out - Colonel Barnes could not shake the thought that she still did not quite feel like herself. Then again, considering her current predicament...who knew how long, if ever, it would take for her to feel like herself again. Whatever "herself" now meant, anyway.

Her avatar had once been, at the very least, a novelty to her. It was like a real-life version of the virtual reality training that she had experienced in both the military and with her most recent employer, the RDA. But now she was trapped in the system with no way out. The...permanence...of it all weighed on her mind; it was a strange, horrible presence that was constantly lurking behind every corner. Samantha Barnes was a woman composed of stern material indeed - it was by force of her iron will alone that she avoided degrading into a panicked mess right there on the spot.

Even still, every sound, sight, and smell, all rendered with crisp precision courtesy of her avatar's heightened senses, served as a reminder that things were most decidedly different now for her.

It was a smart move on Sully's part, she decided, to confiscate her boots, and she begrudgingly respected him for it. She had been treated with dignity and respect thus far, more so than she had hoped and probably more than what would have been the case had situations been reversed.

A gentle rustling drew Samantha's attention back to the room's entrance, where in were stepping two Na'vi women. One was an elderly woman. Barnes thought that this might be the Tsahìk, owing to her ornate, vividly colored tribal garments. She held herself with an unmistakable air of confidence and poise. She was a woman who was supremely comfortable with her place in the world. The second woman was beautiful indeed - that much was plain to see, even through the hostile, suspicious glare that she was emitting. She was also very obviously pregnant.

The elderly woman began to slowly circle Samantha, as if to observe her from every available angle. Barnes suppressed the urge to turn and face her when the woman went behind her. She did flinch, however, when her braid was unexpectedly examined. A low, warning growl escaped her before she could help herself.

"Be still!" the young woman commanded. Her tone was ice cold, but her eyes smoldered like two ingots of molten gold. Even though she was clearly carrying a child, she projected no aura of weakness or vulnerability, and that fact in its own right was oddly intimidating.

Barnes simply glared right back, even as her ears flattened against her head in disagreement.

"Hold out your arm," the old Na'vi commanded in heavily accented English as she stepped back in front of Colonel Barnes.

Samantha gave her a doubtful look as she slowly complied. When the old woman grasped her wrist, it was with a strength that truly surprised Barnes.

"This...may sting." Before Samantha could even ask just exactly what might sting, the Na'vi had drawn a sharp, needlelike knife from a hidden sheath in her necklace and pricked Barnes on the forearm.

"Shit!" Barnes snarled, snatching her hand away as she took a step backward. Every instinct screamed at her to defend herself, while every logical part of her mind screamed right back that any hostile move on her part would probably result in her swift death. Samantha watched with equal parts fascination and disgust as the old woman cleaned the bloody tip of the knife on her tongue.

"What do you See, Mother?" Jake Sully asked. Barnes had no idea how long he had been leaning casually against the wall, unnoticed at the entrance, silently observing. He was back in the proper, ornate attire of a Na'vi chieftain, and he wore it all like it was the most natural thing in the world. Then Barnes caught sight of her avatar sidearm holstered at his hip, the modern weapon appearing strangely out of place when compared with everything else that Jake was wearing.

Jake smirked when he realized that Barnes had noticed.

"She is but a lump of clay, unformed into anything of use," the elderly woman declared, drawing Samantha's attention away from Sully.

"What the fuck does that mean?" Barnes spat, her fists clenching at her sides. She shot an accusing glare at Jake. What the hell kind of test was that, anyway? "So if I'm useless, are you just going to kill me anyway?"

The old woman glared at her. "I said you were a lump of clay, not a rock," she snapped. "Soft clay has the potential to be turned into something beautiful, or useful." The matriarch snorted derisively and glanced down the bridge of her nose at the former Tawtute as if she were an ignorant, insolent child.

"But if the clay cannot be worked, it would still be thrown out." The warning, spoken by the young woman, was crystal clear.

Jake grinned at this. "Of course, Neytiri," he said in ready agreement.

Neytiri? The same woman that Dr. Patel had said was... A sudden sinking sensation, that feeling of a calculation gone horribly wrong, formed in Colonel Barnes' stomach as a more complete grasp of her current predicament fell over her. Her eyes widened fractionally as she looked back at the young woman with a renewed perspective.

Neytiri grinned fiercely right back, baring her teeth.

"How rude of me," Jake said, and for a brief second Samantha saw something dangerous flash within his eyes when he saw the recognition in her own. "Colonel, please let me introduce you to Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite, my mate. And this is Moat, Tsahìk of the Omaticaya. She is also my mother-in-law. I hope this doesn't sound too egotistical...but your fate rests in our hands."

During his imprisonment Jake had never asked for anything, let alone begged. He had never pleaded to go back to this woman, or his unborn child. Samantha had never even known that they had existed - which was probably by design. It was obvious that Jake had been protecting something, and Barnes had simply assumed that it was the Na'vi people in general - she would have never imagined this, that it had become this personal to Jake.

Colonel Samantha Barnes prided herself on being able to predict every eventuality, and to plan around it accordingly. That was how she had managed to retake Hell's Gate against all odds, after all, in the midst of a hurricane-force storm. But this, she had failed to predict.

All of a sudden Samantha Barnes was painfully aware of how far out on a limb she had cast herself.

Jake spoke again. "My mate wanted you dead," he flat-out declared. "Or perhaps 'wants,' as I'm sure she's still not opposed to the idea. Perhaps you can understand why. All impulsive emotions aside, the three of us have decided that you may plead your case. I found it...intriguing...that of all the places and people you could have turned to, you came here. To us."

Samantha felt herself nodding in agreement. The move had surprised even herself. But it truly had been the only option. "I was desperate," she murmured. She was still reeling from the realization that Jake Sully had actually made a family here.

Jake nodded in thoughtful agreement. "Clearly," he grunted. "So. Tell us why we saved your life, and why we should let you continue to live."

Suddenly Samantha felt weak-kneed, and she fought back the desire to sit down. "I'll help you take back Hell's Gate," she replied. "And kick the RDA off of Pandora. That's what I'll do to earn the privilege of staying alive."

Jake folded his arms over his chest as his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "How do I know that this isn't an elaborate trap?" he asked. "That this isn't some ploy to recapture me?"

Samantha laughed nervously. "When I came here...did I look like I was in any condition to harm anyone?" she countered. "Major Link tried having me killed. You saw the copilot. I threw the second man out of the chopper. Ask Lieutenant Collins, if you have any doubts."

"Oh, Collins and I have talked, alright," Jake said as hints of anger began to slide into his voice. "I find these new circumstances rather amusing. How convenient for the RDA that they still have a human stuck in an avatar to experiment on, even after I slipped their grasp." Jake paused to school his features into more of a neutral expression. "That's gotta burn, doesn't it, Colonel?"

Barnes was beginning to feel simultaneously desperate and angry. "I know how this looks -" she began.

"You know _nothing!" _Neytiri snarled. Her well-deserved anger towards this woman was starting to rear its head again.

Samantha screwed her eyes closed and forced herself to calm down. Everything that she had ever known, all of her life experiences, had just been turned on their heads. And she was pleading for her life, she reminded herself. "May I speak, Sully?" she requested with stiff formality. Perhaps in any other place she would have outranked the former Corporal Sully. But not here, not now.

Jake nodded. "Please do," he said dryly. He then said something to Neytiri in Na'vi in a low, gentle voice. Neytiri simply snorted and folded her arms over her chest, tilting her chin up as she continued to glare at Barnes.

Samantha Barnes closed her eyes again and sighed sadly before beginning to speak. "I want to live. I thought you were the enemy, Sully, but now I see that I was wrong. The company, the people that I work for, have betrayed me in my time of need. I would like nothing better than to make their lives a living hell. And if there is a chance of a future for me, however slim...it would be here, on Pandora."

Jake and Moat exchanged a look. Indeed, what exactly would happen to the Colonel if they managed to defeat the RDA? Her situation truly was the height of irony. "I understand your motivation, but I'm not sure if I can trust it," Jake said after a pause.

Samantha nodded in agreement. "Let me prove my intentions. Let me help you take back Hell's Gate," she replied. "There are elements in place that can effectively tilt the odds in your favor."

Jake tried not to appear as interested as he felt regarding the matter. "What elements?" he asked.

"Tanya Keyes and David Faison are close friends, and members of the avatar team. Keyes is third in command of Hell's Gate." Barnes paused and frowned. "Or second, now that I am gone," she clarified. "They helped me escape with my life - I know they can be trusted, and their word holds great personal weight with the men. And you would be pleased to know that Hoshiro Tanaka is alive and doing quite well - he had actually been faking the severity of his injury. He relayed a plan of attack to Faison, who in turn gave it to me."

"Why would our friend do this?" Neytiri interjected with a puzzled frown.

When Jake answered he kept his eyes on Barnes, watching for a reaction. He did allow himself a small smile, though. "Because he cut off Dr. Dryers' hand, Love," the Olo'eyktan reminded her. "If what the Colonel says is true, I suspect it would be because Hoshiro felt he could be more useful 'sick' in the infirmary, rather than locked in the brig or outright dead."

Barnes dipped her head in agreement. "Tanaka felt that you might need some proof that he trusts me," Samantha said. "He told me to say that he only addresses you as 'Olo'eyktan,' that he has never called you by your given name ever since you transferred into your avatar."

Jake glanced over to Moat and Neytiri. _"Is this true, my son?" _Moat asked.

_"It is, Mother," _Jake confirmed. To Barnes he asked, "What is the RDA planning? What can we expect in the near future?"

Samantha Barnes sighed and closed her eyes. "As I'm sure you know, this most recent rotation wasn't geared for any major conflict. The RDA thought it was just business as usual when they blasted us off into space, six years ago. Your rebellion caught them by surprise. Assuming we could retake Hell's Gate...which I did..." Barnes snorted bitterly at the memory - the RDA had repaid her brilliance by trying to kill her. "We were simply to hold the base until reinforcements arrived."

Jake stared at her intently. "What reinforcements?" he demanded.

Barnes' ears flicked back, even though she held Jake's gaze. "The ISV _Prometheus. _Do you remember your history, Sully?" Samantha continued speaking when Jake nodded. "As luck would have it, she was in dry dock two years ago, being retrofitted with the most modern generation of the matter-antimatter engines from the _Capital Star_ class vessels. All that weight formerly dedicated to refrigeration equipment for the engines can now be used for hauling hundreds more tons of Unobtanium home...or for bringing hundreds of tons of military hardware out here." Out of habit Barnes glanced down to her watch, where among other things the current Earth time and date was displayed. "She departed eight months ago," Samantha informed them. "And you can bet your ass that she's loaded for bear."

At four kilometers long, the _Prometheus_ was an absolute giant. She was perhaps the largest moveable object that mankind had ever built. The RDA could practically bring an entirely new base with them on this ship, if they wanted to. At the very least she could carry enough arms, ammunition, and equipment - not to mention passengers - to pose a very real threat to Pandora.

"Damnit," Jake muttered, even as his mind began thinking up ways to counteract this threat. The orbital harvesters could still prove to be an effective weapon against such a ship...assuming the Na'vi still had control of that asset when the time came. Even though armed space vessels were outlawed per numerous international treaties, Jake would not put it past the RDA to try to slip something illegal under the radar.

_"How bad is this news, my Jake?" _Neytiri asked as she stepped up beside her mate and rested a hand at the small of his back.

Jake leaned into her touch. _"The threat is manageable...but losing Hell's Gate is not an option if we are to keep the People safe," _he answered.

"This is what we may expect in the future," Moat said, speaking in English for Samantha's benefit. "What can we expect from the Sky People who wish us harm, who are here now?"

Barnes sneered, though it was not directed at her immediate audience. "Major Link's desire for power is kept in check only by his limited resources," she said. "The RDA do not have the strength to be considered a major threat to the Na'vi... Yet."

"But their ability grows each year as the ISVs rotate in, and with every new weapon that Hell's Gate can manufacture," Jake said. Now that control of the human base had been wrested away from them, time was no longer a friend. The RDA would only grow stronger with each passing day. "Okay...so if I were to trust you in the future - because I still don't, right now - how does Hoshiro intend to retake Hell's Gate?"

Samantha took Jake's words in stride. "Simple. Lieutenant Collins and I return to Hell's Gate, sans the helicopter. We need a plausible excuse why we returned without Link's men. Any type of accident will do - an encounter with the Na'vi, or a rogue Leonopteryx. And how fortunate that Lieutenant Collins knows how to navigate in this Godforsaken forest. Without him, I would never have made it back."

Jake listened with eyes narrowed in concentration. Though he did not necessarily want to admit so out loud, he was liking what he was hearing. So far, anyway. "And after you get back onto the base...?"

Colonel Barnes spread her hands in supplication. "Even simpler. Commander Keyes will have trustworthy people posted at strategic locations within the base. I will be in the control room. From there, I will disengage the base's defenses. You and your...troops, who will be hidden in the forest outside, will be able to enter unmolested. You will have superior numbers and the element of surprise on your side." Barnes grinned, flashing the tips of her canines. "I broke in once. I think I can do so again."

Jake grit his teeth at the none too subtle jibe and Neytiri growled angrily. _"This scheme requires a great deal of faith in one who once counted us as an enemy, my Jake," _Neytiri seethed.

Even though she did not understand Neytiri's words, the doubt in them was easy for Samantha to pick up on. "I give you my word, on my honor, that what I say is true, Sully," she said, her voice losing its cocky tone. "You and your people have shown me mercy. That is not something I would disregard."

Jake gently cupped Neytiri's chin with his hand and turned her head so that they were gazing into one another's eyes. _"I have not made a final decision, Neytiri," _Jake said. _"Though I am...hopeful, I will seek council with Mal'ek and others on this matter as well." _Risky though it was, an alliance with Colonel Barnes appeared to be the best way - the only way - that they had to get Hell's Gate back. Jake looked over to Moat. _"What are your thoughts, Tsahìk?"_

Moat's next words took everyone by surprise. "I can think of another reason why you can trust this woman, Olo'eyktan," she said. "Her words can be believed simply because she is standing before us, unaided, on her own two feet."

Neytiri was taken aback by this sudden about-face. _"What do you mean, Mother?" _she asked incredulously.

Moat tilted her chin in Samantha Barnes' direction. "Like two very honorable men before her, she has passed through the Eye of Eywa, and returned. Like Jakesully and Kylefischer, the All Mother has a plan for her."

Barnes frowned and shifted self-consciously on her feet.

Moat cackled softly. "Come, now!" she said. "Do you think that she would be alive if Eywa did not want her to be?"

* * *

_"I do not like that she is unrestrained," _Mal'ek growled, his angry golden eyes piercing Samantha Barnes with a fierce gaze.

Jake shrugged. "If she tries anything, kill her," he said in a calm, casual tone. "Or maybe Neytiri would like that honor...," Jake added.

Samantha gulped, and Mal'ek and Neytiri both grinned.

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Kyle grumbled. "Just think about who we're working with for a second." The mere expression on Kyle's face was more than enough to convey the displeasure he felt about this current arrangement.

"The Tsahìk and Olo'eyktan are of one mind, Kyle," Neytiri said in a firm voice. Still, her brow was creased in a faint frown. She most definitely did not like the idea of trusting this Tawtute woman so readily...but the logic of both her mate and her mother was infallible. Neytiri smirked for a moment - she really hated it when that happened.

"Collins, is this something that you're comfortable doing?" Jake asked.

The human pilot shrugged. "Sure," he said as he struggled to keep his voice from pitching up a notch. "What could possibly go wrong with a plan like this?"

Kyle frowned. "That's actually a good question," he muttered. "What could go wrong? And how do we keep it from going wrong?"

Samantha spoke up to answer the concern. "There won't be any air cover," she offered. "There aren't enough aircraft to fly any sort of close air support. And there's really no reason to...the base's automated turrets can take care of any ground or airborne threats." Barnes' eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Not to mention that much of the men's attention and resources will be split. I know that they were trying to repair the disabled Valkyrie at the mine when we left. That should still be an ongoing project for them."

"That's certainly a weakness that we can exploit," Jake mused.

Mal'ek thought aloud. "The Sky People do not expect an attack," he said. "They will be spread out. Scattered. Unprepared, and vulnerable. If this woman can do what she says...victory should not be difficult."

Colonel Barnes bristled at Mal'ek's words. "Oh, I can deliver," she growled. Her tail lashed angrily behind her in agreement. "So when do we do this, Sully?" she asked, looking towards Jake.

Jake and Mal'ek locked eyes, silently communicating. "If we can adequately prepare in time...we can leave tomorrow morning," Jake replied. The muscles in his jaw twitched with tension. "We're gonna have a long ride ahead of us, and at the very least a semi-decent night's sleep would be helpful."

Kyle's ears lowered, and he growled softly to himself. Right now, patience and restraint were not one of his virtues.

Jake met his gaze. He was just as eager to rescue people like Norm as Kyle was. "We gain our friends and family nothing by rushing into this, Kyle," Jake said gently.

Kyle lowered his eyes and nodded. "What about AMP suits?" he suddenly asked, perking back up as his mind began mulling over a new obstacle that needed overcoming. Though he hated to admit, luck may have played a bit of a heavy role in Jake's rescue. Had that AMP suit been a few steps quicker, or its driver any more accurate with his gun, there was a real chance that Kyle's Samson could have been brought down.

A Na'vi on an ikran was the only suitable counter to the mechanical suits of armor - just ask any of the men who had been guarding the bulldozers that Quaritch and Selfridge had sent off towards the Omaticaya's first Hometree. But in this assault, ikran would not be an option - the RDA would see that threat coming before Samantha Barnes had a chance to blind them. No, Jake and his people would most likely be doing this from the ground.

And even one AMP suit would be a formidable opponent for the Na'vi. After all, it took Jake, Neytiri, and one very brave palulukan to defeat Miles Quaritch and his AMP suit.

"That, I have an idea for," Jake answered. A smug grin settled over his features. "Collins, I need a favor to make it work, though."

Collins turned his palms up and shrugged. "Sure, Jake, whatever you need," he said.

Jake's grin widened. "I'm going to need to borrow one of your Samson's missiles."

* * *

The Omaticaya's Hometree was the epicenter of a blur of activity that evening. Now that a goal had been set, every Na'vi devoted him or herself to moving in that direction. Kyle had secretly been wondering where they might get the necessary manpower for an assault on Hell's Gate. Jake or Mal'ek had not seemed worried... Kyle's question was seemingly answered as he watched nearly every able-bodied Na'vi prepare for what was to come. Not just the hunters, but the weapon makers, the weavers, the cooks...

Kyle could no longer contain his consternation when he saw Va'ru pass by, bow in hand. _"Is every single Omaticaya going to war?" _he asked, reaching to grasp Va'ru's arm in order to gain his attention.

_"No, not every single Na'vi," _Va'ru answered with complete seriousness. _"Perhaps around half, I should think. Mated couples that have children decided between themselves who will go and who will stay behind. In our case, we have decided that it be best for Sänume to stay with Kel'rey."_

Kyle gaped at him. "But..." He shook his head and tried again. _"But you are not -"_

_ "Am not what, Kyle?" _Va'ru interrupted. His intense gaze might have been interpreted as hostile had Kyle not known him better. _"I am not a hunter? A fighter? Every Na'vi of age in this clan is able to protect and provide for their clan mates. Though I spend much of my time with leather, that does not mean that I do not know how to obtain the source." _Va'ru reached forward and gently tapped Kyle on the forehead with two of his fingers. _"Your vision is too narrow, brother," _he said softly.

Kyle dipped his head. _"Forgive me, Va'ru. I meant no insult," _he murmured.

Va'ru offered Kyle a reassuring smile. _"There is nothing to forgive. Certainly not the brash impulses of youth!" _Va'ru chuckled as Kyle flushed at this. _"Do not forget your People's history, Kyle," _Va'ru said. _"Every single Omaticaya found the strength to do what needed to be done during the Great Battle. All of us fought, one way or another. All of us bear scars." _Va'ru shrugged and smiled fiercely for a brief moment. _"What are a few more?"_

* * *

A ways away, a similar conversation was taking place. The doubt was plain to see on Samantha Barnes' face. _These_ were Jake's soldiers? _These_ were the people that Samantha Barnes, by proxy, was putting her faith in? If they lost, she lost.

"Once again, your perspective is wrong," Jake said, cutting into Samantha's thoughts with blunt words.

Beside Jake, Neytiri inwardly smiled as she waited to see what Jake would say. She felt herself relax, despite all of the stress, as Jake's hand lovingly rubbed her side. Their tails fondly brushed and slid against each other behind them. It seemed that neither could get enough of the other's presence, not after Jake had been captured.

"Really? What am I missing, now?" Barnes asked with an exasperated sigh. It felt a little odd to have Jake Sully speak down at her. It was the fact that someone younger, and of a lower rank, was addressing her in such a manner. Then again... Sully's avatar was a few years older than her own...and he technically did outrank her here. This was just another example of how everything in her world had been turned on its head.

"You're thinking of the Na'vi like humans," Jake explained. "While they are alike in many ways, you're not adequately understanding their society and mindset. That's the kind of mistake that got Colonel Quaritch killed."

Samantha silently bristled at the comparison. I'm infinitely smarter than _that_ Neanderthal, she mentally fumed.

Jake continued speaking and had Dr. Grace Augustine been present, she would have been staring at the former marine with slack-jawed amazement. "Humans are too modern," Jake explained. "They're too specialized. Other than the military, none of them really know how to fight. Your average dentist doesn't have much by the way of combat skills." Jake shrugged and said, "While it certainly isn't a bad thing that we haven't had any war come onto our native soil, that also means that the civilian population has grown soft. Weak. They've lost touch with the natural world and rely too heavily on their technology."

Samantha frowned as she began to process what Jake was saying.

"Most Na'vi aren't 'warriors.'" Jake continued. Indeed, that classification only served to highlight human ignorance in regards to the Na'vi. "We don't have too many wars to wage here. But everyone is a hunter. Everyone knows how to use a bow and arrow, or a spear, or a knife."

"And everyone here is motivated," Samantha murmured.

Jake smiled grimly. "Damn straight," he confirmed.

* * *

Tanhi was just finishing up packing medical supplies when her mate's voice softly called her name. She turned to find Kyle standing in the entryway, watching her with an intense, scrutinizing gaze. "Are you planning on joining our little adventure?" he asked. He kept his tone level, but his ears were back in quiet displeasure. The tanhi along his chest, neck, and face were glowing faintly brighter than the patterns on the rest of his body.

Tanhi's chin tilted upwards fractionally. "Yes. But I will not be fighting beside you, Yawne. I and some of the clan's other healers will be waiting in the forest for the battle to finish. Eywa willing, our particular skills will not be necessary." Kyle still did not look convinced. "With both you and my father looking out for me, do you think that I could possibly come to harm?"

Kyle snorted and one corner of his mouth turned up in a quick grin. "Guess not," he admitted. Kyle sighed before stretching his arms over his head and yawning wide enough that his jaw popped. Tanhi smiled at the sight, her memory going back to the first night that she had ever laid eyes on the man who was now her mate. Kyle then held out his hand, palm up. "Bed time?" he asked, grinning sheepishly when he noticed Tanhi's silent amusement.

With a warm smile Tanhi accepted Kyle's offered hand, and together they made their way up to the level where their nivi was hung. Both sighed in relief when they were finally settled down together.

_"You are nervous," _Tanhi noted in soft Na'vi. She did not say so out loud, but Tanhi could tell that Kyle had been worrying much about Norm's safety.

Tanhi did not mind when Kyle replied in English. "Nervous isn't quite right," Kyle said with a whispered frown. "I just...don't like having to work with Barnes."

_"But you will abide by what the Tsahìk and Olo'eyktan have decided, yes?" _Tanhi pressed.

Kyle nodded. "Sure," he agreed after a moment. Kyle shifted in the hammock, reaching back behind him to find the end of his queue. "Enough about tomorrow. I want to be with you here, now. Tonight."

Tanhi's heart seemed to clench up in her chest. The pure honesty in Kyle's words almost compelled her to comply, and at the suggestion of tsaheylu she felt some strange mix of her mind and body give an eager flutter. Still...was now the right time?

Kyle frowned in confusion when Tanhi gently shook her head. Then his eyes widened as she gently gripped his braid and moved it back behind him. "What...?" he asked, incredulous. "Tanhi...is something wrong? Are you mad at me?"

_"Oh, Yawne...," _Tanhi murmured. Kyle's deeply wounded look almost made her reconsider. Tanhi leaned forward and brushed her lips against her mate's. _"I only do this because there is something that...that I do not wish to tell you. I could not hide it if we made tsaheylu now. Do you understand this?"_

Kyle still looked hurt and confused as he slowly nodded.

Tanhi sighed and kissed him again. _"Oh, my Kyle. I could not lie to you. Please trust me." _She laughed softly and said, _"I did not say that we would never bond again! I would miss that too much! But I must keep this to myself, for a short time only. I promise."_

Kyle still felt stung, and Tanhi lovingly rubbed his flank in an effort to reassure him. "Damn...," he murmured. "I hope we don't have too many of these moments. This really doesn't feel good." Kyle's nose scrunched up in displeasure for a moment. "No secrets?"

Tanhi's smile was radiant and full of love. _"No secrets," _she agreed. _"I can only ask that you be patient. Can you do this for me? Please?" _

Kyle slowly nodded. "Can you tell me when all of this is over?" he slowly asked. He gestured generally around them - this whole, stupid, unfortunate mess.

This was so much harder than she thought it would be, keeping this news from her own mate. Even if it would only be for a short time, less than a day. But she knew that Kyle needed his focus for the task to come. Also, she would not put it past her mate to try and make her stay behind if he knew that she carried their child. Tanhi was one of the Omaticaya's best healers - she could not afford to sit this out. A rushed, whispered conversation between Mal'ek and herself had confirmed this, and she completely trusted Mal'ek's ability to keep her from harm.

Tanhi nodded vigorously and kissed Kyle on the lips again; this time it was one of those long, lingering kisses that both of them so greatly enjoyed. Her hand gently cupped the side of Kyle's head, her fingers rubbing soothing circles against the smooth skin beneath his mohawk. _"Of course, Yawne," _she said.


End file.
